The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-26

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 vic
TINS with food of all kinds, were deposited at
the bottom. The body of the king was next
lowered into the grave. Then were seen ap-
preaching nine of his women, draped in their
brightest-colored garments, and purposely intox-
lcated with English 'tafa, or rum. Believing
themselves to be the objects of an ovation, they
cast smiles on every side as they passed through
the throng- On reaching the edge of the open
grave they were made to kneel, and, before they
had any suspicion, were stunned by a blow on
the head, and flung, still alive, upon the
body of their royal spouse Earth was
then thrown in to cover both living
and dead. A short distance from the grave q
stake was prepared for the burning of the min
listers, but these astute politicians dressed slaves
in their robes of Office and while the poor Great
ures were perishing made their escape The
sacrifices to the gods marked by greater and
more varied refineness of cruelty. The shrines
resemble dog -houses-appropriate dwellings for
their idols, which are hideous-looking monsters.
These ceremonies begin with dance. In front
of the Shrine a circle is formed by the leaders
of the people sitting down, while the rude null
utude remain standing. Holding a tutt OF
human hair in his hand a priest dances in the
center, the circle utterng the savage cries, clap
ping their hands OF playing wild instruments re
semblng bells, tambourines and symbols During
the night the fetish priests provide the god with
one or more victims. The most common form
OF sacrifice to Ognn, the god of war; is to behead
the human offering and nail the body upside
down to tree, the head placed above the feet
AT other times young tree Is stripped OF Its
branches, bent down by means of rope, and so
held by kind of trigger. With the exception of
the head the victim is inclosed in a wickar-work
globe and suspended, head downward, or his
head is incased in the stumps of the leaves which
form the crown of the palm tree. The priest
loosens the rope, the tree swings back, and the
victim is left swinging in the air Birds of prey
soon dispose of his body"
Besides the missions among these idolaters
the athers seek to plant the doctrines of
inhabited world" said the priest. sis immortality
more widely spread. There woman is reduced
to the lowest degree of slavery. Her life does
not differ from that of the brute For her there
is no liberty, no religion. Man, impelled by the
fanatcism of a corrupt religion, is plunged into
the most absurd errors. Only two years ago,
during the instruction of Arab Pasha, the Ma
hometans, through hatred of the religion
slaughtered thousands of Christians In
the city Of Tautah 100 Christians
were put to death in few hours. At distance
from this mission, in the interior of Soudan, the
rebellion of Ell Mahdi caused the death Of many
missionaries. Here men are hunted like ami
mails to be sold i'll the public markets. Com
panies of traders surround and burn whole vii
lagos. The aged. the sick and infants
thrown into the flames, while the strong and
healthy chained and dragged to the markets,
These markets for human beings are principally
along the left bank of the White Nile 1t is
computed that the slave trade takes every year
LOCO 600 people from their native country, and
that 500 600 of them die on the road from ex-
haustion and bad treatment.