Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-11-07

ouo ouaraoter, the victim is simply beaten
to death with war clubs, and when dead his
body is again washed aud placed 10 a large
oven dug into the earth. The hole forming
tho oven has fire beneath, aud over this
Is pile of round stone. Ou the TOP of the
stones mats made Of a strong material are
plaoed, in which the body is wrapped up.
These mats ore then covered over with a
great pile of leave, and all Is again covered
with another layer of mats The FIRE
beneath absorbs enough air to keep it burn.
ing steadily, and soon volume of steam is
generated. This escapes slowly through
the mats and leaves, and gradually the
body becomes cooked through this simple
but certain steaming process. The cooks
are OF superior skill in their profession, aud
oan tell to the instant when the BODY is
sufficiently "done" to suit the tastos of tho
guests. When ready to take it out Of tho
oven, all the material covering is carefully
removed, and when it comes to tho last
layers surrounding the victim the mats are
taken Oft with sensitive 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 demoniuo
laughter rends the air, and tho cooks are
oomplimonted 10 the highest terms by tho
hosts Of oannibals thirsting to enjoy tie
dreadful luxury.
The cannibals have opiouroen tastes and
fine sense of the various shades of delioaoy
of different classes Of victims. The flesh
most highly priced is that of tho African.
ana ooicred man who in life neither drank
liquor nor smoked, if no falls toto hands of
the Marquesas cannibals, is certain to have
too highest respect shown him. He will
be fed luxuriously aud tended carefully up
to the time that he is to DO sacrificed. The
bodies of missionaries take second rank,
because in life they are supposed to have
usod neither liquors nor tobao,o. Sailors
are not esteemed luxury, because their
flesh is thoroughly saturated with smoke,
whiskey and salt water. The caunbals
have the most dainty sense of smell in this
respect, and will tell instantly whether their
| victim has ever been in the habit of using
liquors or stimulants of any kind. Young
children and women, especially unmarried
women, arc great luxuries Porsous ad-
| vaDoed in years arc seldom eaten, as their
bodies ere too full of we'll developed and
| tough sinews. MIR. Chase has mover seen
white porson offered up as sacrifice to the
cannibal appetite, but there arc well au-
thentioated oases of suoh being the fact
A missionary and two oolored men are
known to have been eaten on Dominique
Island, ono of the most savage of the group.
In recent times tho oannibals rarely
| sacrifice a white victim, but they arc
entirely willing to do SO if the opportunity
offers.
There are thirteen islands in the Marquo
sas group, seven Of which are Inhabited,
and on six of these cannibalism is practioed
Mr. Chase is a resident Of Uhua, known to
manners as Washington Island and to his
knowledge there has not been case of can
niballsn there in the twcnty-fve years he
has made it his home The natives of
Uhua say they never praoticed cunnibalism,
though few Of the oldest Inhabitants
remember their parents telling them that
! such was the case in old times. The can
nibals seem to indulge in their horrid prac-
tice from pure love ofrevenge. They are
| certainly not driven to it for want of food,
as there is an abundance on the islands
No doubt immemoral custom has much to
do with keeping the beastly indulgence still
in vogue. Children are apt to follow in the
footsteps of their fathers, and gencrotion
gives to generation laws and customs. mhe
religious sacrifices of human bodies and tho
habit OF offering them up as food, is now
more common than any other kind of canni
balsm. The priests know that If they
| rolinquished such rites they would be shorn
of so much authority, and hopoe they cling
tenaoiously to their sacriflcia oltars.
|