The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-25
FEARFUL CANNIBAL ORGIES.
How Savages Capture Victims and
How Human Flesh Is Prepared For
Gorging.
FROM the New York Herald.

How Human Flesh Is Prepared For
GOrging.
From the New York Herald.
Cannibalism is not obsolete, in spite of
the efforts of some missionaries to make
us believe So as is proved by the recent
killing and eating of Mr.. Duncan, a white
trader, in the New Hebrides. Last weeks
Australian advices state that the unfor-
tunate victim was tied to a tree for three
days and forcibly stuffed with food for the
purpose of fattening him. He was then
horribly butchered, and even me savage
women entered joyfully into the villa and
| disgusting feast that followed.
1t is the South Pacific where cannlballsn
holds sway to-day. The islands that
stretch ali the way from New Caledonia
to New Guinea are the homes of saw
ages, many of whom still reVel in these
! horrible human feasts.
Many tribes. to be sure are reclaimed or
restrained to the extent that they seldom
or never touch human flesh, but there are
some who still live the old savage life IN
all its details. And of those who are
counted as reclaimed there are some who
now and then lapse into the fearful Gus
toms Of the past.
There are few wild animals fit for food
In the islands Of Oceanica, and that is
though the frightful bloody orgies are
often part of religious customs. Tribes
| will often assail each other for the Cx-
| press purpose Of securing victims to ear.
When such a raid has been made and
| proved successful the victors bring a fleet
of canoes to the scene. To the stern
of each is made fast a tow of corpses.
fastened by ropes about the neck, and
with victorious shouts and gleeful songs
the homeward voyage is made The So
norous ringing of monster conches gives
warning of their approach, and when in
sight of the matched cottages of their
village they shout ecstatically: 1--WE have
killed. We have killed.
"How many?" comes the question from
the women gathered on the shore.
The glorification is proportionate to thu
number slain. The village goes wild with
mad, sickening joy, and when all are
disembarked and the corpses ranged upon
the beach the whole savage village dances
madly.
Here is the bokola song, the chant of
JOY over the dead bodies on the way to
the cooking pit:
A-ba-babale,
A-ba-babale,
Bababe, bababe,
A-e-a-e-a-e!
1t is a chorus that can be heard for miles
when shrilled by scores of high-pitehed
voices OF rusty women. BABES may often
be seen dancing awkwardly around the
bloody bodies and chanting the weird re-
frain.
Then comes the self-gloriacatlon. The
young warrior display their bloody weap-
ons and chant their victories acting out
the various stages Of the stealthy adj
vance, the wild assault and the cruel
slaughter.
The women. shrilly chorusing, have
meantime dragged the already stiffened
bodies to the spot set apart. The head
tabu man, wearing a mask and a dress
of pandanus leaves, examines the corpses
and selects that which he himself win
devour. This selection determines where
the honors OF the day shah raSt. for the
man who slew the chosen Victim is the
hero of the hour,
In the great tribal baking pits, often dat
ing back many generations In their build
ing, a fine fire is cracking The stones
on the bottom are white hot. Here the
disembowelled bodies are brought The
cooks seize upon the first. that chosen by
the tabu man. The cavity OF the chest
and belly Is lined with the broad, succu-
lent leaves of the taro. and the whole Is
packed with yams, sweet potatoes, taros
bread fruit and bananas. Heated stones
are placed among them.
The bodies are now wrapped IN IN ba-
mana leaves and bound from head 10 foot
with long. tough fandanas. A bed of sand
three inches thick is laid on the white hot
stones in the pit, and the bodies are laid
on this and covered with sand. Then the
coa.s previously removed from the pit are
raked over the top and fresh fuel Is added.
Sand ls heaped up over all In the shape Of
"A cone, which soon opens a vent IN the
top aud vomits smoke and the fumes OF
cooking human flesh.
In boasting. dancing and wild singing the
period OF cooking Is passed. Tho SAVIOR
OF the meat hangs In the air, and the save