Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1896-08-25
CANNIBALISM In AFRICA.
None of the Batetella Allowed to
Grow Old or infirm

Cannibalism has been surprisingly
little discussed in books of travel.
We are told that in such and such a
district cannibals are to be found,
but we hear no details, neither how
the flesh is prepared, what joints are
preferred, nor to what extent the
practice is prevalent Capt. Hinde
asserts that nearly all the tribes in
the Congo basin are or have been
cannibals, and that the practice is
on the increase, not merely for
superstitious reasons, but also for
the provision of food. There is
certain sturdy, fat race in Africa,
which has never been famous for its
prowess, but which is made reg
ular staple article of diet. Whole
cargoes are constantly carried up
the river and sold to the natives for
food, Inquiries for a fresh supply of
slaves will often be accompanied by
the complaint that meat is scarce
just now
The Batetella are described as
fine race, with no old or infirm per-
sons among them. The reason of
this is not far to seek, for at the
first sign of decrepitude the sufferer
is killed and eaten, parents even be-
ing devoured by their own children.
The members of this tribe consider
human flesh the greatest OF delica-
cies, and are ever on the watch for.
any excuse to kill and eat their com
rades. The fate of the individuals
is decided by their king. SO soon as
a victim is appointed to die, mobs
collect outside of the kings house
and the victim is given over to them
alive, But he docs not long remain
alive, for the people tear him to
pieces as quickly as pack of hounds
will make an end Of a hare. Each
sets himself to cut off his favorite
titbits, and no one makes it his bust
ness to kill the victim first, lest q
coveted piece should thereby be lost,
In some districts men will not eat
their own parents, but they will al
low them to be eaten by others.
This may be due in large measure to
the extreme difficulty of protecting
a corpse from these human wolves,
however determined the intention of
protecting it may be. The people
there seem to have no religion, and
are not to be frightened off from the
cemeteries by any kind of fetch.
The practice at least has this ad-
vantage, that, after a battle, there
is no risk of an epidemic from the
putrefaction of the corpses, for, like
the walrus and the carpenter, the
victors "eat up every one" After
big battle, in which many prison
ers have been taken, human beings
have been sold for as little as FIVE or
six shillings a brace for eating pur-
poses.
Many anecdotes might be told of
the naive way in which the inhabit-
ants OF the congo region speak OF
this little weakness of theirs. A man
will come to your house and ask you
to trust him with food, adding in
genuously: when one of our people
dies, we will make return" Or the
members of a caravan will say:
1--WE know your supplies are rather
short just now, and you can't spare
any Of your sheep and goats, but
you might give US such and such
man; he is lazy, and not worth his
keep" You make peace, and apply
for the return Of prisoners, but you
are told: VERY sorry, they are all
eaten, save one. If you would like
81 fine cooking slaves in their place,
they are very much at your service"
Saturday Review.