The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-10-16

the priest considering this the greatest hon.
or OF his life. The victim quickly expires,
and then the whole body is cut up and d.
yided among those waiting to receive their
portion of it The flesh of religious victim
is more highly priced than tbatof any other,
all the portions considered most choice be-
ing reserved for the high priests and high
chiefs. 80 ~
THE VICTIMS MOST HIGHLY PRICED.
The cannibals have epicurean tastes and
fine sense of the various shades of delicacy of
different classes of victims The flesh most
highly priced is that of the African, and a
colored, man who, in life, neither drank
liquors nor smoked, if he falls into the hands
of the Marquesas cannibals is certain to
have the highest respect shown him. He
will be fed luxuriously and tended care
fully up to the time he is to be sacrificed
The bodies of missionaries take second rank,
because in life they are supposed to have
used neither liquors nor tobacco. Sailors are
not esteemed luxury, because their flesh is
thoroughly saturated with smoke, whisky
and salt water. The canDibals 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,
are great luxuries. Persons advanced in
years are seldom eaten, as their bodies are
too lull Vi well ueFelOpeu anu tough SlneWS.
Mr.. Chase has never seen a white
person offered up as sac
rifice to the cannibal appetite,
bat there are well authenticated cases of
such being the fact 4 missionary and two
colored men are known to have been eaten
on Dominique island, one of the most savage
OF the group. In recent times the canDibals
rarely sacrifice white victim, but they are
entirely willing to do so if the opportunity
offers. 1t is not safe TO trust them with
tender Anglo-SIxon lamo, or anything in
the shape of humanity that would be certain
TO take first prize al q baby show. These
not being procurable, no objection would be
offered to making them good square meal
out OF a nice, fat healthy missionary Sail
ors are the only class ofwhite men for whom
the cannibals can not get up an appetite at
moments warning.
CANNIBALIsM EXTENSIVELY PRAcTIcED.
There are. ID islands in the Marqueses
group, seven of which are inhabited and on
six Of these cannibalism is practiced. Mr.
Chase is resident of Uhua, known to mar
liners asWsshington island, and to his knowl-
edge there has not been Gas OF canniOalism,
there In the % years be msde II his home
The natives of Uhna say they never prac-
ticed csnnibalsm though few of the oldest
Inhabitants remember their parents telling
them that such was the case in the old times
horrid practice from pure love of revenge
They are certainly not driven TO II from
want of food, as there is an abundance on
the islands. No doubt immemorial custom
has much 10 do with keeping the beastly in
diligence in vogue. Children are apt TO fol-
low in the footsteps OF their fathers, and
generation gives 10 generation laws and
customs. The religious sacrifices of human
bodies, and the habit OF offering them up as
food, is now more common than any other
kind of cannibalism. The priests know
that If they relinquiShed such rites they
would be shorn OF SO much authority, and
hence they cling tenaciously TO their sscfi-
fetal affairs. The prieStly class continue to
hold the power OF life or death over the ma.
tives, while many of the chiefs have but
nominal influence over them. Nearly all
the powerful chiefs have died without leav-
ing heirs to inherit their unbounded sway.
The remaining chiefs, in union with the
priests, manage, however, TO WELD despot-
ic power, and are the principle defend
ers of cannibalism.