Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1885-01-30
BUEYING A CANNIBAL KING.
The Brutal Human Sacrifices of the Fetish
Priests ofthe Gold Coast.


A returned missionary from the At
rican gold coast, tells the reporter of
the New York ItOrld some woeful sto-
ries of the cruelties of the human sacri-
fee practiced by the fetish priests. The
disposition of these people is SO mild
it is mystery how they can indulge in
the practice of such cruelties. such as
human sacrifices, for which they have
become famous. The missionaries be-
ieve that but for the fetish priests who
are exceedingly shrewd and who have
a strong interest in perpetuating these
bloody sacrifices, as their power is
based on them, the country could be
easily civilized. Under the reign of
Gnezo, the late king of Dahomey, hui
man sacrifices have become compare
lively rare; but his successor, Grery, a
slave to the fetish priests, has revived
them, and now they are praeticed 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 incursions
into the neighboring territories, cap
turing large numbers of slaves. In this
work he is chiefly assisted by his two
celebrated regiments of Amazons. The
prisoners taken during these expedi-
tions 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 as the fact may be, even to
relate, openly sell human flesh in their
shops. The third class is reserved for
the religious sacrifices.
At the season of the '.grand Gus
toms" victims are sacrificed in the fetish
forests. On the ninth day after the in
suite preceded by his fetish priests
where the grave of the late king had
been dug. The sacrifice began. Seven
slaves were killed, and their blood mix
ed 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 bot
tom. The body of the king was next
lowered into the grave. Then were
seen approaching nine of his women,
draped in their brightest colored gar
ments, and purposely intoxicated with
'.talin" or rum. Believing themselves
to be objects of an ovation they cast
smiles on every side as they pass
through the throng. On reaching the
edge of the open grave they were made
to kneel, and before they had any sus-
picion 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 the living and
dead. The sacrifices to the gods are
marked by greater refinements of cru
city. The shrines resemble Lighthouses
appropriate dwellings for their idols,
which are hideous-looking monsters.
These ceremonies begin with a dance.
In front of the shrine circle is formed
by the leaders of tho people sitting
down, while the rude multitude remain
standing. Holding tuft of human hair
in his hand, priest dances in the CEN
ter, the circle uttering savage cries,
clapping their hands or playing wild
instruments resembling bells, tambo-
rines and cymbals. During the night
the fetish priests provide the god with
one or more victims The most COM
mon form Of sacrifice to Ogun, the god
of war, is to behead the human offering
and nail the body yupside down to tree
the head placed above the feet.
At other times a 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 enclosed in
wicker-work globe and suspended head
downward, or his head is encased in
the stumps of the leaves which form
the crown of the palm tree. The priest
loosens the rope, the tree springs back
and the victim is left swinging in the
air. Birds of prey soon dispose of the
body.