The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1878-11-08

suos va WV ~A'iS"iI, dpe ColOTeu liau
who, in life, neither drank liquors nor
smoked, if he falls into the hands of
the Marquesas2cannibals, is certain to
have the highest respect shown him
He will be fed luxuriously and tended
carefully up to the time that he is to
be sacrificed. The bodies of mission
aries take second rank, beause in lite
they are supposed to have used Meth.
er liquors nor tobacco. Sailors arc
not esteemed luxury, because their
flesh is thoroughly saturated with
smoke, whiskey and salt water. The
caEnlbals have the most daint y sense
Of smell in this respect, and will tell
instantly whether their victim has
ever been in the habit of using liquors
or stimi,lants Of any kind. Young
children and women, especially un-
married women, are great luxuries.
Persons advanced in years are seldom
eaten, as their hodies are too fully de-
veloped and tough sinews. Mr.. Chase
has never seen a white person offered
up as sacrifice to the cannibal appe-
tite, but there are well authenticated
cases of such being the fact. A MIS-
sionary and Two colored men are
known to have been eaten on Domo-
uique Island, one of the most savage
Of the group. In recent times the can
nibals rarely sacrifice a white victim,
but they are entirely willing to do it
ifthe opportunity offers. 1t is not safe
to trust them with a tender Anglo
Saxon lamb, or anYthing in the shape
Of humanity that would be certain to
take a. first prize at baby show. These
not being procurable no objection
would be offered to making them a
good square meal out of a nice, fat,
healthy missionary. Sailors are the
only class of white men for whom the
cannibals cannot get up an appetite
at a moments warning.
There are thirteen islands in the
Marquesas group, seven OF which are
inhabited, and on six of those canni-
balism is practiced. Mr.. Chase Is a
resident OF Uhus, known to marines as
Washington Island, and to his know
ledge there has not been a case oil
cannibalism there in the twenty-five
years he has made it his home. The
natives Of Uhua say they never pra;S.
ticed cannihalism, though a few of tDe
Oldest Inhabitants remember theil
parents telling them that such wa,
the case in old times. The cannibal,
seem to indulge in their horrid practice
from a pure love of revenge. They
l. are certainly not driven to it for wan
Of TODD, as there is an abundance OF
the islands. No doubt immemoria
custom has much to do with keeping
the beastly indulgence still in vogue
Children are apt to follow in the foot
, steps of their fathers, and generation
gives to generation laws and customs
The religious sacrifices of human bod
les, and the habit of offering them up
as food, is now more common than an,
> other kind of canniballsm. The priest
know that if they relinquished sucl
rites they would be sborn Of so mucl
authority, and hence they cling tena-
ciousiy TO their sacnfcal altars. Th
priestly class continue to hold tn
% power OF life or death over the native
while many of the chiefs have bu
nominal power over them. Nearly al
. the powerful. chiefs have died withou
" leaving heirs to inherit their unbound
. ed sway. The remaining chiefs, il
% union with the priests, manage how
ever, to WELD a despotic power, anc
are the principal defenders of canni
: balism.