The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-07-17
HUMAN SACRIFICE IN AFRICA.
Atrociously Cruel Burial Rites At the
Grave Of g. King.

Atrociously Cruel Burial Rites at the
Grave Of a King.
The steamer Congo brings news from
New Calabar of most revolving sacri-
| flee. 1t seems that few months ago
the old King Of Eboe died, and, as is
customary in that part of the country,
the traders from New Calabar went up
to pay their respects to the new mon
arch. The traders were aware that for
a short time after the old Kings death
the 's1u In" rites are performed, but
they thought that these were over. The
deceased monarch's lame was Imply,
and to the horror of the English traders
the ''Iu Iu'' ceremonies were at their
highest when they entered Eboe Town.
The rites had Deen in operation for
about two months, and already about
forty people had been slain to appease
the ''Iu Iu'' gods. The old King was
then lying in grave which had been
dug for him. The hole was a large one
and deep. Lying in the same grave
were nine of the Kings youngest wives,
and their deaths had been brought about
in the most cruel manner Each of the
poor creatures had both hLr wrists and
ankles broken so that they could neither
walk nor crawl. In this state, and Suf-
fering the most excruciating pain. the
unfortunate creatures were placed at the
bottom of the grave, seven of them ly-
ing side by side. The body of the King
was then laid on them in transverse
direction. The two remaining women
were laid down by the side of the King,
lying exactly like the manarch's body
No food OF water was given to the poor
creatures, who were left in that position
to die. 1t is SAID that death did not, as
a rule, take place for four or five days.
Four men were stationed round the
grave, armed with clubs, ready to knock
back with these weapons any of the
women who, Notwithstanding their
manned condition, were able to crawl to
the side Of the grave.
In other parts of the town further hu-
man sacrifices were taking place TSuS.
pended from various trees were tie
bodies of several men. These poor fel-
lows were also enduring the most agoniz-
ing death. In most instances holes had
been bored through their feet just by
the ankles. Through the holes ropes
were drawn, and d;the men were then tied
to a high tree. Their heads were, of
course, hanging downward. The men
were there left to die The traders, as
they were proceeding along, were un-
willing witnesses of frightful ,sacrifi-
| clal e1ecdIIOu: 1ncy saw a number oi
natives in group, and went to the spot
to see what was taking place. To theil
horror the white men saw a native tied
by the feet ard neck. The rope attached
to the neck was thrown over a tree in
one direction and the rope attached to
| the feet was tied to a tree in the
/ opposite direction. The ropes were then
drawn tightly, and when the body was
distended to its utmost length, anothe-
native with a hatchet struck the neck
and severed the head from the body.
The head was taken to the grave where
| the King was lying, while the body was
eaten by the cannibal natives. The
white men could do nothing to stop the
barbarons practices, as to interfere with
these religious customs" would not be
tolerated by the natives, and the lives
of the traders would have been in peril.
They, therefore, made as quick retreat
from the town as they could. The
| traders learned that for each of the fol
lowing ten months there was to be a
sacrifice of seven mcn.-LOnc'on Stand-
ard.