Morris tribune., 1882-03-16
HUMAN SACRIFICES.
Dreadful Practices Of the Dahomeyan King
GnIaIa.

GeIele.
The Wesleyan missionary at Dahomey.
the Rey. John Milum, gives most sicken-
ing account of the dreadf,l practices of the
Dahomeyan 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 being prisoners Of war. The Daho-
meyans make wars on the neighboring
tribes and manage to capture a large num-
Der OF prisoners. The custom last year
lasted through several days, there being
slaughter every day and night. Mr.. Milnm
was several times summoned to the palace,
and though he saw no sacrifices, the evil
dences OF them were unmistakable. On
December 81, after several days had been
occupied with the revolving ceremonies of
the CUSTOM" Mr.. Milum wrote:
The yearly custom made by King Gelele
for his father Gezo is not yet finished,
number Of important matters interfering
and calling for the presence Of the king to
settle. 1t appears that forty human beings
are reserved to comSaete the ceremony
twenty nen and twesty women. Eighty
persons are to be presented for sacrifice,
but, under the guise OF mercy, one-half will
be liberated. Contrary to statements made
by previous travellers, these human victims
are all prisoners of war and have committed
no crime, but have been unfortunate enough
to be captured while defending their homes
against the invading foe. The people, know
ing my opinions on the subject, are reluc-
tant to furnish me with full information of
all the sacrifices that take place, but I am
strongly impressed that they are offered
every day, for every moment l hear the
kings crier crying the great name of the
king, aud beating his bell, and 60
ing through the whole ceremony that
described in connection with the poor
woman sacrificed in the market place, and
soon after / hear the tattoo of the drums
and the firing of muskets, which announces
that the cruel deed is done. Moreover,
the birds never cease to cOngregate in the
| region of the ravine where the bodies are
thrown, close to the wretched hut in which
am lodged, and whenever the wind blows
in this direction obtain most sickening
smell of purifying flesh, and have but to
60 outside the walls of the compound to
| see the gorged vultures and turky. .buZZards
sitting in grim silence in the trees near the
| dreadful place or Oh the wing circling
| over it,
The victims this year, as well as the
| last are from Milkkam, q large town to the
| east Of Dahomey, which was invaded and
destroyed by the Dahomeyans last year, and
| from which, it is stated by some intelligent
| natives, there we're brought little over IT.
| 600 captives and 1900 heads. give these
| numbers as l have received them. ] am
| not in position to verify them. l only
know that it was very popular town, and
| that all the women and children were with
! in the walls when it Was attacked
| by the Dahomian army. This year the Da-
| homeyans sought in vain for place to cap
| ture, the inhabitants fleeing from every
\ town Oh their approach, which accounts for
the fact that the poor Milkkam people have
become the victims this year for sacrifice,
| have no desire to be sensational, but |
should like the English public to look
at the following facts: King Cell began to
| reign about the year 1853; he therefore has
been reigning about ~ years. During that
| time lie has offered, upon very moderate
average, 200 human sacrifices yearly. 1t
therefore follows that he has murdered since
his reign, in cold blood at least 400 pris-
oners of war. If to this be added the
! thousands of heads brought home from
| war, l think the present king OF Dahomy
may be regarded rs the greatest murderer
| livingand what seems such an extraordinary
! tl1nS Is Luat IEeSe baCflQCeS tahS pace
within sixty miles, and the towers that are
desolsted by this cruel people are mostly
within 100 miles of the coast. 1t appears 10
me that this is an evil nearly if not quite
equal to the slave trade, aud calls loudly to
the civilized powers for suppression.
| The DayhOmeyan army is now
clamoring to the king to be allowed to go
back to Abeokuta for their next war. If
they go, they may not actcally capture the
town; but they will kiduap unwary travel
els, stop all agricultural operations, de-
stroy all the farms, and spread defolation
on every hand. This is what occurs lur-
ing the first three or four months of every
year. the harvest months for the farmer.
81 have but to refer to my detention and
the Inconvenience caused me to prove that
the king disregards the terms Of the treaty
made with him III May, 1877. | believe il
it would be one of the greatest acts
of mercy to thousands Of poor, down trod-
den people if the British government were
| to annex the whole coast line between Quet.
Ia and Lagos to the Gold Coast colony