Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-12-08
CANNIBALISM.
An Account Of the Horrible Practice
In the MarQuesas Islands.

| O.,
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 seldo
looked upon the face of white man. San
Francisco is the first glimp>e of civilization
| ne mas had since he lett his native home in
Oan5ury, Conn, twenty seyen years ago.
The group OF islands on which Mr.. Chase
has passed his quarter OF a century is the Mar
| quesas, where before his own eyes he has seen
| cannibaliszn 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
Waged against one another the slain and cap
| tared victims are eaten with vengeance In
| their religious rites, also, they offer up hu-
! nam sacrifices captured in battle. When a
victim is selected for a canniba feast his BODY
is washed clean and the hair of his head is
burned off. Il the feast is not Of religious
character, the victim is simply beaten to
death with war clubs, and When dead his
body is again washed and placed
| in a large oyen dug into the earth.
The hole forming the oven has fire
beneath, and over this is a pile OF round
| stones. On the top OF the stones mats made
OF strong material are placed, in which the
body is wrapped up. These mats are tfen
covered over with great pile Of leaves, and
all IS again coYered with another layer If
| mats. The fire beneath absorbs enough Of
air to keep is 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 steaInlng process. The cooks are
| Of superior skill in their profession, and can
tell to the instant when the body is sufficient
ly done" to suite the taste Of the guests.
When ready to take it out of the oven all the
| material CO vering is carefully removed, and
when it comes to the last layers surrounding
the vic tim the mats taken off " it'll 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
! shout OF denoniac laughter rends Tie all,
and the cooks are com plimented in the high
| est terms by the hosts Of cannbals tbirsting
| to enjoy the dreadful luxury.
| ihe brain and the eyes are considered the
| greatest delicacies, and are always giyea to
| the Chiefs. TIE breasts, thighs and the outer
| portions of the calves Of the legs are the next
may be placed slices cut off from other por-
! tons of the body. All the parts mentioned
! belong to the Chiefs and Chieie;ses, of high
| and low rank, according to their relative
social status, while the rest of the body and
| the entrails are savagely devoured by the
| the hand, aud to give it greater relish, dipped
| in native sauces, Cocoanuts, yans 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
widest character accompany the revel and
| for days after the cannibas are in state OF
Observation-Disclosures. They quietly retire
| to their huts and allow sleep and Nature to
| restore their shattered constitutions. Sleep
| Is their greatest restorative, and after fear
full debauch they will lie as il dead for a space
! of from ten to fifteen hours.
Mr.. Chase was witness to q fearful and re-
voting act Of cannibalsln practiced at the
little harbor of AtaWana, two years ago. A
young and beautiful girl had been captured
and brought in a canoe to Atawana. She be-
longed to tribe which was tiercely hated by
her captors, and they determined to avenge
themselves upon her. She was taken out in
to the center of the village, stripped and
bound. Them with War-clubs, she was beaten.
and fell as if dead to the ground. But while
life yet fingered woman Of AtaWana rushed
up to the PROSTATE body, and, with ferocious
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 infuriated and
applaudng multitude. Her whole body was
then cut to pieces and divided up among the
cannibals present. While INDUCING in the
almost incredible brutality, shouts Of JOYOUS
vengeance were heard on every side. The can
nibals fairly reveled in devouring nearly every
atom OF the body. They washed down the
flesh eaten with native Intoxicating drinks.
and, after the carnage was concluded, tri-
umphant war-dance of vengeance followed.
Great pomp and solemnity surrounds
victims intended for religious sacrifices, and
none but high priests can oficiate in the most
solemn ceremonies. The priests have numer
Gus attendants, mostly young boys, who are
being educated for priestly honors. The
victim selected is usually man Of note among
his tribe, and while he is in the hands of his
religious torturers, previous to the act of
sacrifice, receives some consideration When
the hour arrives, he is placed upon large