The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1873-09-12
Human Sacrifices i'm Africa.

An Engli>hman. Mr.. y. 4. ~ketchly.
has just returned from Dahomey. on the
west coast of Africa. and j. now furnish
ing some interesting illustrations from his
sketch book 10 the illustrated London
Neics. For six months Mr.. >ketchly was
the guest of the Hing. 10y whom he was
very Hospitality treated. He j. the only
white man that has been admitted into the
apartments of the King. There j. no
town of Dahomey. The capital i merely
One Of the royal palaces. with official resi-
dcnccs for the high officers and the ser
wants: while the AmaZons reside in the
palace IN long. baril-like buildings imme-
diately outside and surrounding the Kings
private apartments. At each OF hi> nine
palaces there are l.000 of these Amazons.
Before Mr.. >ketchly was admitted 10 the
palace he went through ceremonials last
ing three days. during which lac was ere
aied prince of the royal blood. duke
and general Of the army. but not Of the
AmaZons. lie was then permitted Ia see
the various customs. lie wa- an eye-wit-
ness 60 the grand annual ceremonial where
the principal human sacrifices take place.
For the sacrifice called the Men-hoo-who.
the King reclinc~ ona wicker-work lounge
in his palace. III, wears only blue cotton
robe. a. ne considers his dignity 80 great
that he can afford To- dress in ordinary
clothing. Neither the King nor the menu
bcrs of the royal family ever drc-, in gaudy
attire.
Above the Kings head an umbrella j.
EXTENDED. and this l. gorgeous with scar
let. blue and yellow figures. cut out with
knife from velvet. silk and dama-k The
AmazonS sew the pieces together 20 a. 10
form emblematie devices. The bird i in
dicative of royalty. None but the princes
OF Dahomey are allowed to adopt il. The
top OF the umbrella j. surmounied hy a
wooden ornament. representing a man
with a bird in his hand.
The AmaZOns are seated round the
King. Between them and the people a
number of bamboo rods are placed i'm "a
line upon the ground. ANY man who
crosses one Of these rods suffers immediate
death. Soldiers bring in the victims
slaves taken in war. and generally old men.
They are gagged by means Of stick with
grass rope wrapped round it.which fills the
whole mouth. and j. tied at the back of
the head. Their hands ara fastened to-
gether. and they are firmly bound To bas-
kets which are carried OF the soldiers
heads. Their bodies are entirely naked
save single cloth around the loins. Conf
cal hats arr kept on their heads until just
before dccapitafion. The Prime Minister
lies PROSTATE. and receives In that position
a message from the King to the victims.
This message j. 10 be- carried 20 the father
of the present King. who died about nine
years ago. For their subsistence on the
way he gives them each bottle of rum
and head of cowrieS. The men are then
taken TO platform twenty feet high in an
adjacent court ward: there they are east
hcadlong. still bound to the baskets. The
exccuiioners then cut off their heads and
exhibit them 10 the people after which
they are placed on wooden affairs To oriia-
mcnt the palace gate. Thr'e days after
warl the heads are taken within the palace
where they are cleaned by the Amazons.
and are then used for state drinking cups.
ornaments for drums. flagstafis. and other
purposes. The bodies of the victims are
dragged by the crowd through the market
place. and are finally thrown into a ditch
outside Abomcy. where the hycnas soon
make short work of them. Thousands of
skeletons are in this ditch. hut not single
skull. Tie men appear Ia have no fear Of
death. Mr.. Sketchly states that hc has
frequently looked into a mans face just at
the moment when he was about To have
his head cut off. and not a muscle seemed
to Indicate either emotion or fear.
The present Ming j. more merciful than
his predecessors We're. lie j. eudcavOring
10 reduce the fearful sacrifices Of human
life entailcd upon him on his accession to
the throne nv the customs Of the country.
He generously spares the lives of half
the number of victims intended for Sacri-
flee. No women arr ever killed for sacri-
flee. although they like the men are
brought out on the heads Of the Amazons.
to be carried around the courtyard.