The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-03-31
CONGO CANNIBALS
AND HOW THEYLIVE
Negro Missionary Talks About
Their Customs and Habits
MASSACRE BY SAVAGtS
Three Hundred Men, Women and Chill.
dren Put to Death-why cannibals
Eat Human Belnss-surlal
of cannibal Chief.
MASSACRE BY SAVAGtS

Life in the Congo country; habits and
customs of cannlbals and difficulties en-
countered by Christian missionaries In
their effort to preach the gospel in dark
est Africa" was the subject of an address
made last night before large audience
OF white persons In the First Presbyterian
church by the Rev w. II. Sheppard, a
negro missionary of the Southern Pres
byterian church to the Congo country.
The speaker. who was introduced to the
audience by the Rev. DIR. John w. Stagg,
pastor of the church, after prayer had
been offered by the Rev Artnur s. Bur-
r:ll, said that perhaps the greatest blight
In the life of the cannibal tribes in
darkest Africa" was their superstitions.
These were due. in large measure, to ig-
.norance. Some of them were humorous.
others tragic. All were harmful. Among
the omens of ill-fortune the speaker men,
toned these:
To stump ones toe.
To see crows flying over ones house.
To have ones path crossed by reptile.
Respect for these and similar supersti-
tions postponed journeys, interrupted so
ciai life retarded commerce and worked
great deal of annoyance and inconveni-
ence.
Trip to cannlbal Camp.
The speaker then narrated a trip made
by him and some companions to a can
! nibal camp where the savages were mas
sacring human beings. Word came TO him
that the slaughter of innocent men. wom-
en- and children was going on. He was
urged by the nati6es to go and put an
end to the slaughter. To their entreaties
he demurred. explaining that he would in
all probability be killed in case he should
go. At length, however, a message came
to him from Mr.. Morrison. the head mis-
sionary, informing him of the massacre
and directing him TO make off for the can
nibal camp. As this was an order he
made ready to obey He called all the
natives of the village out o. their houses.
told them of the massacre and asked all
who were willing to go with him to stand
in line, and those who were unwilling to
go back Into their houses When he looked
AROUND d IeW ht So
that all the natives had gone back into
their houses. He eontrived however, to
get together eleven men and with these
set out for the cannibal camp.
Perilous Journey.
The way thither was perilous at every
step Thrice were they set upon by saw
ages to be saved only by singularly good
Il. -.
crlbed to divine providence. Along the
route of the journey, they came upon
bodies of men and women, the flesh cut
clean to the bone, in many cases. At
length, after two days travelling afoot,
they came upon the camp. Inc speaker
was admitted through a trap door into
the presence of the cannibal chief
Around a rude table in the center sat
or stood the tribal chiefs. On the table
was a human heart newly cut from rival
tribal chiefs body. The heart was stuck
to the table by a javein's point. AS soon
as the speaker entered the cannibal chiefs
presence, the cannlbal chief drew the
speakers attention to the heart mention
ing the name of the dead chief out of
whose body the heart had been cut. The
dead man had been friend of the speak
ers-had entertained him only few
months before. The camp was plentifully
supplied with dead human bodies. The
speaker counted eghty-one human hands
roasting over the fires. In one portion of
the camp victims named for slaughter
were tied to trees or poles. Among them
were many women, some of whom the
speaker persuaded the chief to release.
In the massacre 800 persons had been
killed.
Why cannlbals Eat Human Flesh.
While inspecting the camp, the speak
er inquired of the cannibal chief why 1t
was that canniba1s ate human beings.
I'VE eat them because we like them" was
the answer. 'And we like them because
the flesh of a human being has sweet
ness that no other flesh possesses" The
speaker said he was inclined to think this
was true, as he had been frequently told
the same thing by many other cannibaIs.
The company of twelve. said he. was
permitted to return safely to their village
Once there he sent his report to Mr.. Nor
rison, and that gentleman promptly dis
patched 1t to representative of the Bel
gian government. \ few days later, Bel
gian soldiers marched ipon the cannibal
camp, captured 1t and put an end to the
massacre.
An .Atrocious Custom.
One Of the most atrocious and at the
same time most pathetic customs of
the cannibals was the burial service of
a cannibal chief or king
II was the custom of the country, said
the speaker, that when a king or chief
was buried, a, great many of the SUBJ
ordinate chiefs must be buried with him.
One OF these burials the speaker at
tended One after another he saw the
splendid looking under chiefs wrapped
In the cnrenanta of daaIh and h...t.l