The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-12-11
CANNIBALISM.
An Account of the Horrible Practice
In the Marquesas Islands.

An Account or the HOIrlDle PfacIlce
In the Marquesas Islands.
Among the passengers by the Greyhound,
arrived at this port from Tahiti, was an
American, named Lewis Chase, who, for
more than quarter OF a century, has never
seen civilized country, and has seldom
looked upon the face of white man. San
Francisco is the first glimpse of civilization
he has had since he left his native home in
Danbury, Conn, twenty seven years ago.
The group of islands on which Mr.. Chase
has passed his quarter OF century is the Mar
cannibalism practiced both as fine art and
as display of human ferocity. This horrible
practice is INDUCED in principally to CRAFTY
deadly spirit OF revenge which one tribe Of
natives hold against another. In the many
brutal and bloody civil wars which they have
tured victims are eaten with a vengeance. In
their religious rites, also, they offer up hu-
man sacrifices captured in battle. When
victim is selected for cannibal feast his body
is washed clean and the hair of his head is
burned off. If the feast is not of religious
death with war clubs, and when dead his
body is again washed and placed
in large oyen dug into the earth.
The hole forming the oven has fire
stones On the top of the stones mats made
| of strong material are placed, in which the
| body is wrapped up. These mats are then
covered over with great pile of leaves, and
all is again covered with another layer of
mats. The fire beneath absorbs enough of
air to keep it burning steadily, and a volume
of steam is generated. This escapes slowly
| through the mat and leaves, and gradually
| the BODY becomes cooked through this simple ,
but certain steaming process. The cooks are
| of superior skill in their profession, and can
tell to the instant when the body is sufficient
| s6Ona'
When ready to take it out of the oven all the
| material covering is carefully removed, and
when it comes to the last layers surrounding
! the victim the mats are taken off with asensi-
| tive touch, lest any of the skin on the body
should be torn away. When all is bare, and
the body looks brown and beautifully cooked,
a shout of demoniac laughter rends The all,
and the cooks are complimented in the high
est terms by the hosts of cannibals thirsting
to enjoy the dreadful luxury.
The brain and the eyes are considered the
greatest delicacies, and are ALWAYS given to
the Chiefs. The breasts, thighs and the outer
portions of the calves of the legs are the next
greatest luxuries, and in this category also
may be placed slices cut off from other por-
tons of the body. All the parts mentioned
belong to the Chiefs and Chiefe:ses, of high
r and low rank, according to their relative
f social status, while the rest Of the body and
the entrails are savagely devoured by the
common natives. The flesh is eaten from
) the hand, and to give it greater relish, dipped
: in native sauces. Cocoanuts, yams and var
! | ious kinds Of nuts ARE also among the edibles
besides certain varieties of fish but the piece de
resistance is the human portion of the spread
= While the feas- lasts the greatest hllarity pre-.
walls, and after it is over fearful drunken or.
| gle follows, whenever the liquors, native or
: imported, can be procured. Scenes of the
4 | widest character accompany the revel, and
- for days after the cannibals are in state OF
j. semi-unconsciousness. They quietly retire
%o4 y, -. l,,S. oil o1< l.
: restore their shattered constitutions Sleep
h is their greatest restorative, and after fear
full dehauch they will lie as if dead for space
of from ten to fifteen hours.
o Mr.. Chase was witness to fearful and re-
it voting act of cannibalism practiced at the
y little harbOr of Atawana, two years ago.
young and beautiful girl had been captured
and brought in a canoe to Atawana. She be-
: longed to tribe which was fercely hated by
IS her captors, and they determined to avenge
d themselves upon her She was taken out in
a to the center of the village, stripped an6
bound. Then, with war.clubs, She was beaten
and fell as if dead to the ground But while
S life yet fingered woman of Atawana rushed
d up to the PROSTATE body, and, with ferociouS
J. yell, dug her fingers into the eyes of her vic
tim, plucked them out of their sockets and ate
them in the presence of the Infatuated ani
g applauding multitude. Her whole body wa:
to then cut to pieces and divided up among thu
r. cannibals present. While indulging in thu
NJ almost incredible brutality, shouts Of joyou
" vengeance were heard on every side. The can
nibals fairly reveled in devouring nearly ever
~ atom OF the body. They washed down tn
,e flesh eaten with native intoxicating drinks
and, after the carnage was concluded, tr
umphant war-dance Of vengeance followed.
81 Great pomp and solemnity surround
victims intended for religious sacrifices, an
none but high priests can officlate in the mo:
,r solemn ceremonies. The priests have numel
~ GUS attendants, mostly young bows, who ar
. being educated for priestly honors. Th
g. victim selected is usually man Of note anon
! his tribe, and while he is in the hands of hi
IT, religious torturers, previous to the act {
sacrifice, receives some consideration. Whe
? the hour arrives. he is placed upon a larg
1 stone, to which his body is bound firmly. Th
IS priests then chant low walls, which increas
" in volume until it seems as if they were shrieE
60 ing. Charms, spells and lamentations are the
- brought into play, the priests OCCASIONAL
IL placing their hands upon the intended sacr
ty fee to the moment of his death. The instal
nd selected for performing the operation bein
T reached, the chief high priest advance
- toward the victim, and feeling for the beatin
l of the heart, announces to his attendants tn:
al he is ready to commence. He then takes
knife and deliberately cuts out the heart, Il
of victim writhing in agony during the process
To speak or utter a word during this frightf
so dence that the sacrifice had acknow
The edged the power of his enemies. The hea
d. cut out, it is handed to a young priest, wi
,rv bears it off to the highest Chief the priest co
~ sidering this the gretest honor of his lif
We The victim quickly expires, and then Il
ian whole body is cut up and divided among tho
of waiting to receive their portions Of it. Il
flesh of religious victim is more high
,ho priced Than that of any other, all the portio
NV considered most choice being reserved for t
1or high priests and high Chiefs.
lst, The cannibals nave epicurean tastes, and
Ors fine sense of the various shades of delicacy
Wv different classes of victims. The flesh me-
~ highly priced is that of the African, and a c.
io- ored man who, in life, neither drank lique
90; nor smoked, if he falls into the hands of
to Marquesas cannibals is certain to have
tn highest respect shown him. He viii be f
"A luxuriously, and tended carefully up to
~, time that he is to be sacrificed. The bod
o1y of missionaries take second rank, because
yer life they are supposed to have used neitl
use liquors nor tobacco. Sailors are
esteemed a luxury, because their flesh is tn
oughly saturated with smoke, whisky a
salt water. Children and women are CIR,
luxuries. Persons advanced in years are S
dom eaten, as their bodies are too full of we
~ developed and tough snews. Mr.. Chase
oe- never seen white person offered up sac
flee tn the cannihal apOetite- but there