CANNIBALISM IN THE MARQUESAS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 285, 9 December 1878, Page 4

CANNIBALISM IN THE MARQUESAS.

A San Francisco paper says .— Amoog tho passengers by (he Greyhoum], arrived at this port from Tahiti, was an American named Lewis Chase, who for more than a quarter of a century has never aeen a civilised country, anil has seldom looked upon the face of a whit© man. San Francisco is the first glimpse of civilisation he has bad since be left bia ti&tive home in Datsbury, Connecticut, twenty-seven years sgo. For twenty-five yeare and six months precisely, he had lived on a group of islands inhabited by ferocious cannibals; and, fortunately for himself, he came out hale and hearty, without evtr having os muchas a slice of hutnaD steak taken from bia anatomy. The group of islands on which Mr Chase has passed his quarter of a century is tbe Marquesas, where before his own eyes he has seen cannibalism practised both as a Qcoart and as a fierce display of human ferocity. This horrible practice is idnulged in piiacipally to prarify a deadly spirit of revenge which one tribe of natives holds against another. In Jhe many brutal and bloody civil wars .which they have Wflged ageiust one another the slain and captured victims are paten wilh a vengeance. In their religious riles, also, they offer up human sacrifices caplured in battle. Wlion a victim ia selected for a cannibal feast his body is washed clpbu, and the hair of hia head ia hurned of!. If the feast is not of a religious character the viotim is simply beaten ♦o death wilh war clube, and when dead hie body is again washed and placed in a lirge oven dug into the earth. When ready to take it out of the oven all the material covering is carefully removed, end when it comes to tbe lest layer surrounding the victim the mats ate takeu off' wilh a sensitive touch, lest any of the skin on tbe body should be torn away. When all is bare, and the body looks brown Bud beautifully cookeJ, a shout of demoniac laughter rends the air, and the cooka are complimented in the hjgbesi terms by the hosts of raooibuls thirsting to enjoy the dreadful J laxory. Tie brain ■- and tbe eyts are considered tbe greatest delicaciee, and ere alwajs given to the chiefs. The breasts, thigh', and the outer portion of tbe calveß of the legs a'e the next greatest luxuries, and in this category also may be placed slices cut off from other portions of the body. All tbe parts mentioned belong to the chiefs and~ chie'.teeßes of high aud low rank, accordiag to their relative social siatue, while the rest of (he body and the entrails are savagely devoared by the common natives. Tho flesh is oaten frum the bond, and to give it greater relish is dipped in nttive esucee. Cocoanutvyaoos, and various kind of nuts are also among the edibles, besides certain varieties of flesh; but the piece da resistance ia tLe human portion of the spread. While ihe feast hsts the greatest hilarity prevails, and after it iB over a feurfui drunken orgie follows whenever ihe liquors, nativeoriraro ted, can be procured. Scenes of the wildest licentiousness accompany the revel, and .for dayß after the cannibals are in a state of semi-unconsciousness. They quietly retire, to their huts and aUow aieep and nature to restore their shatter. ed constitution*. Sleep is their great restorative, and alter a fearful debauch they will lie as if deud for a space of from ten to- fifteen hoars. Mr C'aese was witness to u fearful and revolting act of cannibalism practised at the little harbor of Atawaua two years ago. A young and beatiful girl bad. been captured and brought in a canos to Atawana, She belonged to a triba which ; was. fiercely hated by her eaptore, and they determined to avenge themselves upon her, : She was taken out into tbe centre of the village, stripped naked and bound. Then with war clubs she was beaten, and fell as if dead to the ground. But while life yet lingered a women of Atawana rushed up to tbe prostrate body, and, with a ferccioua yell, dag her fingers into the eyes of her victim, piaoked them out of their sockets, and ate them in the presence of an infuriated and applauding multitude. Afterwards, while the body of the victim was yet warm, she waa disemboweled, and her entrails were taken out and devoured, tbe cannibals fighting with each other for their share. Her whole boly was then cut to pieces and divided amongst the cannibals present. While indulging io this incredible brutality, shouts of joyous vengeance were heard on every side. The cannibals fairly revelled in devouring nearly every atom of the body. They washed down the flesh eaten with native intoxicating drinks, and after the carnage was concluded, a triumphant war dance of vengeance followed. • Great pomp and solemnity surrounds victims intended for religjoos sacrifices, and none but high priests can officiate ia the most solemn ceremonies. Charms, spells, and incarnations are brought into play', tbe priests occasionally placing their hands upon tbe intended sacrinV, who never otters a word from the time he is selected as a sacrifice to the moment of his death. Tbe instant selected for performing the operation being reached, the chief high priest advances towards tbe viciim, and feeling for the beating of the heart, announces to bis attendant! that he is ready to commence. He then lakes a knife and deliberately cots out tbe heart, tha victim writhing in agony during tho process. To Bpeak or utter a word daring this frightful process would be cowardice, an evidence that; tbe sacri-

fice had acknowledged the power of his enemies. The heart cut out, it is handed to a young priest, who bears it off to the highest chief, the priest considering cbis the greitest honour of bis life. Tbe victim quickily expires, and then the whole body in cut up and divided among those waiting to receive their portions of if. Tho flesh of a religious victim ia more highly prized than that of any other, oil the portions considered most choice being reserved for the high priests and high chiefs.