The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1899-12-01
HUMAN SACRIFICE.
Tn the West Indies 1t Is Practised I'm
Spite of Church and
State.

From a British island in the Leeward
group of the West Indies the cable
brings the news that man is in Gus
tody of the circuit court for sacrifice to
heather god-a blood offering of a
child to 'sMumbo-Jumbo," to obtain his
aid in discovering hidden treasure.
Evidence that human sacrifice and
adherence to other rites of the print
tive religion of the West Indies still ex-
lists in these islands is every now and
then coming to the surface. These rites
have not been stamped out by the eff
forts of four centuries, and among the
descendants of the aborigines and of
the early importations of Africans they
prevail very much more strongly than
is usually admitted, particularly in the
interior of the islands. Not that human
sacrifice is at all common, but the most
observant travellers say it is more fire.
quent than imagined, and that many
cases of murder" and mysterious dis
appearance" simply mean the furnish
ing of the human victim whose death
IS followed by cannibalism.
In most of the islands to the magic of
the aborigines has been added the VOC
dooism of Africa-magic of similar
sort-through which the deified forces
of nature are propitiated like that of a
human sacrifice, particularly the sacri-
flee of young and innocent life. This
counts for more than dancing, bowling,
fasting, torturing and the various
| forms of incarnation to which the VOC
docs are given.
In this latest case the attorney gen.
eral says that the child was unques-
tionably made victim of the still living
early superstition for the purpose of
personal gain to the murderer, and the
prisoners counsel admits as much, but
states that his client is not the MUIR
| derer.
The fact is that in nearly all of these
rites and ceremonies the purpose is for
immediate personal advantage rather
than for immunity from suffering here
after. "Mumbo-Jumbo" is appealed to
| for every thing, from a change in luck
to protection from death, and so strong
is the belief that supsrstitious foreign
sailors are afflicted by it, and they have
been known to go to the native priests
for charms and to join in lamentations
that involve dancing, singing, praying
the sacrifice of a goat and the drinking
of the goats blood.
Even human sacrifices have been wit
messed by white men in the West Indies
and the Catholic archbishop of Hayti
tells Observation-Disclosures story of how
young priest of his see in 1898 went
to the interior of the island, and, while
disguised with blackened face anG
hands, witnessed the sacrifice of {
young child, who was afterward de
goured by the assembled congregation
The law has been slow in apprehend
ing those who have committed murder
in the name of their religion, because
it is extremely difficult to learn thu
facts, in the first place, and yet more
difficult to find the perpetrators. Usual
ly these ceremonies take place in thu
interior, away from large centers
and under the protection of dense foil
age, so as to be known only by thost
who take part, and the fact is Away
safe in their keeping.
So far do the believers in the ancien
bloody rite carry their feelings, and 81
great is the satisfaction that they talk
in that faith and in keeping their be
liefs secret, that they have been known
to join the Christian church, partici
pate in its ordinances and sacrament
and then, at regular intervals, go int
the fastness of some forest, appeal t,
the spirits and perform their incanta
tions with exuberance ofjoy, as thougl
they had done something that woult
meet with the approval of the GODS
N. Y. Herald.