AFRICAN TORTURES.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2285, 14 July 1880, Page 3

AFRICAN TORTURES.

The following exh’aordiuary talc of torture has appeared in the Columns of the London Telegraph Dr Schwciufurth, in a lecture which he recently delivered to the Rerlin Geographical Society on the subject of his latest explorations in Central Africa gave his hearers a thrilling account of the mode in which capital punishment is inflicted upon criminals by the Al-Quadjis, a small tributary offshoot of the great and powerful Dijour people. The malefactor condemned to die is bound to a post firmly driven into the ground in some open place where no trees afford a shade, and there slowly roasted to death—not by any artificial means involving a waste of fuel, but by the natural heat of the sun’s rays as they reach our earth in its equatorial regions. To protract his sufferings and to avert his too speedy end by sunstroke, the ingenious A 1 Cuadjis cover their erring compatriots’ heads with fresh green leaves, which effectually shield his brain from riuebus’ darts. No such protection is, however, accorded to his body, which gradually dries up, shrinks together, and ultimately becomes carbonised. One chance of salvation is open to the roasting man, while as yet he is not completely “ done to death.” If a cloud pass between the sun and his place of torment he is at once cast loose from bis post, and becomes tbe object of popular reverence, as a mighty magician in whose behalf the supernatural powers have deigned directly to intervene. Rut clouds seldom interfere with the administration of justice on the days chosen for public executions by the Al-Quadji authorities ; at least, that appears to be Dr Schwcinfurth’s experience of African weather as far as it bears upon the judicial roasting of malefactors.