The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-01-13
THEY are NAYEATERS.
Some Twenty Million Canuibals IN the /
Congo Free State.

Mr. Dorsey Mohun. United States com
mercial agent TO the Congo Free State.
has just returned to this city. after two
very exciting years in the dark continent
He has brought with him some wonder
fu stories OF battle and adventure, q
large collection Of trophies and Curl
osiues. and much interesting informa-
ton. Jus, at present he occupies a desk
at the state department. where he is pre-
pairing a report that VIII be submitted
to congress.
Twenty millions OF people in the Congo
Free State are eaters Of human flesh"
sai4 3Ir. Mohun the other day. THAT is
about four-Efths Of the entire population.
Cannihalism is strictly forbidden by the
government Of the country. but $50 white
men are not able TO exercise a VERY COM
plete control over such "a vast number
Of savagcs occupying 1000 90 square miles
Of territory. Individuals are caught IN
the act occasionally and punished with
death One day in last May. as / CHANGED
10 enter village that lay on the route
Of my expedition, the natives fed pre-
cipitately. l was at a loss TO know the
reason why until 1 discovered in one Of
the houses certain evidences OF big
family feast. They had been cooking
man. and one OF his legs was in pot over
the fire.
Il lost no time IN throwing pot and all
into the river. The mans head was
stuck on fence Among these people
is it the custom to keep the head of
victim I'm this way for four or five days,
al the end Of which Il serves for "a stew.
The brain is highly esteemed. but il must
be half putrid. / managed to catch the
chief Of the village ard gave him up TO
ha HFfn ns4
charge Of cannibaliam and was afterward
hanged. l believe. The man whom
found potted was a slave and hao been
purchased for food Some of the tribes
commonly buy slaves TO eat, Just Ike
pigs or chickens iattening them on ba-
nanas, palm oil and other NITROUS pro-
Vendcr. aud killing them when they are
in suitable condition.
What do the slaves think Of it. you
ask Well, they do not seem to mind very
much. In Africa such things are looked
upon from a different point of view I
once saw fourteen persons buried alive,
ana they exhibited the utmost Indifference
TO their fate. A great chief had died and,
according to custom, it was necessary
that his favorite wives and some of his
slaves should accompany him to his flu
ture abode. Accordingly, a hole was dug
in the ground about as large as a fair
sized room, and in the middle Of it the
AlFt GA TIE lsi NElultA Nd5 Rluttls
one of his wives descended into the eX-
cavation and squatted cross-legged at
his head; another wife squatted az his
feet, and two more wives disposed them
selves similarly on either side Of him.
His body was done up in about a thousand
yards of cloth This was an evidence
of his wealth, for cloth is money in saw
age Africa.
In the hole forming a circle around the
corpse, squatted ten slaves. Neither they
nor the four wives manifested any con-
Germ about their approaching fate, which
they evidently regarded as a matter of
course Up to the end of the ceremony.
which was quite elaborate, they did not
utter a sound or make a struggle. At
signal. men began to throw back the earth
into the pit, which was to be a grave for
the living as well as the dead. This oper-
alton was continued until all of the un-
fortunates We're covered up and con-
cealed from view. While the hole was
being filled up there was a continuous
and unearthly hullabaloo, with shouting,
dancing and beating of tom-toms.
why did 1 not interfere? 1 was not
strong enough. My escort numbered only
a few men, and I could not have pre-
vented the tragedy, while any attempt
on my part in that direction would prob
ably have cost me my own life. The liv-
ing burial / have described was on a
small scale compared with similar sac
rihces that are made from time to time
at the funerals of native pOtentates 1t
often happens that expeditions passing
through the country find in the villages
slaves with wooden blocks on their ankles.
They wear such clogs to prevent them
escaping while they are being fattened
for eating. When thus discovered by
white men they are always set free and
permitted to escape.
Prisoners of war do not appear to any
great extent on the savage bin of fare in
the Congo basin The natives are not
much addicted to intretribaI conflicts Or
diparly, If there is trouble between two
tribes, two warriors are chosen by each
side, and they fight it out. The combat
settles the controversy, the village whose
men are beaten acknowledging itself de-
feated. These savages IN battle fight at
such long range that the carnage is con-
sidered terrific II one or two men are kill
ed. They are great towards. On one occa-
sion, with only four guns, I dld not hesi-
tate 10 attack about twenty villages
mail bag was stolen from my camp at
night The less was very serious, mas
much as the bag contained a lot of mail
for the upper Congo. as well as note
books and other papers belonging to my
self.
Il made a demand upon the local chief
for the return Of the bag. My request was
not acceded TO- and so l proceeded to wage
war on the Whole country thereabout I
made my way along the river On a small
steamboat, attacking and burning one viii
lage after another. 1 destroyed ten or
tweleve of them in this manner. Finally,
captured the chiefs son, and sent word to
his father that I would hang the Young
man 5f the bag and its contents were not
forthcoming by the next morning. The re-
Spouse was very prompt this time To NV
surprise, two mail bags were returned to
me. Oddly enough 1 had not missed the
second one. You will easily understand
that in the Congo Free State, which has an
organized government and a SOVEREIGN IN
the person Of the King of the Beleians. an
ordinary traveller would not be permitted
to make war upon the natives in such
fashion. But 1 had official authority and
discretionary power being recognized as
representing the United States MY bust
ness being to find out about the CONNER
cIal resources and requirements of the
country, 1t was necessary for me to go all
through It,
"Of the ], 400 natives in my party about
700 Were women J would never 70 on an
expedition in Africa without taking women
along. They are most useful to carry
food and other burdens. In order that the
men shall fight well and be contented. II
is necessary that they shall not be asked