Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-12-17
BURYING i CANNIBAL KING.
The Brutal Human Sacrifices of the Fetish
Priests ut the Gold Coast.

The Brutal Human Sacrifices of tho Fetish
Priests ut the Gold Coast.
A returned missionary from the
African gold coast, tells reporter Of
the New York World some woeful stories
of the crue1ties of human sacrifice
practiced by the fetish priests. The
disposition Cf these people is so mild it
is a mystery how they can indulge in
the practice of such cruelties, such as
human sacrifices, for which they have
become famous. The missionaries
believe that but for the fetish priests,
who are exceedingly shrewd and who
have strong interest in perpetuating
these bloody sacrifices, rs their power
is based on them, the country could be
civilized. Under the reign of Gnezo,
the late King Of Dahomey, human
sacrifices had become comparatively
rare; but his successor, Grery, slave
to the fetish priest, has received them,
and now they are practiced with greater
cruelty than ever. The number of
slaves who annually perish in this way
is estimated at several hundreds. The
king of Dahomey is, as is known, the
most ferocious and powerful ruler in
the whole region. During ten months
of the year he makes incurkions into
the neighboring territories, capturing
large number of slaves. In this work
he is chiefly assisted by his two
celebrated regiments of Amazons. The
prisoners taken during these expedi-
tons are divided into three classes. One
class is sold to the slave merchants of
the interior; another, chiefly woman,
are fattened and sold to butchers, who,
revolving as the fact may be-, even to
relate, openly sell human flesh in their
shops. The third class is reserved for
the religious sacrifice. T.
At the season of the @grand customs"
victims are sacrificed in the fetish for
est. On the ninth day after the install
ment Of a new king, he and his suite
preceded by his fetish priests, moved
in procession to the sacred wood where
the grave of the late King had been dug.
The sacrifice began. Seven slaves were
killed and their blood mixed with earth
to form kind of plaster with which the
grave was lined. The heads of the
seven Victims. with food of all kinds
were deposited at the bottom. The body
of the king was next lowered into the
grave. Then were seen approaching nine
| of his women, draped in their brightest
colored garments and purposely intoxi
Gated with "tatin,'' or rum. Believing
themselves to be the objects OF an ova
ton they cast smiles on every side al
they passed through the throng. Or
reo ching the edge of the open grave
they we're made to kneel and before they
had any suspicion were stunned by (
blow on the head and flung, still alive
upon the body of their royal spouse
Earth was then thrown in to cover tn
living and dead. The sacrifices to The
gods are marked by greater and more
varied refnements OF cruelty. TIL
shrines resemble dog-houses-appropri
ate dwellings for their idols, which ar
hideous- looking monsters. These cere
monies begin with a dance. In front O
the shrine circle is formed by tn
leaders Of the people sitting down
while the rude multitude remain stand
ing. Holding a tuft of human hair il
his hand, a priest dances in the center
the circle uttering savage cries, clap
DAAS VAO1l A0ANAS VI A@JAAG "AAU AZ
struments resembling bells, tamborine
and cymbals. During the night the fol
ish priests provide the god with one Q
more victims. The most common forr
of sacrifice to Ogun, the god Of war,
, to behead the human offering and ma
the body upside down on tree, tn
head placed above the feet.
At other times young tree
stripped Of it's branches, bent down b
means of a rope, and so held by kin
of trigger. With the exception of th
, head the victim is inclOsed in awickeI
> work globe and suspended head dow
. ward, or his head is incased in tt
etunaps of tho leaves which form tt
crown of the palm tree. The prize
loosens the rope, the tree springs BAG
= and the victim is left swinging in tt
! : air. Birds of prey soon dispose of IL
BODY.