The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1889-07-17
AtAxsN SACRIFICES IN AfgFes.
Vie Terrible e'tes Fad TO the ~ts ~ ="
Gods.

The Terrible eItes Fad TO the ~Is ~
Gods.
The steamer Congo brings new.
from New Calehar of a mos re
voting sacrafee. 1t seems tina
= few mUnths ago the old King o.
Eboe died, and, as is customary il
that part ofthc country, the ira,
dNrs from New Caiabar went up Il
pay their respects to the new mon
arch, The traders were aware thai
for she,t time after the ole
kings death the "Iu In" rites ar.
performed, but they thought they
were over. The deceased MOI
arch's name was Imply, end to the
horror Of the English traders the
"lu III" ceremonies were at theil
highest when they entered Eboe
Town.
The rites had been in operation
! tor about two months, and already
about forty people had been slain
to appease the ''Iu Iu" gods. The
old king was then lying in n grave
which had been dug Tor him. The
hole was 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 her wrists and ankles broken,
so that they could neither walk nor
crawl. In this state, and suffering
the most exeruciating pail. the
unfortunate creatures we're placed
ut 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 Civ.
en- to the poor creatures, Y ho were
lett in that position TO die. 1t j:
said that death did MT, az a rule,
, take place fcr foul or five days,
| Four men we're stationed around
the grave, armed with clubs, ready
to knock back with these weapons
any of the women WHO, notwith-
standing their maimed condition,
were able tn crawl to the side o!
the grave.
La other parts OF the town iurth-
er human sacrifices were taking
place. Suspended IRON v.r]o"s
trees were the bodies of several
men. These poor fellows were
also enduring the most agonIzine
death. In most instances holes
had been bored through their feet
Just by the ankles. Through tie
holes ropes were drawn, and the
men were then tied to a high tree.
Thier heads were, Of course, hang.
ing downward. The men were
there left to die The traders, as
they were proceeding along, were
unwilling witnesses of a frighttul
sacriticial execution. They saw a
number Of natives in group, and
want to the spot to see what was
taking place. To their horror the
white men saw a native tied by the
feet and neck. The rope attached
to the neck was thrown over tree
/ in one direction, and the rope att
! tached to the feet was tied to a
tree in the opposite direction.
The ropes were then drawn tightly,
ard when the body was distended
to its udmost length another native
with a Ratchet struck the neck
and severed the head from the
body. The head was taken II
the grave where the king was
lying, while the body was eaten by
the cannibal natives. he white
men could do nothing to stop the
| bar barous practices, as TO interfere
with these religious customs
would not be tolerated by the ma
lives, and the lives of tho trader
would have been in peril. They
theeefore made as quick retrea
from town as they could. Tit
traderN learned that for each of tbs
following ten months there was t.
be sacrifice of seven men. Lon.
don Standard.
| --.-sSS---
Things Are Seldom, What They Seem.
| will A. ,bo,,,, 10 IN tho main