The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1884-12-19
BURYING A CANNIBAL KING.
The Brutal Human Sacrifices of tho
Fetish Priests of the Gold Coast.

A returned missionary from the AT
rican gold coast, tells reporter of the
New York World some woeful stories
of the cruelties of human sacrifice prac-
ticed by the fetish priests. The dispo-
sition of these people is so mild it is a
mystery how they can indulge in the
practice of such cruelties, such as hui
man sacrifices, for which they have be-
come famous. The missionaries be-
lieve that but for the fetish priests, who
are exceeding shrewd and who have a
strong interest in perpetuating these
bloody sacrifices, as their power is bas-
ed on them, the country could be easily
civilized. Under the reign of Gnezo,
the late king of Dahomey,
human sacrifices had become COM
paratively rare; but his successor,
Grery, slave to the fetish priests, has
revived them, and now they are prac-
ticed with greater cruelty than ever.
The number of slaves who annually
perish in this way is estimated at sew
eral 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
incursions into the neighboring terrific
ries. capturing large number of slaves.
In this work he is chiefly assisted by his
two celebrated regiments of Amazons
The prisoners taken during these eXpe-
ditions are divided into three classes.
One class is sold to the slave merchants
of the interior; another, chiefly women,
are fattened and sold to butchers, who,
revolving rs the fact may be, even to re-
late. openly sell human flesh in their
shops. The third class is reserved for
the religious sacrifice.
At the season of the grand customs"
victims are sacrificed in the fetish for
est. On the ninth day after the INSTALL
ment of new kind, he and his suite
proceeded 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 ut the bottom. The |
body of the king was next lowered into |
the grave. Then were seen approach
ing nine of his women draped in their |
brightest colored garments and purpose
" intoxicated with" "tafin," or rum. Be
Iieving themselves to be the objects of
m ovation they cast smiles on every
side as they pass through the throng.
On reaching the edge of the open grave
hey were made to kneel, and before
hey had any suspicion were stunned
oy a blow on the head and flung, still
,live upon the body of their royal
,pouse. Earth was then thrown in TO
,over the living and dead. The
acrifices to the gods are marked
~ greater and more varied refine
nents of cruelty. The shrines resemble
appropriate dwellings for
heir idols, which are hideous-looking
Monsters. These ceremonies begin with
dance. In front of the shrine circle
$ formed by the leaders of the people
itting down, while the rude multitude (
emain standing. Holding a tuft of !
uman hair in his hand, priest dances
a the center. the circle uttering savage
ries, clapping their hands or playing {
lid instruments resembling bells, tam I
grimes and cymbals. During |
le night the fetish priests provide the c
cd with one or more victims. The S
lost common sacrifice to Ogun, the
cd of war, is to behcad the human Of
ring and nail the body upside down to 7
tree, the head placed above the feet. a
At other times n young tree is stripped
its branches, bent down by means of n
rope, and so held by kind of trig- o