News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-11-29
FATTENED BY CANNIBALS.
A Prisoners Life Saved After H0
Was all Ready TO bo Eaten.


service of the Congo State, had a thrill
ing experience while ago, which Capt.
Coquilhat says is once of the most dramatic
incidents that has come to his notice in
Africa. He was one of the three soldiers
whom Capt. Hanssens left at the mouth
of the Aruwimi to man o little station
which Hanssens established there. The
Captain steamed away, leaving these
men alone among the worst cannibals in
the Congo basin, and several months
lOter Alakai told Capt. Coquilhat this
story of what happened
"The chief of the village" he said,
"told Capt. Hanssens that he would pro-
tect us as he would his own children.
He asked us not to leave the village, as
he could not answer for what his neigh
bors might do BE prudent he said.
Several days passed quietly, and then
about noon one day several of the villag-
ers asked my comrades to go with them
over to an island to fish. 1 opposed the
excursion, but it was no use, as much
pleasure had been promised the men,
and so they went away with the fishers.
A little after nightfall the canoes of the
return ng fishermen touched the shore,
but L did not see my two comrades
myself in an abandoned hut. Soon after
q ire was built near the place where 1
was concealed, and after q while could
smell the odor of cooking meat. 1 be-
lieved they were roasting the flesh of
my friends, and the thought filled me
with horror. crept out into the dark
ness and, lying in the tall grass, could
see everything that was going on at tho
Gra I g
ing over the Goals, and soon the canni-
balls took out of large jar two human
heads, which 1 recognized as those Of
my comrades. Many men were. laugh
ing around the fire, and others were at
tending to the cookery.
81 crept away through the grass and
hid in the forest but did not go very far
from the Basoko villages, for / hoped
that one of our steamers would come
there before great while. For weeks
lived on roots and wild fruits and little
raw manioc that in the night time l took
from the fields. In about q month was
discovered by woman who was looking
for medical plants. She gave the alarm
and was seized, taken back to the viii
lage and delivered to the chief who had
made the alliance with Capt. Hanssens,
When | was alone with him / told him
he had terrible account to settle with
the whites for what he had done. The
chief said he was not responsible for the
death of my friends, for if they had fol-
lowed his council they would have been
safe. He told me that if L would prom
Use to tell the Captain my friends had
been accidentally drowned he would pro-
tect me. L promised to do so. The
chief put a guard over me, but did not
confne me and for some weeks / hoped
to escape the fate of my friends.
"Then the people of the village went
to the chief and demanded my body for
d feast. 1T was useless, they said, to
hope to satisfy the white man by restor-
ing to him only one of his men. Since
we have killed the other men it is better
to make way with this witness of the act.
For days the chief refused to give me up
10 his men, but saw at last that he was
certain to yield to the solicitations,
which were becoming more and more
So l seized an opportunity
)ne dark night to take refuge a second
line in the forest. Believing then that
DUR boats would not reach the Aruwimi
Igain for three or four months buried
myself in the interior. Not daring to
lpp onch the fields 1 no longer had
nanioc to eat, and my strength diminish
ID day by day.
"After living in great misery for over
5hree months L cautiously advanced to-
wards the villages. One day heard tho
putting of a steamer. 1t was the mission
ary vessel Peace. went down to the
bank, but the steamer was far away aud
did not see me. I saw the white men take
some villagers on board evidently to get
news of us. The natives said without
doubt, that we had gone away, for they
were soon released aud the steamer went
on.
"Some of the natives who at sight of
the vessel had fled into the forest, dis
covered me, and was again pounced
upon; and this time I was closely
: Buardeu' hthrd thcm say That 1 was
too thin to cat, and that they wouldn't
Kill me JUS yet. After my frightfuI
Orlvatlons L was nothing but skin and
1one. They fed me all 4 could eat, and
could not resist my appetite. As L
lad no exercise and lived on the fat of
he land, 1 rapidly increased in flesh,
nd in q few weeks l was regarded as in
fit condition to eat. L saw them pre-
airing the manioc and the beer for the
east felt that my last hour was APP
On the afternoon of the day
hen l was to be killed my arms wore
led behind me. The sun was still high
hen all of q sudden we heard q great
oise in the village near the Congo.
The Arabs are coming everybody
louted, and the men seized their
pears. The women and children hur-
ed off into the woods. Presently the
rab slavers came near enough to pour
volley of shot into the town, and tho
ZEN took to flight. In the midst of tho
,treat the Basoko said L ought TO be
Iken along, and warrior was assigned
, this task. All the others disap-
cared. My guard stepped into his hut
get his shield. Selling this unex-
ected opportunity, 1 leaped, tied rs /
as, into the neighboring bush. The
IAN hurled himself after me, but Just
len the Arabs burst into the village,
ld the warrior turIed and fled. l
uck my head out of the thicket, and
le Arabs saw and seized me. They
fought was Basook, but l shouted,
[ am one of Stanley's men, L bore
le tattoo marks of the Haussa, with
hich thew were familiar. They un.
ound me and l was saved. A few days
ter Capt. Won Gele appeared with his
Gamers, and 1 was turned over to
i'm"
The Haussas are natives of the Sou
m, many of whom have served in the
ongo State as soldiers. When Alakai
as restored to his fellows, they bore
im around ON their shoulders aud had
reat jubilation. Capt. Coquilhat says
9 was fat and sleek, and laughed
earthly when he spoke of the good
punishment the cannibals hal given
i'm during the last month of his cap
witty.
Peculiar Dutch Gu. toms.