Sentence:  I could not find out whether the victims are intoxicated before execution : it is highly probable, as the African's, and especially the Yoruban's, object is to send these messengers to <WSD>deadland</WSD> in the best of tempers. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  The afterlife, especially in belief systems that do not include reward or punishment such as heaven and hell.