The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-08-08


their game several days be-
fore they killed them. in order to
make the meat more tender. lnquirihg
as TO their reasons. he was told that
this was the result of experience with
human flesh: that they always broke
the legs and arms of their captives and
then tied them up TO their necks in a
flowing stream, in such way that they
could neither fall asleep and drown nor
commit suicide and that at the end
of three days they could be killed Will
the assurance that they would be very
tender eating. AS the president OF the
geographical section remarked at the
time ii is necessary to divest ourselves
of all insular prejudices in treating Of
cannibalism. The idea of eating part
of deceased human being with the OBJ
ject of acquiring some of his qualities
and virtues is widespread and has been
so from time immemorial. Such sac
riticial or sacramento eating is COM
mon to most religions.
In Peru a figure made of dough Is
baked and eaten and the people talk
of this as eating the god" In certain
parts of France a figure is made with
the last of the harvest corn and eaten
under the impression that it contains
the spirit of fertility. This was the
earliest form of cannibalism, and the
very name of cannibal is derived from
the Caribs, who used to devour their
enemies with the idea of acquiring
their courage. They were the bravest
of the aborigines of South America and
did not pursue the practice to supply
themselves with food. They pretended
they could distinguish the flavor of a
Spaniard, an Englishman and a
Frenchman. A French traveller who
has written about them INDUCES the
traditional vanity of his nation by de-
claring that the French flesh had far
and away the superior flavor
In some parts of England il is the
custom, when a man is laid out. to
bake what is called a corpse cake. This
is put to rise near the fire on the dead
body, and is supposed to absorb the
virtues of the deceased In the Balkan
states little baked image accompan-
les every funeral procession, and the
mourners eat ii afterward, exclaiming:
God rest him" In Wales and Here
yorkshire there exists regular paid
functionary known as the "sin-eater"
He is described as a long. lean, la
mentable rascal" On the breast of a
corpse the relatives place bread and
cheese and beer which the "sin-eater''
consumes, in order to appropriate the
sins of the deceased. Formerly he re-
ceived six-pence for his trouble, and
took care to make himself scarce as
soon as possible after his duties were
performed, but of late years his price
has risen TO half a crown.
Cannibalism has been Surprisingly
little discussed in books of travel. We
are told that in such and such a dis
trlct 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 pre-
valent. Captain 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 raco
in Africa which has never been famous
for its proves, but which is made n
regular staple article OF diet Whole
cargoes are constantly carried I'D the
river and sold to the natives for food
Inquiries for fresh supply of slaves
VIII often be accompanied by the com
plant that meat is scarce lust now "
The Batella are described as a fine
race. with no old or infirm persopo
among them. The reason of this is NOT
tar TO seek, for at the first sign of de-
crepitude the sufferer is killed and
eaten, parents even being devoured nv
their own children. The members 10
this tribe consider human flesh the
greatest of delicacies and are ever nm
the watch for any excuse to kill and 40,
their comrades. The fate of the indi,
viduals is decided by their king. So
soon as victim Is appointed To die
moDs collect outside the kings hopse
and the victim is given over IN thor,
alive, but does not long remain alive
Tor the people tear him TO nieces az
quickly as a pack of hounds will maLo
an ehd OF hare. Each sets himself
out TO cut off his favorte tit-bit and
no one makes 1t his business to kill tho
victim first, lest coveted piece shouI5
thereby be lost.