The Worthington advance., 1882-03-16
HUMAN SACRIFICES.
Dreadful Practices of the Dallomeyan XII
(1e10le.

Dreadful Practices Of the Dallomeyan King
The Wesleyan missionary at Dahomsy,
the Rev. John Alilum, gives most sicken-
ing account of the dreadful 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; Tue Daho-
meyans make wars on the neighboring
tribes and manage to capture large num-
Der Of prisoners. The custom last year
lasted through several days, there being a
slaughter every day and night Mr. Aiilum
was several times summoned to the palace,
and though he saw no sacrifices, the evil
dences of them were unmistakaLle. 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 Gszo is not yet finished, a
number OF important matters interfering
and calling for the presence of the king to
settle. 1t appears that forty human boings
are reserved to COMPLETE the ceremony.
twenty men and tweSty women. Eighty
persons are to lie presented for sacrifice,
but, uAder 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 he captured while defending their homes
against the invading foe. The people, know
ing my opinions Oh the subject, are reluc-
tant to furnish me with full information Of
all the sacrifices that take place, but am
GftnNHvV fnlVSroo0oI tt,of n
every day, for every moment I hear the
kings crier crying tho great name Of tile
king, aud beating his bell, and co.
ing through the whole ceremony that
described iu connection with the poor
woman sacrificed in the market place, aud
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 rayine where the bodies are
thrown, close to the wretched hut in which
l am lodged, and whenever the wind blows
in this direction obtain q most sickeniue
smell OF purifying flesh, ahd have but to
60 outside the walls OF the compound to
see the gorged vnltures and turky .buzzards
sitting in grim silence in the trees hear the
dreadful place or on the wing circlng
over it,
'1he victims this year, us we'll as the
last are from Milkkan, a 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 were brought little over IT,
900 captives and 1900 heads. give these
numbers as have received them. AIN
not il position 10 verify them. T. only
know that 1t was very popular town, aud
| that all the women and children We're with
in the walls when it was attacked
by tho Dahomian army. This year tue Da-
| homeyans sought III vain for plauo TO cap
ture. the inhabitants fleeing from every
| town on their approach, which accounts fol
the fact that the poor Miikkam people have
become the victims this Year for sacrifice,
| | have no desire to be sensational, but
should like the English pnblic to look
at the following facts: King Cell began to
reign about the year 1853; he therefore hes
been reigning about II years. During that
time he has offered, upon Il very moderate
average, 200 human sacrifices yearly. 1t
| therefore follows that he has murdered since
| bis reign, in cold blood, ut least 400 p,is-
oners Of war. If to this be added the
thousands Of heads brought home from
| war, think the present king of Dahomy
| may be regarded as the greatest murderer
| living aud what seems such an extraordinary y
thing is that these Encrilces take place
within sixty miles, and the towers that are
desolate., by this cruel people, are mostly
| within 100 miles Of the coast 1t appears t.
| NE that this is all evil nearly If not quite
equal to the slave trade, aud calls loudly ii
! the civilized powers for suppression.
The Dayho,ueyan array il now
| camorug to the kin. to he allowed to 20
back to iheoauta for their next war. II
| they 60, they may not actually capture The
| town; bnt they will kilnap uuwary travel
els, stop al agricultural operations, de-
sttoy all the fHlms, and spread desolatinn
| on e9t.sy hand. This is Whit occurs hI-
ing the first three or four months Of every
year, the harvest months for the: farmer
II have but to refer to my detention antl
! the Inconvenience caused nie to pro1e that
| the King .'isregards the terms Of the treaty
| made with him in May. 1877. ] believe il
it would !,e one of the sreatrst acts
Of mercy to thousands Of poor, down trod-
deu people il the fIltish government we've
to annex the whole coast line between Quet
Ia and Lagos to tue Gold Coast colony