The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-08-30
HUMAN SACRIFICE.
Shocking Rites of savages OF the West
African Coast,

shocking Rites OF savages ON the west
African Coast,
From New Calabar, on the west
coast of Central Africa, came news a
few weeks ago of a most revolving sac
rifice, and some shocking details are
printed ia the Pail Nall Gazette.
1t seems, as the Gazette explains,
that a few months ago the old KING of
Eboe died, and, as is customary in
that part of the country, the traders
of New Calabar went up to pay their
respects to the new monarch. The
traders were aware that for a short
time after the old Kings death the
'sIu Iun rites are performed, but they
thought these were over.
The deceased monarch's. name was
Imply, and, to the horror of English
traders, the '..Iu Iun ceremonies were
at their highest when they entered
Eboe Town. The rites had been in OPP
GRAFTON for about two months, and
already about forty people had been
slain to appease the Flu Iun gods.
Z. The old king was then lying in a
grave which had been dug for him.
The hole was a large and deep.
Lying in the same grave e some
of the kings youngest wives, and their
deaths had been brought about inthe
most cruel manner.
Each of the poor creatures haa both
her wrists and ankles broken, so they
could neither walk nor crawl. In this
state, and suffering the most excru-
chatting pain, the unfortunate
creatures were placed at the bottom
Of the grave, seven of them lying side
by side. The body of the King was
then laid on them in a transverse
direction.
The two remaining women were laid
down by the side of the King, lying
exactly like the Monarch's body. No
food or 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
human sacrifices We're taking place,
Suspended from various trees were
the bodies of several men. These pool
fellows were also enduring the most
agonizing death. In most instances
holes had been bored through theii
feet just by the ankles. Through the
holes ropes were drawn, and the men
were then tied to a high tree.
Their heads were, of course. hang
ing downward. The men were left there
to die, The traders, as they Were
proceeding along, We're unwilling wit.
nesses of q frightful saerificial execu-
ton. They saw a number of natives
in a group, and went to the spot to
see what was taking place.
To their horror the white 1nen saw
a native tied by the feet and neck.
The rope to the neck was thrown over
a tree in one direction, and the rope
attached to the feet was tied to q tree
in the opposite direction. The ropes
were then drawn tightly, and when
the body was distended to its utmost
length another 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 blythe cannibal ma
tives. The white men could do moth
ing to stop the barbarous practices,
as to interfere with these religious
customs would not be tolerated by
the natives, and the lives of the trad
ers would have been in peril.
They therefore made as quick a re-
treat from the town as they could.
The traders learned thatfor each OF
the following ten months there was to
LL -H - IL y e -