The Red Cloud chief., 1896-08-07

1N'A s s"Gjs'' H WST' no, pnT,
that his followers were in the
habit of breaking the legs OF
their game several days be-
fore they killed them. in order to
make the meat more tender. lnQuiring
az to th"ir reasons, he was told that
this was the result of experience with
human flesh; that they always broke
the legs and arms of their CaptiNCS ana
then tiCl them up tn their nccks in a
towing strC?m. IN such a way that they
could neither fail asleep and drown nor
commit suicide and that at the end
Of three days they could he killed viii.
the assurance that they would b. very
tender eating. As the president OF the
geographical section remarked at the
time. IL l. necessary to divcst ourselves
of all insular prciudlccs in treating of
cannibaliam. The idea OF eating II part
Of a deceased human being with the OBJ
icct OF acquiring some of his qualities
md virtues Is widespread and has been
20 from time immCmorial. Such sac
riilcial or saCramcntal eating Is com
mon to most religions.
In Peru a figure made of dough Is
baked and eaten ana tho people talk
If 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 c~annibalism. and the
very name of Cannibal IL derived from
the Carib9. who used 10 dcvour their
enemies with the idea of acquiring
their courage. They were the bravcst
IF the ahoriginos of South America and
lid not pursue the practice to supply
themselves with food. They pretended
they could distinguish the flavor of a
Spaniard. an Englishman and u
FronChman. 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 II H. the
custom, when n man Is laid out, to
bake what Is called a corpse cake. This
Is put To rise nea the fire on the dead
body, and is supposed to absorb the
virtues of the deceased. In the Balkan
states a little baked image accompan-
les every funeral procession, and the
mournors eat II afterward, oXclaiming:
God rest him." In Wales and Here
Yorkshire there exists a regular paid
functionary known as the "sin-cator.''
He Is described as a long. lean, Ia
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-pcnce 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 n crown.
Cannibalism has been surprisingly
little discussed in books of travel. We
are told that in such and such n dis
trict 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-
valont. 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 fer superstitious reasons, but
also for the provision OF food.
There Is n certain sturdy, fat race
In Africa which has never been famous
for its prowess, but which IL made n
regular staple article OF diet. Whole
cargOes are constantly carried IN the
river and sold TO tho natives for food.
Inquiries for a fresh supply of slaves
will often be accompanied by the COM
plant that meat is scarce Just now"
The Batella are described as a fine
race, with no old or iniirm persons
among them. The reason OF this Is not
far to seek, for at the first sign of de-
crcpitude the sufferer h killed and
eaten, parents yer being devoured by
their own children. The members of
this tribe consider human flesh the
greatest Of dCliCdsios and are ever on
the watch for any excuse 10 kill ana eat
their comrades. Tile fate of the indi-
yiduals Ia decided by their king. So
soon as a victim is appointed to die,
mobs collect outside the kings house
and the victim is given over to them
alive, but does not long remain alive
for the people tear him to pieces a.
quickly as a pack Of hounds will make
an end OF a hare. Each sets himselt
out 10 cut off his fayorlte tit-bit. and
no one makes It his business to kill thu
victim first, lest a coveted piece shout
thereby be lost.