Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-07-15
HUMAN SACRIFICES.
The HindOstRD Tribe who Worship
Priests-Their Unnatural Rights.

The HindOstRn Tribe who WOrship
Prtests-Their Unnatural Rights.
In the early portion Of the present year
it was brought to the notice Of the gov
eminent that infantcide and secret MUIR
der prevailed to a considerable extent
among the aboriginals known as BRINE
ries, who reside on the borders on bly,
derabad and the Central Provinces.
Spreading north and south OF the boun.
Diary, many Of them have their homes in
the territory Of the Nizam, and others in
the Central Provinces, but nearly three
fourths of their time is occupied in car
rying grain and salt about the country
Their social characteristics are somewhat
peculiar, and the seem to retain some Of
the most ancient forms Of superstitious
belief. Idolatry is unknown among them,
but each society Of Brinjaries, called a
Tanda, has a high priest, who, like the
Lama of Thibet, or the more ancient
chief Of the Babylonian hierarchy, is an
object Of reverence and alteration. The
societies into which the tribe is thus d.
vided travel about the country to and
from the Kistns and Canaan districts to
the Hyderabad territory and Central
Provinces, each priest accompanying the
society of which he is the spiritual head
He leads a very reserved, contemplatiye
and sacred life, preserving strict eeliba.
cy. The influence exercised BY him is
Of course, very considerable, as be is be-
lieved to be omniscient, and any trans
gression of his wish is supposed to in.
volye punishment in this and in the
world to come. Whatever idea of a fu
ture state aud Of a Supreme being theJ
may possess, it does not interfere will
the religious worship with which eacl
priest is regarded. The object of thr
several groups into which the tribe is di
vided is not definitely understood, bu
their origin is very likely The necessity
experienced by such people in bands
and the consequent association of inter
est has no doubt impaired stability t.
the institution. Each band thus forms
small travelling community, with it
headquarters at a village, which Is visit
ed nce or twice q year, the members 0
which have a common interest in tn
traffic in salt, wheat, etc, which the.
carry on between the coast countries an
the interior. This represents their soil
means Of livelihood, ss they are not re
garded as a turbulent or dishonest tribe
The earthly wants ofthe sacerdotal ofic
are of course but few, and these are sur
piled by the people. The priest in re
! turn prophecies, grants prayers, an
Furnishes and processes to perform
: number of other DIVIDE duties. As
; very frequently happens, however, tina
these prophesies and ordinations are DC
] fulfilled, re,ort is always had to the ez
: cuse Of co%unteracting evil influence
' which is said to be represented By som
, unfortunate victim, who 10 not, howeve
sacrificed as in Druidical days, but
. simply destroyed, because he is suppose
e to be the incarnation Of some evil powe
On the nonful6llment Of a prophec.
the failure of a crop, the approach OF
pestilence, or the evidence of a misfo
d tune, the priest is Immediately resorte
r to, who, after pretended meditation, or
cularly signifies q certain individual
the tribe as being the responsible caus
OF the evil. The person implicated is,
course, Immediately regarded as the en-
. my OF community, and is summaril
q sentenced to death by the unauimot
vote of the people, who regard the OPT
{ ion Of the priest as final and emphali
C The relatives Of the victim are the
C called upon to deliver him up, aud
. course readily do so, as any opposite
would incur divine d~ispleasure, whic.
= under such circumstances, would be col
c sidered equivalent to the disposal OF ha
a dozen other lives.
4 Ill the victim happens to be a man
! responsibility, his relatives prefer takir
u the execution into their own hands, an
depute one OF their own number to eth,
behead, strangle or spear him to deaf
in presence of the assembly. If an i
divldual of ordinary rank, be is sure
dered to the assembly, who commissic
Il certain number to execute the Sc
tence. These executions are carrie
e out with the utmost seoresy, and d
k relatives Of the deceased, as we'll as g
members ofthe Tanda, preserve the mo
scrupulous silence on the subject, \
one daIes divulge it, aud those residii
in the locality in which the deed is cor
mitted, if ever they chance to meet wi
70 evidence Of the murder, are too ignora.
and too apathetic to take any serious n
y tice of the matter. This preservation
~ secrecy, although it may have hither
i. been successful, suggests that these pc
n pie are not quite ignorant Of the abht
a renee with which such crimes are regar
ed by an enlightened Government. T
obligation, however, seems to be growii
lighter and less respected, and we trU
II the Government will soon be able to
~ %terfere with advantage.
As regards infantcide, it is pretty &c
: orally known hat these people are aver
to having more than one or two fems
children, and that consequently Il
, crime prevails among them to o cons
cradle extent. The usual cause is
ne signed, that of the expense which /
IS marriage of a girl involves, The Gt
il. eminent has called upon the police
ra partment to take steps in the matt
and as the BriDjaries are not a wild a
OIL u%ntractable tribe, it is probable we shi
be soon hear of the suppression of the
,e practices. Sir Richard Meade will q
or scope here for his energy, and we shi
= no doubt learn something more Of the
people in his next annual report.
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