, 1889-03-02

zoTOlatrv carried to greater lengths than
at Bonny and Brass. For its efectnal
adjustment, which has been Of the great
est benefit to the we'll being Of Europeans
and natives alike, We W our thanks not
To he intervention of naval or consular
officials, nor to the bluff "Reminiscences OF
traders, but to the quiet INCREASING 'aoonrS
of the agents of The Church Missionary
Society, who, by winning the natives from
these absurd practices. have brought hOOut
such "A change of affairs that now the py'
thon is promptly killed at Brass Whenever
IL makes it's appearance, anu the monitor
lizard is rel"gated to the woods and
Swamps. Indeed, as regards the latter
animal. there was rather a curious reVOln
tion Of feeling. About fonr years ago,
when Bonny Town was infested with nuin.
bers of these great sluggish lizards, the
missionaries screwed the courage OF the
B0nny converts twbO then meant almost
the entire population OF the place. to the
sticking point. A grand slaughter OF II.
yards was arranged to take place on Eas'
ter Sunday. AS soon aS the morning
bells of the mission church rang out, a
large number Of BOnny men and boys arm
ed themselves with matchptS and sticks
and commenced the slaughter OF the
lizards. BY the end of the day there was
not one left alive in the town, and so great
were the numbers slaughtered, that the
stencil almost brought about IA sickness,
and for four or five days the town was uh-
anproachhhle. But in Strengthening the
lizards, much else If the old superstition
seemed to go, and that event marked the
real revolution, and Il turning towards oct
ter things on the part OF the Bonny PEG
pie. A change almost similarly abrupt
put an end to The python worship at Brass
Before that time, IT a python Selzrd a
child In the streets in its coils, anu SLAYER
ell il with it's VISIONS saliva, the mother
80 far from interfering to save iI-muSt
stand hy and call out her thanks, and
summon her friends and relations to re-
ioice with her that the god python had so
honoured her family aS to devour her CHI q.
The Iios ami hos, aud indeed most OF
the tribes of the Niger, were, not long
since, invetprate cannihalS, ami cAnnlbhl'
ism il tar from being extinct even III me
midst of such ciViIiSpa CentreS-WIth their
churches and schools and tactorleS-as
Bonny and Brass, and New Cdlahar.
Again and again the news reaches us Ina
in towns where we had really Thought
that civiliSatiOn had obtained hrm hOlh,
there has been an outbreak OF Gamma
liSm-witneSs the eating OF human mesh
bv native Christians at Brass some three
wears ago, and The recent horrors reported
from OErika. CannihaliSm is deeply AS
ISOLATED with, and indeed forms part o.
the ceremonial OF the old fetish rites. Inc
sJu.Ju men"-the native prleStS-aTe
bouud to eat human flesh at certain times
and under crrtain conditions. TO procure
this needed flesh, the Ju.Ju m'n are Said to
disguise themselves AT night as Ie0pards
and prowl about the byways OF The town.
where they seek out victims, not among
the townSpeOple, their W countrNmen,
hut among strangers Of another true
who may be SOjOurning in the town, ana
who are imprudrnt enough to he ont OF
doors 1T night. Indeed, in Africa, a great
licence is permitted at night. In the dark
there is little distinction drawn between
the lawful acts of Il devil and the unlawful
deeds of the mere human. the bOrder-llne
with the poor superstitions African being
30 vague; and Whist with the fear OF these
wpre.wolvrs and the dread OF malicious
COLLINS, the African breads to leave the
shelter of his house or compound or tue
cheerful circle of his "club' fire after
nightfall; and / have frequently taken ad.
vantage of this feeling 10 cross disturbed
districts at night, knowing that, however
much the natives might struggle to oppose
me in the daylight, they would De very
wary of attacking me at night. | nave
seen some Of these human mOnSterS-theSe
JUN meeil-at Okrika and at other places