The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-02-16
SAVAGE ATROCITIES.
A Missionary's Account of Ghastly Scene
Witnessed by Him In Africa.


who has been acting as missionary in
equatorial Africa, in reply to inquiries
rs to his own experience among the
savages of that region, gave some inter-
esting particulars. There is an almost
universal custom of making human
sacrifices to the idols or fetiches of the
different tribes. Father Zimmerman
has himself witnessed the preparations
for these horrible orgies, but was COM
PEELED to- owithdraw before the slaughter
commenced, not, however, sufficiently
far to be out of earshot of the blood
cuTdling shrieks of, the wretched ,:vic.
TINS. He showed the Gazette man .sev-
eral pictures, copies of those taken on
the spot by one of the fathers,
who is all artist. In one of these
weird works - of art the human
sacrifice is represented in fearfully
mutilated condition. The head bav, G
been completely severed from the body,
is nailed high up on the trunk of
palm tree, the feet of the body are
nailed just under it, and the stomach
and chest are ripped open, the skin
being pinned back by iron skewers. AT
the right of the picture sits the fetch,
with the still palpitating human heart
laid before it. Another picture, the
original scene of which was actually
Witnessed by tle father: :portrays the
tall trunk of a palm tree bending to-
ward the earth, having suspended at
it's extremity the writhing body of a
human being toward. .wnom are hurry
ing several vuitures, buzzards and
other beastly birds of eafffon. Another
picture represents human holocaust
The fiends are heaping on the gathered
fuel more palm oil, the lurid flame and
dense smoke leap up toward heaven
like the rock of hell. Thousands of
human lives are annually thus sacrificed,
and the missionaries are powerless to
stop the carnage.
On one occasion several of the fathers
stationed at the mission of Adjaje,
while walking with the pupils of their
school, discovered a small hut in the
woods short distance from the mission
house. Curious to know who inhabited
so queer structure, the missionaries
entered the place and were. Mortified to
discover the body of full-grown man
nailed head downward to beam. Hor-
rified beyond description, the fathers
fed the spot, and becoming fatigued
shortly afterward sat down in the shade
to rest. Scarcely had their little party
been seated than great shouting and
rush of feet were heard in the adjoining
wood. Presently number of savages
appeared, dragging young girl by the
feet on the same footpath which they
were about to take. The savages ran
as if possessed, and when the body of
the poor girl was nearly torn to pieces
they left it hanging to tree before an
idol. 49,
The most bitter opponents of the
Christian missionaries are the idola
trous priests, the upper class of whom
form perfect caste, transmitting their
faculties from father to son. These
poor barbarians preserve the vague
tradition of a one god, named Olleron,
who created the world, and was good
to men, but becoming angry he went
away behind the clouds, and hence
forth concerned himself no more with
humanity, The tribes have, therefore,
transferred their allegiance to second
class OF gods, whom they style
Oreesha." OF these they treasure q
perfect mythology. The gods to whom
they make human sacrifices are {:
Shongo, the god of war, an idol formed
of iron Elecba, the unhappy god or
devil, represented in clay; Oggun, the
god of water, and several Others at
Adiaei, where he was staying for some
time, Father Zimmerman at one time
saw no less than six victims, all bound
ready fer sacrifice. He quickly retired
to the mission house hard by, but even
there the horrid yells penetrated, as he
fell On his knees to ask Gods pardon
for the act.
The present king of Dahomey, named
Tofia, has been warned by the English
to discontinue the practice, and he now
hesitates to perpetrate the horrid act
publicly, but it is still carried on at
night. The missionaries have to be
very careful in speaking against the
act, as open opposition would be sui
cidal on their part, and at once put
stop to their work. They study
medicine, and practice grstuitously.
They gain the confidence of the native
by receiving the sick into their hos
pitfalls, and taking charge OF old and
worn out savages.
These poor old people are thrown
out of the huts and allowed to starvt
to death. The missionaries also buy
numbers of children exposed for sale
in the regular slave trade. When the
tribal chiefs are unable to obtain cap
tives in their raids upon rival tribes
they buy these children and slaughter
them instead. The unfortunate little
ones have learned by experience that the
white men will not kill them, and conse
quently when they appear in the marke
they are Immediately assailed by piteoul
cries: "Oibo rami" "Oibo rami!" White
man, buy me white man, buy me u,
And they buy them to the extent o
their limited finances. The mission
aries usually pick out boys and girls o
about six to eight years of age, taxi
them to the Christian colonies an(
train them until they are old enough t.
marry. Some pictures shown TO tn,
Gazette man of these Christianized bar
barians were inexpressibly funny. On
young gentleman in a very scan
blanket, but crowned with an exceed
ingly battered stovepipe hat, scenes
to be fully impressed with the impos
ing dignity of his newly donned cos
tune. Hundreds of these children ar
bought by the Catholic missionarie
every year. They pay for them i
couries or sea-shells, old guns an
glass. The price huctuates from tn
value Of So up to Sl5.
Mr.. Mulhall, of theS tatistical Societ
| r 10 hn mi n