The St. Johns herald., 1889-05-16
HAITIAN voupoo ORGIES.
Horrible Rites and Sacrifices -Practiced
 in the Negro Republic.

Horrible Rites and sacrifices -PracSicsd
 in the Negro Republic.
 At dusk of Christmas Eve many of the lowest of the blacks left Port au Prince on foot for the valley at the foot of the Lascelle mountains, some twelve miles south of the town, where several thousand of the believers in voudooism were found assembled, the greater portion being from the vicinity of Jacmel, the most barbarous portion of the island. The correspond ent, disguised and blackened, under the protection of 8 liberally paid guide, arrived on the spot just before midnight There each of the per- formers put on a pair of sandals and fastened around his otherwise naked body number Of red handkerchiefs, the King of the Voudoos having an un- usually large number, with a blue girdle, and red handkerchiefs bound around his head and worn as dia- dem. The Queen, clothed in the charming simplicity Of 6 single broad red sash, was seated with the King on a large box, where the fangless ser pent representing the Deity was kept.
 Then began the horrible adOratiOn Of the serpent, lasting about thirty minutes, and ending in a wild satur- nalia of delicium. The scene, amid the glaring of burning torches and bon fires, can hardly be described. All present took part in dancing around a large altar, erected in the center of an open space. Between the dances abundant potations Of tie vilest native rum and gin, favored with herbs and roots tending 10 increase the delirium, were indulged in by all. After the dancing the crowd separated and, ac- cording to seniority, approached the serpent in the cage. Dropping on their stomachs they crawled forward imploring the aid of the youdoo for blessings on themselves and friends and maledictiCns on enemies, known and unknown. Tho answer to these appeals was interpreted to the inn beetle crowd by the Queen, they never doubling the most monstrou5 absurd ity, aud only knowing how to obey what is de5potically dictated to them. They then bound themselves by the most execrable oaths to obey the dictates of the Queen and minor priestesses until the next annual assem5.age. On this occasion Q white goat was sac- rifceI, but my guide informed me that last year he was present at the same assemblage, four miles north of Jac- mel, where 0 female child was stupe- fled by drugs, it's veins opened, and the blood sucked thercfrom by the King, Queen and minor seniors, while the rab5lo tore the corpse limb from limb and davourod the flesh, still warm, the bones and adhering slips of flesh, with the head, being thrown into a kettle of boiling water with the bodies of small snakes. The broth. seasoned with herbs and rum, was eagerly partaken of by all present. This seems ircre liblo. but we'll au- thenticatcd eases whera recently buried bodies hay3 been exhumed. cooked and devou-ed by tho almo5t complete ly barbarou5 inhabitants Of tho south ern departmental brutalized de- scendants of the lowest tribes Of Africans have been heard Of.
 In February, 1881. at St. Marc cask of so-callol pork was sold 10 foreign ship. Fingers and fHgernails being discovered, further investiga- tion proved al. the flesh therein to be human. An English colored clergyman near Capo Haytian re- gently found that his wife had pur- chased human flesh instead of pork in public market Four people were fined in the caps for eating corpses.- Cor N. Y. World.