The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-07-17
nUMAN SACRIFICES
Dreadful Practices OF the Dahomsy yam
King Gelele.

DreOuIut GThCttCes " thaS D"uOAatys ~
HING Geiele.
The Wesleyan missionary OF Dshomey,
the Rev. John Milum, gives a most sicken-
ing account of the dreadful practices of the
D,homeyan King Gelele. which fully con,
firms the statements published previously
concerning the kings sacrifices. Every
year Gelele makes extensive sacrifices in
honor of the memory of his father, the VIC
tins beng prisoners of war. The Dsho.
mey ans make war on the neighboring tribes
and msnsge TO capture q large humber of
prisoners. The custom last year lasted
through several days; there bling slaughter
every day and night. Mr.. Milum WAS sever.
al times summoned to the palace, and
though he saw no sacrifices, the evidences of
shem we're unmistaksble. o. December 81,
after several days had been occupied with
the revolving ceremonies of the 'custo i"
Mr.. Milum wrote:
"Ths yearly custom made by King Gelele
for his father Geo is not yet finished, q
number OF important matters interfering and
calling for the presence of the king to settle.
1t appears that forty human beings sre re-
served to complete the ceremOny-twenty
men and twenty women. Eighty persons
are 10 % presented lor sacr'liSe ou,, unoer
Con,rsrv 10 ststements mada hr mra
.;ous trsve,ers these bnnIsn y;cttns
al, nr;,oners of war and hive
oommit,ed no ,orme. Int have simnlv been
uuf"r,nnate enough To be captnred while do.
Sand;nS their homes AGAINST the Invading foo.
Tho nennla kpowinp nv opinion upon the
~. nIS are reluctant to mrp,sh me with full
;nt.rnstion of ali the sacrifices that take
,,isco Int I am strongly impressed that thew
p.a'VS sred every day for every moment
az. ,bo LIMOS crier cr,ino the great name
ne ns', ,b .a ting and beayine his hell and
oo;oo through the whols ceremony that
I described in connection with the poor
woman sacrificed in tho market place, and
soon after heard the tattoo of the drums
and the firing of muskets, which announces
That The crue, deed is done. Moreover, the
hirds never cease to copgrcgate in the region
If tbe r,vine where the bodies are thro wn,
close to ,be wretched hut in which l am
Jod,ed and whenever the wind blows in this
d;rec,ion obtain a most sickening smell of
nm,rfv;np A .sh. and have but to 20 out
s;1e The wall of ,he compound to sec the
gorgsd vutures abd turkey .buzzsrds sitting
Il s,,m silenc. in the trees near the dreadful
nlsca ~ IN The wing circ)inp over it.
rrO nall =, tho Inc.
"ihe Vlclns ln's year' as me., as suo ,as ",
are from Miskah, alnso soIn w n S. eas. -,
Dshomey; wh'ch was 'hvaueu anu uosr e
by the Dshomeysns last year, anu rom
which, 1t is stated oV some intelhgpn. ma M,
tves, there were brought I''tle over II Ooo
eap.ives and ',2oo heads give these NUM-
berss' have received them' l am ho. 10 a
position to verify them only know tna ~
TWAS very popuious town, ana 'nas an
Inc women ana dren were Within tne Walls
when II was attacked oy the Danomsn
army ms year tne Danomeyans soughs
IN vain for a place TO capture the
inhabitants heeing from every Town on tnelr
approach, which accounts Tor the TACT tnst
the poor M'kkam people nave become snis
year the victims for the sacrince' nave no
En,;.S " vi sonsotoIH ~ foii"m;nm s.c,'.
E,s pohS w 'VOA 49, W. 49,, az ZOO
iosa. he 40, 1okn ~ ~ ,o saan ,.;nrnn .Io,
81 No w n 30 olo' us' , Uuo. no naa o#s,oS
rnou = ro,n nas .uo' . .o ooo h"nasn
Spud very %uuef.' .ba oses eoIUva ,ho,
=" ha iesry snt h;e . y; "o,d h,O" ";
nas tno s'nce l.s ~ Iu u,oIo
az as .eas' i4oy prisoners u wa, w .u,s 70