Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-07-22
AFRICAN cANNlsAls.
The Story Of . White Man Who Lived
Fifteen Months Among Them.

The Story Of White Man Who Lives
Fifteen Months Among Them.
About year ago q report was tele
graphed over the world that the white.
in some of the Upper Congo stations
had been killed and eaten by cannibals.
The report was not believed, because 8
+, few white men had travelled up and
down the river for year or two with
out discovering evidences of cannibal-
ism except in one tribe. Stanlcy's re-
Gently published book threw no light on
the subject of Congo cannibals, though
it did record the appalling rumor afloat
among some of the tribes that the
whites were very fond of eating black
people. The report that the whites on
the Upper river had become food for
the natives proved false, rs was eX-
pected, and recently good deal of in
formation has been brought back about
the cannibal tribe whose numerous vii
liages line the river for distance of
about eight hundred miles from its
mouth.
The Congo State is on good terms
with this tribe, the Bangallas, and has
a station in the midst of them. 1t was
the Bangallas who sailed out in their
big war canoes and gave Stanley the
fiercest reception he encountered when
he first forced his way down the river.
AS is usual with cannibal tribes, they
are superior in courage, physique, and
mental ability to the surrounding peo-
Piles, and they lord it over considera-
bic area. Mr.. Wcstmark, who has
lived among them for fifteen months,
has just lectlred in France on their
peculiarities. and chiefly on the prac-
tice of anthropophagy as it exists
among them.
According to him they engage in the
practice Only-upon the death Of we'll
TODD or influential men. whose slaves
are killed at the graves of the deceased
persons, so that they may accompany
their masters and minister to their
wants in the other world. 1t has been
the custom to sacrifice at least twenty
victims at the death of every important
person. Bound hand and foot the poor
wretches are beheaded, and half of
them are buried in the grave of their
master. The bodies OF the other ten
are reserved for the big feee that con-
cludes the funeral ceremonies. Native
beer in great quantities is prepared
days in advance of the feast. The
flesh of their murdered slaves is placed
in great earthen pots full of water and
boiled until half the water Is evapOr-
ated, and THEN the banquet IL ready to
begin.
The orgie continues for dar or two
until all the refreshments are exhausted
and Il large part of the male popula-
ton is dead drunk. The Congo mis-
appear to think that the. Ban
gallas arc sadly ias ed of refOrnMtory
and they intend to establish
a station among them. Mr.. Westrnark
makes the interesting settlement shat
although canniba.asm has been psac-
ticed to large extent among the Ban
gaIlas, IT has now considerably dimin-
ished on account ct the influence of |
the whites, and he: believes that after
Europeans have lived in the country a,
little longer it will disappear.
Among the many millions of savages'
II Africa there are vepv few cannibaiss
found that the large.
Moubatu tribe on aie Welle Makua
we're addicted to the practice. 1t also
exists among the Mueelis of Angola,
,mong the Bangallas Of the Upper Con-
yo,, anDocg some of the. natives on the !,
4ruwimd tributary of the Congo. and |
vas forrzeriy practicettitc a small ex-
,ent in some parts off South Africa.
Asa rule. ahc natives vdi0 indulge in
fIss horrie; custom try to conceal it
rom the whites who visit them. and
Nowhere does it long survive the growth
# white influences in districts where it
la2shouuisissd.- Chicago. Tribune.