Identifier: voicefromcongoco00ward (find matches)
Title: A voice from the Congo : comprising stories, anecdotes, and descriptive notes
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: Ward, Herbert, 1863-1919
Subjects: Ward, Herbert, 1863-1919 Africa, Central -- Description and travel Africa, Central -- Social life and customs
Publisher: New York : Charles Scribner's Sons
Contributing Library: University of Connecticut Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Connecticut Libraries

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ing and cooking food. This rule does nothowever hold good throughout, for in the vicinityof the Aruimi River our observations revealed areversed proportion. Probably the most inhuman practice of all is tobe met with among the tribes who deliberately hawkthe victim piecemeal whilst still alive. Incredibleas it may appear, the statement remains justified byabundant proof, as well as from personal observa-tion, that captives were led from place to place inorder that individuals might have the opportunityof indicating, by external marks on the body, theportion they desired to acquire. The distinguishingmarks are generally made by means of coloured clayor strips of grass tied in a peculiar fashion. The astounding stoicism of the victims, who thuswitnessed the bargaining for their limbs piecemeal,was only equalled by the callousness with whichthey walked forward to meet their fate. In expla-nation of the extraordinary indifference thus dis-played, it can only be assumed that death is robbed
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Bangala Draion hu the Author m+ \ A type of the Lomami Drawn by the Author CANNIBALISM 313 of all terror, for living under conditions of perpetualfear, life must present but little that is attractive. There is a prevalent belief among many of theriver-side tribes of the Upper Congo that the flavourof human flesh is improved by submerging the pros-pective victim up to the neck in the water for twoor three days previous to sacrifice. In 1886 when,proceeding to take command of the Station of Ban-gala, I travelled up the Upper Congo on board thestern-wheel steamer Le Stanley/ my companionsconsisted of Captain Deane, and Dr. Oscar Lentz,a well-known German savant. Arriving late in the evening at the village ofLulungu, situated on the south bank, we applied tothe people for provisions, for we had on board somefour hundred native followers, a portion of whomwere Houssa soldiers, these latter being attached toCaptain Deane, who was on his ill-fated journey totake command of Stanley Falls Stat

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