The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-08-21
MANY Men EATEN
By the cannibals Of the Congo
and tho Islands.
PREFER HUMAN MEAT.

Most Pitiable Application Among
the African Man-Eating Tribes
Some Facts That VIII Surprise
Many People.
Man is still much eaten bv his
fellow men. Cannibalism in all its
horror still persists in the upper Con-
GO region and other portions of Afri-
ca. The taste for, human meat per-
sists in New Guinea and among Ger
tain groups of the South Sea Islands,
notably the Solomons, the New He
brides and New Ireland. David Liy-
lngstone, the first white man who
crossed the M"1yemaa country of
Africa, was reluctant to believe that
cannibalism was not in some way as
sociated with superstitious rites. But
when he, saw the eagerness with
which the natives devoured their
favorite food he changed his mind
and wrote that t'the Congo man sim
ply prefers human flesh to any other
kind of meat Another tribe is said
to have stated, 1T is good to eat
meat that talked" Africa shows the
Darwinian theory of survival OF the
itest in its most pitiable applications.
The sick, crippled, aged, men and
women alike, are killed and eaten in
the cannibalistic tribes. The flesh OF
prisoners of war or men killed in bat
tie is preferred above all others.
Strangely enough all explorers report
that the man eating tribes are super
ior, mentally and physically, to the
non cannibals.
In the Bangala country not only
are the bodies of those slain in battle
eaten, but the natives habitally kill
men for food. And about lhis there
is much curious system, such as in
clines students of anthropology to
suspect some hidden origin. Thus
the prisoner is ret killed outright,
but is placed chin deep in pool Of
water with his head made fast to a
log lest he drown. The victims
limbs by the way, have been broken
three days previously. On the third
day the poor creature is taken cut,
and killed. This procedure, the fierce
Bangala says, makes the flesh more
tender.
Capt. S. L. Hinde, returning home
from Stanley Falls on the Congo, had
personal experience of these people.
On the down river trip to Bona six
of the Bangala crewwere put in ircn:
charged with having eaten two Of
their companions. The accused were
magnificent sayages, over SIX feet
high and superbly proportioned. Two
of the crew, it seemed, had fallen Ill
on the voyage up and were allowed
by the captain to take a few days
rest. But when next rations were
served they were missing. The mas
ter of the steamer was told Lacy had
died during the night and been bur-
led ashore And this seemed likely
enough. But the captain of the ship
had his doubts. He made a sudden
raid on the quarters of his Bangala
hands, and discovered parts of the
missing men, smoke dried and cut up
conveniently in the lockers of the
SIX suspects, now going to trial at
Leopoldville.
Commandant Guy Burrows, lately
\ IN the service OF the Congo admins
tration, tells curious story of the
Batake people, t~dy of whom he
| led in a punitive expedition against
the Mabode tribes.
'I saw a boy hit in the shoulder
by ball from an old muzz:e loader" ;"
he said, "and yet, although seriously
hurt, he looked entirely uncencerned;
they are utter fatalists, these fellows.
His comrades carried him to one side,
away from the rest Of the wounded.
and when I saw this remarked:
'tTake that boy up or he'll get hit
again" .
"At this half dozen grave leaders
came to me expostulating. Tie is only
young lad they grumbled. You
might just as well let US have him
for killing when the fight is over. I
drove the monsters from me with my
chicotte or hippo hide whip. The
boy recovered and served me for
years. But those Batake cannibals
never forgave me.