Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1897-06-26

"ouicdi mdH Dy procession, Capt
Hinde entered the service of the kim
OF Belgium. who is also the ruler O
TINS great African domain, late in 1891
he reached the front just in time tt
take part in the final struggle which
wrested great tracts of territory away
rom the grasping clutch of Tippoo lib
prince OF slave traders, and his atten-
ton for nearly two years was conse-
quently given to inficting wounds
rather than curing them.
Eariy IN his account of his stay in
the Congo region Capt. Hinde finds
fault with the reticence of those who
have preceded him in reference to the
practices of the native cannibals. He
was totally u%nprepared for the condi-
tons as he found them. and he deems
1t only right, therefore, to inform 9TH
ers, both as a warning and as an In
centiye in opening up the territory of
these miserable savages to .civiliza-
ton.
1t was during an otherwise unimpor-
tant delay in the progress of an ex-
petition which wa exploring Katan-
ga that the commissary Of the Free
State discovered that the chief article
IN the commissary of the natives was
human. Orders were promptly given
to stop the traffic which was going on
by way of the upper river, here CALEB
the Basongo. All canoes loaded with
slaves destined for the tables Of those
to whom their caBteFs saw Bt to sell
them were to be fred upon until an
end had been made of this nefarious
commerce. The same day the sentry
fred and killed his own father, whose
body came ashore, and the soldier re-
ported progress, and at the same time
registered a hearty protest at head
quarters because, being his father, he
was debarred from eating him. 1t was
learned, when the sentries were
changed, that he had, however, COM
promised with his conscience by SELL
ing the body to his fellows, who had
already gone so far that no interment
was necessary.
Capt. Hinde sets forth that 1t was far
from unusual for prisoners or slaves
to come to him with a request like
this: 1--WE want meat; we know you
have not enough goats and fowls to
be able to spare us some, but give us
that man Indicating one of their num-
ber); he's a lazy fellow, and you'll new
er get any good out of him, so you may
as well give him to us to eat" This
rather radical cure for s%lothfulness was
never resorted to, of course; but all
attempts to make the cannibals see the
pi ecise bearing of their practices were
wholly unavailing-they were uncon-
vertible.
The taste of human flesh was de-
scribed by those who partook of it as
"saltish and requiring little condi-
'ment." A prediction for different
portions of the body was noted among
the different tribes. Among the parts
thus variously liked were the HANDS
and feet, the head, the heart. and
steaks from either the thigh or the
back. The termination of a battle was
the signal for the yictors to begin
preparations for their unholy banquet
and the parts unused on that occasion
were smoked and sailed to provide a
supply in the future. After the battle
OF March 8, 1892, it was estimated that
the cannibals had a body apiece. A lit
tie drummer who had disappeared was
supposed to have been shot. A>day or
two later he was discovered in a hut
beside a partially consumed enemy.
dead of a surfeit.
All this had a curious effect upon the
followers of Tippoo lib, who
were waging such desperate war. Be-
ing Moslems, they believed that it was
for a man to be inferred in
tact if he wished to reach companion
ship with the black-eyed houris in the
Mohammedan paradise. Holding as an
of faith that no imperfect man
was to be admitted to everlasting glo-
ry, no matter what his other merits. il
was impossible to keep the Arabs in
the ranks as soon as defeat seemed
in any wise likely. Though among the
bravest of peoples, and capable, upon
occasion, of making the most desperate
resistance, in spite of this fear, many
and many an engagement was won by
their earnest desire not SO much to
their lives. as to save their bodies
after death.
One day a young Basongo chief Dor
rowed a knife of Baron Dhanis, in
command of the Free States forces.
Soon after it was reported to the latter
that the savage had just cut the throat
a little girl he owned and was cook
ing her. He was Immediately con-
to Imprisonment, but obtained
his release with a warning some two
months later on account of his failing
Within a week not less than
half a dozen children had disappeared,
no sign behind. All were 5
raced to the newly released chief, and {
ne was executed. {
One Of his countrymen gave Capt. !
Hinde the recipe for making the meat I
.ender. The arms and legs were to be !
broken and the body then placed in
water for three days, the head s
1eing carefully supported to prevent
elf-destruction. This the European
discovered through noticing that the 9
3asongo practice was to break the !
wings or legs or both of all the game :
hey captured.
In conclusion the words of Capt.
7inde had best be quoted: "A man
With his eyes open has no difficulty in
moving. from the horrible remains he =
s obliged to pass on his way, what peo- :
lie have preceded him on the road or =
lattlefeld-with this difference: hat