The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-04-19
SAvACES OF ASIA.
The Untamed Chltes of Tibet Are
ldolaters and CannibaIs.
MURDER IN THEIR RELIGION.

sf These 6arbsrisns Offer Up Hu-
man Sacrifices to Their orotesaus
and Rspulsivs Stone Gods.
A religious festival by a savage tribe
Of Asia. I'm which occurred a human
sacrifice and the burning Of the victim
on funeral pyre. Is described by VII
liam Jameson Reid In his book. ''Unex-
plored Asia" The rites were held In a
place called Chite City. Tzuchan,
which was reached after n hazardous
Journey through the Ping mountains.
He says:
"I.et me give brief history of this
strange race. who for centuries have
defied the most persistent research Of
explorers and ethnologists. Many CEN
turtles ago. I'm the vicinity OF Shanghai.
there lived a highly enlightened race
known as the Chites They were the
most fanatical and bigoted Buddhists.
90 fanatical. In fact, that their turbu-
lent spirits and eager desire to SOW the
seed OF proselytism caused frequent
evolutionary disturbances. The gov
ernment, as It's only means Of saliva
tion. made war on them. For years the
Chites battled against overwhelming
odds until at last. their numbers fear.
fully reduced. they gradually retired to
the west, settling here and there. only
20 be again driven back. After years
Of wanderings they located In the wild
mountain region OF northwestern Tibet.
"For untold centuries they have held
entirely aloof from their more civilized
Chinese neighbors, and today they are
as untaJned and barbarous as were
their fierce ancestors. Many Of them
are savages OF the worst degree; even
cannibalism Is said to be prevalent
among many Of them. They acknowl-
edge no allegiance to the emperor. en-
tirely ignore the authority Of the man.
darins and hold no communication
with the outside world. Yet we have
visited their wild domain; we. have
penetrated into their stronghold and
have Witnessed their strange customs.
cit had been our intention to steal
into the city under cover OF night. but
from our position Of vantage we could
see that some religious demonstration
was In progress. and we did not dare
20 move. For half an hour our guides
(natives) crawled out on the plain and
returned with the Information that
they had discovered a considerable
cave I'm the hillside to the left Of the
town. which would screen US from OBJ
servation and at the same time permit
90 10 watch the movements of those
inside the walls. We had just time to
reach our place OF concealment when
the leaders OF the procession entered
the narrow orihce and halted while
torches were being liz to guide their
passages through the gathering gloom.
Following them pressed the unkempt
crew. until the interior Of the dome
shaped cave was filled TO the point of
suffocation.
"For half an hour the ear torturing
strife OF discord waxed louder at every
moment until hundred devils In hu-
man form fitted beneath the fare Of
fiickering torches. frenz,ed enthusi,
nst would leap into the air. lacerating
himself with n knife. grasping the cory
strip Of flesh and grinding II under his
heel. or taunting a neighbor into the
spirit OF emulation by Haunting before
bis eyes the CHASTITY piece of flesh. Sud
denly from out the compact mass rose
q howl OF mingled anguish and fury.
AID a solitary Individual mounted q
sort OF platform and stretched forth
his hand. Evidently he was high
priest Instantly there was silence.
The light OF the torches enabled us to
see the man who had mounted the plat
form. He was tall. gaunt indlvid-
ual All his right side was naked. and
bis face was covered with gaping rents
OF knife wounds. from which blood
trickled.
"a garment OF coarse cloth covered
his body below the waist. Soon we
saw five others follow him upon the
platform. which was of raised earth.
In n recess I'm the wall at the rear Of
the platform one could see the dis
torted form OF gigantic image-s
stony. impassive figure OF such gro
tesque ugliness that one could not help
wondering how race OF people. how
ever unenlightened. could bring them
selves to worship an object OF such re-
pulsiveness
AT last fearful moment was at
hand. An old man was seized and
stretched upon sort OF stone altar.
raised above the platform. lie realized
his last hour had come. and ne strug-
gled In fear and fury 10 escape from
the grasp Of his coptors. giving vent
90 shrek after shrek until. exhausted.
he fell into n stupor. Four OF the
priests held the family struggling
body. while from the gloom stalked
forth the sacrinclal priest, his hand
holding long knife. Once, twice.
thrice no nbased himself before the