THE CANNIBAL REPUBLIC.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2680, 14 September 1889, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE CANNIBAL REPUBLIC.

Recknt disturbance and tho usual rumors uf tliu revolution iu Hayt.i prompt us to turn to Sir Spenser St. Juhus well known aecouut of llio Negro Republic. It has now readied a second edition ; but, in .spite of the clamour which was raised in tlayti against this ■' indictment of a whole nation," the author has seen no reason to modify any of tho opinions or withdraw any of the statements which had given so much offence because they were incapable of being disproved. Ou the contrary, Sir Spenser St. John has brought his book up to date, and fortified his argument by receut instances. It has been accepted as an established fact that cannibalism is a common practice in the island—one that shows no sign of giving way, and which the authorities ignore and wink at. Iu a local paper, Le Peuple, on tho 23rd of January, 188G, the following paragraph appeared :—" Last week General Alfred Milord, commanding the town and commune of GrandGoiivo, accompanied by the chiof of sections, proceeded to the arrest of 10 or 12 men and women who carried on the bufinex uf killing people anil scllimj their "meat" in the market at Grand Goirvc." This article raised a storm in official quarters, and the editor was ordered to publish iu his paper the official contradiction. But the original statement was known to bo true, and the trial of the prisoners was held in the following year. In 1878 two women were arrested iu a hut near Port-au-Prince in the act of eating a child raw. "On further examination it was found that they had first sucked all the blood from its body, and that part of the flesh had been salted for future use." In 1809 an even more horrible case was brought to light. A dozen people accused of cannibalism were taken to La Coupe. In prison they underwent the usual treatment—i.e., " they were beaten unmercifully, were tortured by the thrumbserew and cords tightened round their foreheads." Of course they confessed, but no reliance could safely be placed upon avowals thus extorted. A French priest, a friend of Sir Spenser St. John, determined to get at the truth, and used to visit tho prisoners every day. They admitted that their previous confessions were true :—" When the priest, horrified by the details, said to a mother ; How could you eat tho flesh of your own children ?' sho answered coldly ' And who had a bettor right—Eist-ce que n'est pan moi qui lea ai fait " Tho only possible justification, and the only charitable explanation, of this cannibalism, practised by a freo and democratic, a partially civilised and a partially educated community is that it is sanctioned by the degraded African religion, which not only retains its hold upon Hayti, but which seems to be extending its horrid influence. Tho question is not, who is tainted with Vaudoux worship, but who is not ? It is not " good form" to mention the subject in polite company. Any of tho persons present may horsel for himself practise the rites which they all agree t« ignore when thoy are among the foreigners. Tho Emperor Soulouque was a firm adherent and tho mulatto General Therlonge was a high priest, and so was a late Prime Minister, ■' whose bloody deeds will b3 an everlasting reproach to his memory." President Salnave, at first inclined to court tha educated classes, kept clear of tho Vnudoux : but he had to give way at last, and consulted a well known Papolai (priest) near Port-au-Prince :—" He bathed in the blood of goats, made considerable presents to tho priests and priestesses, and then feasted with the assembly, who gave themselves up to all manner of debauchery, and kept up these festivities so long that even the iron frame of tho president gavo way and he was confined to his bed for many days after." It is uncertain whether, in order to secure from the priest a full assurance of victory over his enomies, he did or did not consent to go through the highest ceremony of all—that the goat without horns should be slain and he be annointed in his blood. And what is the goat without horns ! The question may best be answered by the following account of Vandoux rites given to Mocseigneur Guilloux, the Archbishop of Port-au-Priuce, by a young Catholic priest who had himself seen what he had described : —" The Mamanloi stood on the box containing tho serpent. At first she went into a violent paroxysm, then into a sort of half trance, when sho promised all that the people asked. A white cock and then a white goat were killed, and those present were marked with tlioir blood. . . . . . Presently an athletic young negro came forward and knelt before the priestess and asked, •' Oh Maman I have a favor to ask." " What is it, my son ?" " Give us to complete the sacrifice a goat without horns." She gave a sign of assent; the crowd in the shed separated, and there on the floor was a child sitting with its feet bound. In an instant a rope, already passed round the block, was tightened; the child's feet fle;v up towards the roof, and the Papolai approached it with a knife." At this point the victim shrieked, and the young priest, realising the horror, shouted aloud, " Oh, spare the child ?" It was with the greatest difficulty that the priest made his escape , he tried to rouse the police, but they would not interfere. Next morning he induced them to go with him to the scene of tho sacrifice, where they found tho remains of the feast and near tho shed the boiled skull of the child.—St. James' Gazetto.