The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-05-19
THE VARS OF THE C4NNIBILS.
Fearful Atrocities in Aizica-Prisorers
Cut mp and P"rti"n"d Cut TO the
Families of the Vfctor..

The Bonny correspUul:n; Of the Liverpool
Courier writes Us follows:
For some time past. L,c ew Calabar men
have been secretly preparing their forces for a
raid into the Ekreeka country, partly as d de-
monstrutiun Of their strength, and partly to
see whether The Bonny men would stand
forward aS the protectors Of the hkreekas,
which they are bound to do BY treaty. Ac-
cordingly, about week ago the most power
.lll expedition that ever left New Calabar for
Ekreeka GEL out under command of King
Amachree. The expedition consisted OF
above fifty large war canoes, manned
by over two thousand men. They
cautiously approached the capital OF the
Ekreeka country, taking three days In the
movement. On The night Of the third day they
laid In wait near the city" hid by the thick
residence of King PhIbla. About midnight.
some Ekreeka oil and fishing canoes-about
nine In number-came BY, manned by both
men and women. The war canoes charged
out Of their respective hiding pllces; q few
minutes ot confusion, cries of triumph aud
canoes were captured, and with them abont
twenty five men and three casks OF palm oil;
but the women, with praiseworthy aclirltY,
inmped into the creek and swan ashore, and
In spite OF all.the efforts OF the Calabar men,
tiley escaped through The oush to the town
and gave the alarm, the Calabar men, IN their
own expressive way, remarking: ''Them
women he be devll.man FOL run"-i. e., very
swift of foot. At daylight Al advance was
made on the town. but the Ekreekas were too
strongly posted behind slockades 10 warrant
the Calahar men carrying the place 0y storm.
They therefore opened IRE on the positloh
with canoe guns, and bombarded IL for some
hours. The slaughter In the crowded town
must have been very great, as every sn0t lOlu;
and as the Caabar mems guns We're OF
heavier caliDre than those Of the Ekreekas,
their fire was most effective ut range That
was suite ont Of the power OF the Ekreekl
guns The Calabar men, being satisfied with
the damage they had done to the Ekreekas,
drew off their canoes and returned 10 New
Calabar Town. Then commenced The horrible
orgies that are the usual sequel OF all battles In
this country. Sixteen Of the prisoners We're ut
once slaughtered and proportiOned out, like so
much beef or mutton. 10 the principal families
in The town, for the purpose oi being cooked
and eaten. One scene will suffice TO give an
idea of the horrible practices About 10 a.
M, one Of the unfortunate caplives was bound
hand and foot In the centre of The courtyard
OF one OF the most wealthy and enlightened
chiefs. The prisoner, hag4ard and worn, was
surrounded BY the wives, children. head men
and slaves of tie chief. The chief himself
and iavorite son, a'guodooiing boy Of about
six years of age, how TO execute the prisoner
with sharp knife. After few min
| utes, The young savage seized the prisoner
! by his wool, pulled his head forward, ard
struck MIN OH the back Of The neck, causing
blood to spurl forth. The yels Of the men and
women were deafening. The miserable
| prisoner was struck to the ground, and cut up
| in pieces with large knives. The youngster
| who commenced the slaughter waved his
hand r.eking with blood, on high, and gave
shont of triumph: In ten minutes after, the
head and hands OF the late prisoner were in
an iron pot boiling in the chiefs house for his
breakfast. carefully tended by one oI MS wives
and the young eXccutiOner gre ..ly awaiting
| the repast he would share with his father. SIX
Of the canoes taken were DESTROYED before I,s
leaving the Ekreeka country. and, 10 the
astonisnment of the King OF Calabar. eight OF
the prisoners taken denied that they were
Ekreeka :ren. and asserted that they were
Bonny men, They We're accordingly placed in
satekeepihg till the Bonny King could be com.
mnnicated with, which Was at once done
through the chairman OF the Court OF Equity,
New Cslabar. 1t has since transpired that the
Bonny people claim these men, also two
canoes and three casks OF palm OIL"