The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-04-02

tholr lat0. On tho day OF tho funeral
thoy wore to BIO stranglod.
Arc thcio tho princes head wiv0s?"
asked.
mo; they have run away, but we
wull."
Tho poor creatures seemed to think
so themselves, for apparently they mido
no onorts to got AWAY.
Tho aonls OF 600 human beings accom-.
panied hia mujesty's nephew to tho
land OF tho unknown; the guttora OF tho
capital ran rod. Manglcd corpsoa rolled
down tho riyor; oach native not con-
domnoJ to do n panther Of tho woods,
n sho bear boroit OF hor wholps.
Tho conditions generating these ilts OF
rabidnOsa wcro described rs extrome
anger, oxcitomont or depression OF
mind. When tho AshRnteo majesty OK.
porioIccs any OF these troubles, dotract-
Ing from his usual good nature, no COOS
into his harGm 10 hold review OF his
1888 wives, to determine which OF them
nro old and ugly enough TO deserve
death. Those found wanting aro Jagged
and bound and thrown into heap DO.
ioro tho throne. Tho man.cn,chors aro
sont out to hunt for substitutes In tho
city and nearby country, aud rs soon as
tho prescribed number OF 1888 Is onco
more complete the execution OF tho dis.
cardcd women 10 effected, whilo tho sur.
vivors dance tho Kcto dance. This
lerpBichorean exercise thoy accompany
by monotonous songs. onum0rating al.
tho mishapl that over fell 10 tho lot Of
tho dynasty. 1t drives the king to mo.
montary madness, and an order to
sound tho death drum and horns Is ac-
cordingly given.
Thia ceasoless slaughter, this continu.
GUS appeal to tho kuiio on all occasions.
festive or mourntul, ne punishment for
misdemeanors as we'll as for crimes 10
tho result OF tho ictichism practiced
among the Aahan.ecy. These other
wise Intelligent negroes Indulge In the
Widest suporstitions; they worship all
sorts OF material objects. but especially
ferocious animals-lions leopards and
big, Immense snakes. Tho moro they
initiate these cruel beasts tho nearer
they arc to godliness. they think.
This Is their idea OF hcavcn: An i'm.
mOnsO pleasure garden to which oyery
human being zoe, nitcr death, there to
occupy exactly tho same position that
distinguished. or haraa.ed, him for life.
Once king, always n king, once
slave always slave ia tho motto.
At the kings death, therefore, his
crown ana acepser, his gorgeous gar.
ments and arms. part OF his gold.
tDhOrpn "A nj III
sponge, are buried with his body. At
tho Same time ptodigious number OF
slaves and his head wives arc killed on
tho supposition tina. they will como, to
life in the other world and continue 10
serve their late master.
Human sacrifices are also maze ITO
forestall misfortune" to "hring good
luck" to "advise the dead kings Of i'm
portant government actions" to
satisfy tho hunger Of the spiri,s." otc.
Usually the priests, who decree and
superintend the majority Of executions,
plead that the victim DO beheaded, but
in extraordinary cases, especially after
earthquakes. this simple form Of alaugh.
ter is regarded as far too mild to im.
press the gods. lndescribable forms OF
torture are then employed. At one
time, to mention only one instance, 500
children were buried alive up to their
nccks.
And tho European powers, who tall,
SO much OF their civilizatory missions
in Africa. Their interests arc bound up
in coast dlstricts-,hey bother not
about the interior. England, after the
war OF 1878 and 1874, to which l have
alluded. entered into treaty with the
king of Ashan.ee. in which i. was stipu.
lated. among other things, that human
sacrifices should cease. But inasmuch
as Great Britain has never installed n
representative in Coomassie. nothing
induces the king to carry out his prom.
Uses. After John Bull wres,ed the pro-
tectorate over the Gold Coast colony
from his majesty of Ashantee. no was
content to shut his eyes to all else.
Such is civilization at the end OF the
century. P. RAMsEYER, Missionary.
Basic, Switzerland, March, 1895.