The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-04-08
CANNIBALS OF AFRICA.
How the MpOnswes of the West
Coast Prepare and Eat
Human Flesh.

Reuters Liverpool correspondent has
had an interview with Mr.. T.. \. McCann.
who has resided for 10 years in West
Africa. He recently returned from Il
pilot ographic expedition iii the Gold
Coasl linterlanti. extending over an
unbrollcn period Of four years. Mr..
McCann's seven years trading and resi-
dpnce with the cannbal tribes of the
French Gaboon probably form the most
exciting part of his experiences in West
ern Africa. After Sir William Maxwell
returned to Coomassie from Bantuku
and finished his Ilnterland tour, Mr..
Mccain, With his carriers, penetrated
country much of which had hitherto
never been visited by white men.
hi his seven Years dealings with, the
cannihal Mpongwes Mr.. Mccain got
friendly with them and thoroughly
studied their habits and customs. They
quite believed that the white men ate
white men. as they themselves eat their
fellow-blacks. \ big chief offered Mr..
McCann the smoked thigh of Il native.
This was considered gracious act.
To refuse it would be unfriendly. Mr..
McCann was i'm a dilemma. But he
feiwred illness. and said he was not eat
ing just then. The chief eventually
put the matter off good-humoredly by
saying he supposed the white man pre-
ferrtd white man to eat instead of black
man.
The Mpongwe cannibals of the most
pronounced type thickly inhabit the
banks and forest regions of the Gaboon
and E!obcy rivers. Although they kill
game, or food hey much prefer human
meat to any other. When questioned
about the practice they speak freely
about it without any embarrassment.
Human flesh. they say. has Il rich fla
vor about it which is entirely absent
from any other kind of meat They eat
all enemies they kill or capture in war;
he latter ;lre tortured before being put
to death. In fighting with an enemy
who has pressed them hard and caused
them much loss. The bodies are eaten
very soon after the capture and when
the heat of war is upon them.
The bodies of enemies killed by
stealth they generally treat different
ly. for not being excited by hard fight
ing or losses they deliberate more over
the pleasure the eating will afford them
and so more leisurely about the prep
aration of the meat. The flesh having
been cut up is cooked in plantain leaves
The method of doing this is as follows:
Several leaves of the plantain tree are
cut at the base of their shafts from
the trunk of the tree. and the midritf Of
the leaf. which is thick and. full of sap
and so prevents the leaf from bend
ing easily. is dexterously pared dowr
with Il single cut of a knife. The lea
is then held over fire. and under thu
influence of the heat softens and be
comes as flexible as cloth. All thu
leaves are treated like this. and ar,
afterward put one on top of another
and then gathered up SO as to form
basin-like receptacle. A quantity o
human meat. cut into small pieces, i
then placed in this, some water ant
dika fat made from the fatty kernel
of the seeds of the Mangifera Gabonen
sis are added, after which the leaves ar
gathered together at the top and tie
round with the fibrous strips cut from
the midriff when preparing the leaves
The bundle is then placed over a slo,
fire for seven or eight hours, and tn
flavor of the meat thus cooked. accord
ing to Mpongwe connoisseurs. SUI
passes everything in the worlds bi
of fare.-St. James Gazette.
~ ..,-..An. - U.,uI..h
Study of the English language, a
might be supposed, is rapidly CROWN
in foreign countries. \ Denver ma