Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-01-20
ETEENTNG SLAUGHTER.
saorinces Witnesses
az a Missionary.
"a ol,ves Iu,n,oIated at the Graves
ofOhiefs III Africa

..s come home to secure funds TO
.,h,;.h new missions among the
..,.h worsbjppers Of the west coast
africa lie has spent seven years
INC the native tribes. and has seen
80 exhibitions of their barbarous
tigss
x.w York reporter Ito our mis-
;o.arles on the slave and Gold
r.,sts. and along the Niger, why these
,,ives indulge in such hideous cruelty
tho Offering Of human sacrifice. It
: only be accounted for by their
lavish allegiance TO their fetish priests
.r.nse naturally. all the 2O,OOO,OO0
.,,lyes in our mission territories are of
uIld disposition, and our missionaries
.utlar the reign Of Guezo. late
monarch Of Dahomey. succeededin gen.
rsy suppressing the barbarous rites.
BIT King Grery, bis successor, Is a
lave to fetishism, and makes lavish
scridces of human life.
These sacrifices" Father Merlini
ntinued, aggregate many hundreds
persons annually. II great per-
image dies his wives and slaves are
auehtered Unfortunately and tossed
uto the grave oil the dead man along
vth a quantity of food. At intervals
iterward other persons are slaughter
/. In the superstitious belief that they
Win ascend to his new abode rs mes
engers to tell him the news from his
lale dwelling place and attend to his
PERSONAL wants. The victims of this
uperstition are usually young slave
gfls
King Grery has been the most fero-
iOus fetish-serving ruler Dahomey has
bad for decades. lie makes constant
Excursions into neighborlng territories
with his two regiments to capture
laye. The captives are divided into
hree classes when brought to the
Kings territory. One class Is sold TO
he slave merchants Of the interior.
another class. chiefly women, Is fat
med and sold to butchers. who
laughter them and hang the human
Ssh In their shops for sale as food.
he third class is reserved for the sac
sdces, which take place in the months
August and September. during the
celebration Of the fetish festival of the
Grand Customs. These ceremonies
lave u double purpose that of pacify-
ng 0gun, the god Of war. and other,
idties, and also that Of recalling the
memory Of dead kings and sending
hem supplies CT men and provisions.
There exists a belief among the
nEages that man passing into the
aiure life takes with him all that is
laced in his grave. When aking dies
Ibis women. slaves, and ministers of
tate must follow him.
Not long since. when the king Of
OrtoNovo died Of poison. administer
to him by rival claimant of the
bronze his funeral lasted nine days.
considerable number OF victims
sere sacrificed every night in the
siisA forest. destined for the "Great
tassoma" The missionaries from
aeir neighbOring dwelling could hear
ae cries Of the sufferers, whose mutt
a'sd bodies were seen every morning
2 the public square OF che town ar
ranged in lines.
AZ O'clock on che morning Of the
alnsh day the new king and his suite.
preceded by his fetish priests. moved
'ae wood where the grave Of the
''e king had beed dug. The sacrifice
gaa Seven slaves were slain. and
aels blood was mixed with earth to
oFm kind Of master with which Aha