The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-07-24
Literary CamIlibalS.
A RACE OF EDUCATED MAN-EATERs

In the Observer of last week the Rev
Charles P. Bush, D. D., gives an inter
esting account OF some remarkable saw
! ages which have come under his notice
The beautiful Island of Samatra, two
and a half times as large as all New
England, is Inhabited by four anda halt
millions of people, among whom hardly
any missionary effort had, as yet, been
made. Parts of the island were in pos
session of the Dutch, and other parts
were Inhabited by independent tribes OF
principalities, among whom the Batta
| people, OF Bataks, were represented as
the most intelligent and interesting; a
tribe or nation of about 0,000 souls, oc-
cupying the interior central portion OF
the island. Immediately south of the
Achinese, with whom the Dutch are
now at war.
The Bataks were generally mild and
inOfenSive, though fierce and revenge
they were the most remarkable people
anywhere to be found-educate canni-
balls. They had a written language and
books, and most of the people could
read, and yet they were canDibals. They
had al alphabet of their own, consisting
of twenty-five letters and five vowel
points. Their language was quite origi-
nal, yet simple and melOdiOus, much
like the italian, written like our own,
from right to left, easily learned and
much used in all that region.
Their books are written on the inner
bark OF species of palm tree, their pen
consisting of mere twig, or a fibre of
Il leaf; their ink made of a certain gum
and the juice of the sugar cane. For
ordinary purposes, they also wrote upon
smooth bamboo sticks, sometimes two
inches in diameter and two or three feet
long, making letter, it might be, big
enough to knock person dOwn-con-
venient for lovers delivering their own
epistles, if they should not be graciously
received.
Their literary works were really nu-
merOuS, and yet not very wise, consist
ing largely of books of divination, jug
glery, and the most absurd fables about
the origin and destiny of the great Batta
nation. 1t will be seen, therefore, that
they had some ambition. If they should
receive the Gospel, they were in good
position to give it to others. Besides,
much of the island was nominally Mo-
hammedan, and so far as the Dutch had
sway, they had agreed to protect the
Mohammedan religion from all assault
and interference from without; but the
Battas were simple heathens, and beyond
the Dutch control. They believed in
two gods, one above and one below
one good and one bad; but their ideas
we're very vague and uncertain, and
they felt bound to pay far greater hom-
age to the evil spirit than to the good,
as they had most to fear from him.
And yet, strange enough, French in
fidelity and infdel books had found
their way into that country. The mis-
sionaries met one of the former, who
denounced the Bible as " all lie," al
though he confessed that he had never
read it, but boasted that he had read
Voltaire's insane TRADE against it no less
than ten times.
And after all, this cannibalism was of
a modified type. They did not seem to
feed on human flesh for mere love of it;
nor was it their settled habit, as with
some other people, to have regular can
nibal feasts; but portions Of the flesh of
their enemies, slain in war, were tasted,
as if in revenge, OF as denoting complete
triumph. The missionaries were, how
ever, invited to one feast, for which a
boy seven years of age had been seized
and killed, and roasted, to be eaten for
the sins of his father, committed six
years before the little fellow was born.
The missionaries respectfully declined
the invitation.