Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-08
NeW Orleans Democrat.

Nep Orleans Democrat
Some months ago an Englishman OF rank
and fortune, after thoroughly exploring the
West Indies aud visiting part of the Span
ish main In his yacht, came to this country
on his way home. While here he submitted
certain entries In the vessels log and certain
passages in his own diary to the inspection
of American friends, who earnestly advised
him to pursue the hints therein given with
an eye to concentrating public attention on
the progressive relapse into barblrism Of
society in the vast and beautiful and once
spleI didly productive island OF Hayti. This
advice he seems to have taken, for we find
In Vanity Fair of August 18th the following
resume OF his painful but very important
observations.
AFRICAN CANNIBALIsM REVIVED IN THE NEW
WORLD.
The religion of Hayti is ostensibly Roman
Catholic. An Archbishop, four Bishops, and
nearly one hundred priests are established
in the country, but they are really power
less in the face Of a secret religion called
"Youdou" or serpent worship.
The pro 'essors of "Voudou," who have
the ''serpent house" in each village wood
(as may also be seen on the west coast Of
Africa, originally came from the Congo
coast, aud were of the tribe called Mandin-
and secret prisoners, aud for being serpent
woTshipers, child sayers and cannibals.
They appear to have brought their arts with
them from Africa, but while Rayti was
under French rule they were obliged to
practice them in secret.
1t was, however, mainly owing to the
power OF "Voudou' that Hayti was lost to
the French. Many Of the Presidents have
belonged to II; the present President either
cannot or will not suppress IT, and it -four
ishes openly. 1t would be improper for me
to give up my authorities. 1t is sufficient
to say that they are OF the highest, and that
the facts are indisputable, being vouched
for to me by eye witnesses. Out of over
200, 900 inhabitants of HaYti there are only
20 600 who do not openly belong to "Vou-
dou."
The priests Of this religion have got abso-
lutte power, owing to their knowledge of
herb-poisoning and of the antidotes. Owing
to this knowledge, which nothing will in
duce them to divulge, they can poison
either slowly or quickly, painfully or the
reverse, and can procure death-like sleep.
They are consequently resorted to by people
who wish to get rid Of others either for
gain, from jealousy or the like.
The secret poisoning is carried on to an
enormous extent. 1t goes on, indeed,
under the name Of lob" wherever negroes
are found. In Hayti, while the French had
bLc lSlduu, III WAS eJcEuly F6pf6SScQ-mOre
so than either In Jamaica or Cuba-but
since then it has increased to such an extent
that a suppressed terror prevails among all
classes in Hayti.
The great feasts Of f'Voudou'' are at
Christmas, at WRitsuptide. and 81 &c Easter
inS u5rffEE~ is beaten at midnight and the
people assemble. The ceremony commences
by the most terrible oaths OF secrecy. Then
dancing begins, and the excitement is kept
up by copious libations of rum till one or
more of the performers fall down in fit,
when the spirit Of ''Voudou" is supposed
to have entered into them. These orgies
last generally three nights, and sometimes
longer. On the first night cock is offered
up at the altar, aud its blood is drunk warm.
On the second night goat is treated Ia the
same way. But ca tbs third night children
are brought in; their Threats are cut by the
priest; their blood is handed round and
drunk warm, aud their bodies are then cut
up and eaten.
Before the sacrifice takes place the priest
orders as many children as he requires
They must be of pure African descent, and
not over ten years Of age. These children
are invariably forthcoming, either by being
voluntarily given up or obtained by being
stolen by women who make profession Of
1t. They are expert at their trade. Enter
ing house at night, naked and oiled, they
steal the child, and by administering a mar
cotic poison, render It insensible. 1t is then
conveyed to a secret place till required for
the sacrifice, when an sntidots brings it to-
then Its thFoat is cut. Children are often
voluntarily given up by their mothers for
the sacrifice.
In order 10 be initiated into ''voudou" 1t
Is necessary to have killed some human be-
ing; child is preferred.
Another horrible custom in Hayti is the
devouring of corpses.
SO strong is the taste for human flesh that
E,,dwiYes haze beeu known to deVour the
children they have just brought into the
world. The part preferred are the knuckles
and hands.
Lest it should be imagined that these are
not facts, will give one or two instances:
In May, 1879, two women were caught
eating a female child. 1t was proved that
the child had been drugged and rendered
insensible. The parents supposing it to be
dead buried it. These women Immediately
disinterred 1t, restored 1t to its senses by
antidotes, and then inserted reeds through
its side and sucked the blood from the heart.
This happened at Port-Gu- Prince.
A Haytian of good position was also
caught with his family eating a small boy.
Another was found tied to a tree close by
The man was pointed out to me.
These offenses were punished IN one case
by a months, in the other by six weeks i'm
prisonment, the fear of Voudou not allow
ing greater punishment.
In January, 1884, eight people were fined
for disinteHing and eating corpses.
In the same month the neck and shoulders
Of a man were exposed for sale 10 the mar
ket at Port au Prince, and were purchased
and identified by an English medical man.
In FEBRUARY, 1881, at ST. Marks, cask of
sO-called pork" was sold to a ship. In 1t
were discovered the fingers and finger nails
of human being. This "pork" was identi-
fed as human Hesh.
Haytian assured me that the kidneys of
a child were first-class eating. On my ask
ing him how he knew he informed me that
he had eaten them. He did not seem to
think it strange or at all out of the way.
At Cape Haytien a colored clergyman of
the Church OF England complained that q
"Voudou" neutralized all the good he was
doing, and declared that he had had human
flesh offered him for sale, and that his wife
nearly bought 1t, believing that twas pork
In February, 1881, four people were fined
for devouring corpses.
At Jacmel two corpses were recently dis
inferred and partly eaten. Two men were
in prison for this, not being able to pay the
fine A man caught eating child was ar
rested the day OF my arrival. At Christmas
time 5000 people assembled at the house of
noted "Voudoun priestess pointed out to
mel living IN the country, and carried on
Voudou rites In the woods close by during
the week.
AT Aux Cages the child of an Englishman
was stolen from its cradle on the 4th of
March, 1879 The thieves being hunted,
they threw the child down well, killing it,
and ps0aDad