" These miserables have
abandoned to wild growth a most prolific soil; too lazy and
unenergetic to hunt or to fish, they devour all manner of
carrion, grubs, insects, and even the corpses of their deceased
friends. The Midgan, or slave-caste of the semi-Semitic Somal,
are sometimes reduced to the same extremity; but they are ever
held, like the Wendigo, or man-eaters, amongst the North American
Indians, impure and detestable. On the other hand, the Tupi-
Guaranis of the Brazil, a country abounding in game, fish, wild
fruits, and vegetables, ate one another with a surprising relish.
This subject is too extensive even to be outlined here: the
reader is referred to the translation of Hans Stade: old
travellers attribute the cannibalism of the Brazilian races to
"gulosity" rather than superstition; moreover, these barbarians
had certain abominable practices, supposed to be known only to
the most advanced races.
Anthropophagy without apparent cause was not unknown in Southern
Africa. Mr. Layland found a tribe of "cave cannibals" amongst the
mountains beyond Thaba Bosigo in the Trans-Gariep Country.
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