The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-06-21
Human Sacrifice In Jamaica.

From the San Francisco Examiucr>z.,
'"rhe last time attended Il ,sacri-
fice," snid Mr.. Lindsay "was in Au.
gust 1871. just previous to my second,
. departure for California, where + had
previously lived tor years, The CON:
creation started IN separate groups
and from different. directions, fromsa
tow" OF San Domingo towards = for
est around q 4akcs several miles dis.
tAnt from the town.
"At tie eastern side of the lake was
a,n open space. and here a large, Num-
soer OF the Kr0omans erected u large
vampire Then MI present, men,
women. and youths: stripped to the
waist and, joining hands, fo:nte,! g.
circle arounti the fire, While two drum.
.''ers with their chests and arms also
sG.rrd entered the ring. and sc.tih9
themselves back to back upon stheie
drums, began pounding vigorously
with tue palms .cf their hands and
their heels upon the yoatskin drum
heads. A strict silence was, however,
maintained by the dancers When
sh's ceremony had continued Tor
three-unarters Of an hour THE chief OF
the tribe and hi. eldest son,
the Junior Chief entered the
circle ard Nanced around tho
'lrummers, chanting wild anthems in
the ancient or sacred tongue Of the
Kroor,a;,s. ''sN !:
'Ihe two chiefs then called out the
names OF seven me mbers to e1,teI. tie
circle and pray with them that the
coming sacrifice might be acceptable
TO God. whom they also begged to
choose worthy victim. Those call.
ed Tor CAME in response to tho chiefs
and, with the latter, Frustrated
themselves face downward on the
ground III prayer. AT the close OF this
silent prayer the seven returned to
their places IN the circle, and then
came the solemn pertain OF the rites.
s'19.c elder chief was blindfolded by
two strong men. who, when it was
made certain that he could not see, re.
Joined the circle III company with the
drumners. Imagine yourself there as
was at this awful n,on,ent.
''Ihc victim al sacrifice is now to be
selected. The person whom the
hand Of the b|indfolded chief shall
touch will be the fatal one. Wilder
and wilder 90 the dancers in the
swiftly flying circle. lie rushes, for.
ward, staggering from fanatical excite.
naent- Now he is near the ring of
dancers. An old woman, an aunt of
shc chief, is directly in front of him,
but the flying circle pulls her by and
ms hand fills heavily ON the should
crs o. u young ',aan-a youth O.! only.
1G years OF SEe. -
"lnste"taneously the young man
breaks from the circle and in resigna.
s'"a prostratcs himself upon tho
ear1h at The feet Of the chief who Was
then lei away by his son, md the
nigh priest appeared upon the scene,
clad from head to foot in flowing
white linen garments.
''fhn high priest then danced around
tho victim, calling npon God in the
*''cred tongue to accept the being OF
sacrifice.
the bsndagc being taken from the
eyes Of the elder chief he called u man
iron, The circle to come forward and
SHAY thcvirtim.
"A Tall krooman responded to the
sra'aer's command, and, receiving q
dagger from the high priest, in anoth:
cr moment. stabbed the victim in the
heart
"IEc high priest next cut off very
small pieces OF flesh from the victims
right arm. then iron, his left arm, and
afterwards from the calves ofhis right
and lett legs and distributed them
;'n'oo.; members Of the congregation,
WIG ate the morsels given to them.
THE members OF the congregation,
stu arranged in u circle, then turned
tl'c'r backs to the central IRE, and
kneellns down, clasped their hands in
prayer while the high priest, taking a
ca'abash. cup made out OF a native
Eourd, filled it with the victims blood
and after signing the brows OF the two
chiefs with the crimson fluid he sprink-
'el 1t to the fourquarters of the world.
"At the close OF this ctrem ony the
high priests and chieitains took the
body and placed it in the fire covering
it over with wood.
"Tne dancing and drummine we're
then resumed and kept up until the
corpse was burned to ashes, which
We're scattered TO the winds.,.
with the exception of this festiva!
the krooinans hold no other re-; -'>us
serlvces.''