Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1883-09-27
CANNIBALISM IN AMERICA.
Customs OF the New Mexican Indians
hOme InterestIng Ihctn.


| some Interesting Iaeta.
The abOrlgines Of Mexico and Cen
tral America were far less barbar0us
than the natives of other parts Of
North America. While. therefore,
cannibalism existed among them, IL
took the form Of a religious ceremony.
Prescott asserts, on the authority Of
the Spaniards. that the Mcxicans were
| not cannibals in the Coarscst acCcpta-
tion of the term. They did not feed
on human flesh merely to crafty "A
| british appetite, but in obedience 10
their religion. Their rcpasts were
made of victims whose blood had been
| poured out on the altar Of sacrifice.
a similar statement is made regarding
the ltzas Of Central America.
Among the New Mexican Indians
the ease was different While tribes
differed among themselves in regard
| TO this practice, with many human
! flesh was sought as food. Incredible
as it may seem, at least one tribe Of
Indians inhahting Texas has prac-
| tiscd cannibalism within twenty-five
I years. Mr.. j. G.. Walker, formerly
a member Of the United states Army,
and now resident Of Mexico, in
a private letter to the author, gives the
following interesting facts:
"The carly American settlers on
Matagorda Bay were greatly harasscd
/ - a tribe Of Indians called Carron-
/ kowas, inhabiting the bay shore, and
subsisting chiefly on fish and oyS-
tcrs. But they were known to have a
keen relish for human flesh, which
/ they sometimes added - their ordi-
nary menu. In l-3i-j, the custom
/ was. however, becoming obsolete. and
about that time was wholly abolished
by the rcigniug chief But there was
cognatc tribe. remnant OF which
still exists. which pract.ceI cannibali4n
as late certainly as 1854. At that
time | was an officer in the United
States army, and stationed at Fort
Ingc. in Texas. The Tonkowas. the
tribe 10 which | alludc. being on good
terms with the whites. were allowed 20
roam about Western Texas, and in the
summer Of ls5i were campcd on the
Nucccs river, few miles from the fort
was frequently at their village. and
on one occasion, when cucaupci with
party Of soldiers not far of, re-
turning war-party Of the tribe brought
In the remains Of Comanchc whom
they had slain; and the night was
made hidcuus. in a double sense. by
the orgies that followed During the
night the entire remains were eaten,
principally by the warriors. DO not
think that the eating Of human flesh
was often prar'ic"l 10y them at this
time; and even on this occasion it may
have been done more rs an expression
Of cNultation over a fallen enemy than
for the mere satisfying Of hunger,
But these Indians aftcrWard confessed
70 me that formerly their tribe habit
ually fed on human flesh when they
could obtain the bodies of their enc
mics.
ut seems inconsistent with the facts
! have just stated. but it is never
thelc-s true. that these scmi-cannihals
We're less fierce and bloodthirsty than
most OF the other wild Indians. They
were always on good terms with the
settlers. and made common cause with
them against the Comanches, Kiowas.
and other predatory tribes on the
northern border Of the state
Il have often heard from partici-
pants in some Of these engagements
that it was the invariablc custom Of
their Tonkowa allies 20 have a feast Of
roasted Comanchc after their battles"