Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-21
SOUTH AMERICAN CANNIBAL-
Ism.
Indian Atrocities on the Borders Of
BrazH---Battle Of DETERMINATION
Between Two Native Tribes
---CannibaIistic Feats---
The Sacrihoial
Rites.
The Panama Star prints the follow

The Panama Star prints the follow
ing:
A curious story comes to us, upon
the authority of the project of the
district Of Caqueta, in the State of
Cauca, and on the borders of the Bra
zilian Empire, of hostilities between
savage Indian tribes, which are marked
by the atrocities common to Central
Africa or the Islands Of the South
Sea. On the desolate lands Of the
lower part of the river Caqueta live
two tribes Of Indians-the Huitotes
and Guaques-between whom appears
to be an endless feud. What the
original cause of the sanguinary wars
between these two tribes may have
been is unknown, but the fact remains
that they seem to exist but to destroy
and annihilate each other in the most
terrible manner Although the tribes
Of the Guaques engage in commerce
with any who may visit their territory,
they are nevertheless veritable canni-
balls. So far as the H~uitotes are con-
cerned, whom they hunt as they would
wild beasts with the object of making
prisoners, whom they sell as slaves in
Brazilian territory, or reserve for
a worse fate, serving up the still pala-
table bodies of their victims as an
article of food in their horrible and
disgusting feasts. The frightful orgies
practiced al these barbaric rites are
described by a gentleman named Guz-
man, q Colombian, who, for CONNER
cial purposes, visited the country in
habited by these tribes.
sACRIFICIAL OFFERINGS.
The buildings or temples in which
the victims are sacrificed are about
thirty metres square, with several
doors on either side, and which will
accommodate about forty individuals,
The victim selected is led by the hand,
by a chief, several times up and down
before the assembled savages, amid
shouts and laughter the most Internal.
The trembling captive is obliged to
pass out and in through the various
and at last is allowed 10 remain
standing for a few moments in the
center Of the building in the midst of
his savage destroyers. Then, without
a word Of warning, the savage chief
attacks the helpless creature with a
club, knocking him senseless or dead
with the first blow, and proceeds to
dismember and divide the body among
those present, who devour the remains
even without the fOrmality Of sub
hitting them to the FIRE. Like wild
animals, crouched upon the mud floor,
they proceed to their unnatural and
horrible feast.
RETURN TO BABARISM.
But the Guaques are in turn ex-
posed to the attacks Of wandering
Of Brazilian negroes, who at
certain seasons Of the year ascend the
Caqneta river, attack dwellings and
villages, making prisoners of men,
women and children indiscfiminately, |
they carry off to their homes
and sell into slavery, without protest
on the part of the local authorities or
steps being taken to put and end to
the internal traffic.
The whole story seems incredible,
and appears to be one of the vagaries
Of a luxuriant Imagination rather than
fact. If true, it %eyinces re-
narkable indifference to the condition
IF the Indian tribes, who have been
conquered only to be left helpless and
iefenseless.