The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1889-07-20
HORRORS IN AFRICA.

|. The British and African Steam
Navigation Company's Royal Mail
Steamer, Congo" arrived in the Mer-
sey with mails and passengers from
the West coast OF Africa and the Ca
nary Islands. From New Calabar
news was brought Of most revolving
sacrifice. 1t seems that few months
ago the old King OF Noe 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 monarch. The traders were aware
that for short time after the old
kings death the 'Iu Iuo rites are per
formed, but they thought that these
were over.
The deceased monarch's name was
Imply; and, to the horror Of the En-
glish traders, the "Iu iu7 ceremonies
were at their highest when they enter
cd Eboe town. Theri.o5 had been in
operation for about two months, and
already about forty people had been
slain to appease tae '.lu IL" gods.
The old king was then lying in q
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 her wrists and
ankles broken so that they could
neither walk nor crawl. In this state, /
and suffering the most excruciatine
pains, 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 transverse direction. The two
women were then 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 around the grave,
armed with clubs, ready to knock
back with these weapons any of the /
who, notwithstanding their
MANNED condition, were able to crawl
% the mouth Of the grave.
In ether parts of the town further
human sacrifices were taking place.
from various trees were
he bodies of several men. These poor
'ellows were also enduring the most
lgonizing death. In most instances f
loles had been bored through their
eet just by the ankles. Through the ,
loles ropes had been drawn, and the t
nen were then tied to a high tree. |
Their heads were, OF course, hanging
downward. The men were left to die,
he traders, as they were proceeding
long, were unwilling witnesses of a
rightful sacriicial execution. They
aw a number of natives in a group, !
nd went to the spot to see what was 9
aking place. 10 their horror the 5
'hlte men saw native tied By the ,
eet and neck. The rope to the neck c
'as thrown over the tree in one direc- r
ION, and the rope attached to the feet G
'as tied to a tree in the opposite d. Q
action. The ropes were then drawn :
ghtly, and when the body was dis r
ended to its utmost length, another :
ative with hatchet struck the head Q
rom the body. The head was taken i
, the grave where the king was lying, /,
hist the body was eaten by the can G
ibal natives. The white men could Q
o nothing TO stop the practices, as In 3
'rference with these religious Gus !.
ms" would not be tolerated by tie i
atives, and the. lives of the traders v
ould have been in peril. They,
lefefore, made as quick a retreat /,
ON the town as they could. The a
aders learned thai for each Of the n
blowing ten months there was to be r.
sacrifice Of seven men.-Picaqune.