The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-08-07
HUMAN SACRIFICES.
The TIlndoHInn Tribe who Worship Priests
-.ThrIr Unnatural Rites.

--TnrIr Unnatural Rites.
In tho early portion OF tho present
year, says the Times Of India, it was
brought to the notice Of the govern.
ment that infanticide and secret murder
prevailed to n considerable extent
among the tribe Of aborignals known rs
Brinjaries, who reside on the borders Of
Hyderabnd aud the central provinces.
Spreading north and. south Of the
boundary, many of them having their
homes in tho territory Of tho NizAm,
and others in tho central provinces,
but nearly three-fourths Of their time
is occupied III carrying grain and salt
about the country. Their social char
actvIistics are somewhat peculiar, aud
they seem to retain some OF tho most
ancient forms OF superstitious belief.
Idulatry is unknown among them, but
each society OF Briniaries, called atanda,
has high priest, who, like the llama Of
Thibet, or tho more ancient chief OF the
Babylonian hierarchy, is m object Of
reverence and alteration. The societies
into which the tribe is thus divided
travel about the country to and from
the Kistna and Ganiam districts to the
Hydcnbad territory and central prov
incGR, GarlI priest accompanying the So
ciety Of which he il tho spiritual head.
He leads n very reserved, contemplaiive
and sacred life, preserving strict cell.
bacy. The influence exercised by him
is, OF course. very considerable, rs he
is believed to be ompicient, and any
transgression Of his wish is supposed to
involve punishment in this and in the
world to come. Whatever idea OF n III.
turG state aud OF Supreme Being they
mny possess, it does not Interfere with
tho religious worship with which each
priest is regarded.
The object OF the several groups into
which the tribe is divided is not definite
" understood, but their origin is very
likely tho necessity experienced by such
people travelling in bands, and the con.
sequGnt association OF interest has nc
doubt impaired stability to tho institu.
ton. Each baud thus forms small
travelling community, with its head,
quarters at village which is visited
once or twice q year, the members OF
which have n common interest III the
trnilic in salt, wheat, etc. which they
carry on between the coast countries and
the interior. This represents their sole
means OF livelihood, rs they arc not re,
gardod rs turbulent or dishonest tribe.
The earthly wants OF tho sacerlotaI
office arc OF course but few, aud these
are supplied by the people. The priest
i'll return prophecies, grants prayers,
and punisheR, Nud Processes to perform
q number Of other divine duties. As it
very frequently happens, however, that
these prOphesies aud ordinations nic not
fulfilled, resort is always had to the OK.
cusc OF cUuuternctiug evil influences,
which is said TO he represented by some
unfortunate victim, WHO is not, however,
sacrificed rs in Druidicnl days, but is
simply destroyed, because he is sup.
posed to be the incarnation Of some owl
power.
On the uonfulfllment Of prophecy,
the failure of q crop, tho approach o.
pestilence, or the approach Of my mis-
fortune, the priest is Immediately resort,
cd to, who, after pretended meditation.
oracularly signifies certain individual
Of the tribe as being the responsible
cause Of tho evil. The person implicated
is, Of course, Immediately regarded MS
the cuemy Of the community, md is
summ0rily sentenced to death by the
unanimous voice Of the people, who re.
gard the opinion Of the priest NJ final
and emphatic. Tho relatives OF the vie,
tim are then called upon TO deliver him
up, and of course readily do SO, rs my
opposition would incur divine displeas.
ure, which, under such circumstances,
would DO considered equivalent to the
disposal Of half dozen other lives.
II the victim happens to be man OF
responsibility, his relatives prefer taking
the execution into their own hands, and
dcpute Que Of their own number either
to behcad, strange. or spear him to
death in presence Of the assembly. Ii
an individual OF ordinary rank, he il
surrendered to the assembly, who com.
mission n certain number to execute the
sentence. These executions are carried
out with tho utmost secrecy, md tho
relatives OF tho deceased, as well Us all
members OF the Tanda, preserve the
most scrupulous silence on tho sub.
ject. No one dnres divulgo it, aud those
rosiiing in the locality in which tho
deed is committed, il ever they chance
to meet with evidence OF the murder,
arc too Ignorant mud too apathctic TO
take any serious notice Of the matter.
This preservation OF secrecy, although
it may hive hitherto been successful,
suggests TINT these people are not quite
ignorant OF the adherence with which
such crimes are regarded by MI enlight-
ened government The obligation, how
ever, seems to be growing lighter mud
less respected, and We trust tho govern.
ment will soon be able to interfere with
advantage. As regards infanticidc, it is
pretty generally known TINT these pco.
pic are avcrse to having more than one
or two female children, n d that consa.
luently this crime prevails among them
to considerable extent. The usual
cause is'assigued, that OF tho expense
which the marriage Of girl involves.
Government has called upon the police
department to take steps in tho matter,
and as the BriGiaries ale not wild aud
intractable tribe, it is probable We shall
soon hear Of the suppression OF these
practices.
The MeaneSt Woman.