We concluded by carrying off the goat. After great excitement the
warriors subsided to a calm; it was broken, however, two days
afterwards by the murder of a villager, the suspected lover of a
woman whose house was higher up the Mbokwe River; he went to
visit her, and was incontinently speared in the breast by the
"injured husband." If he die and no fine be paid, there will be
another "war."
I made careful inquiry about anthropophagy amongst the Fan, and
my account must differ greatly from that of M. du Chaillu. The
reader, however, will remember that Mayyan is held by a
comparatively civilized race, who have probably learned to
conceal a custom so distasteful to all their neighbours, white
and black; in the remoter districts cannibalism may yet assume
far more hideous proportions. Since the Fan have encouraged
traders to settle amongst them, the interest as well as the
terrors of the Coast tribes, who would deter foreigners from
direct dealings, has added new horrors to the tale; and yet
nothing can exceed the reports of older travellers.
During my peregrinations I did not see a single skull.
Pages:
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245