academy or scknces] SACRIFICES AND WAR RITES 215 



to his war spirits asking them to accept the blood of this human creature, and without further 

 ado planted his dagger in the slave's breast. Several others, among whom my informant was 

 one, followed suit. The victim died almost instantly. Then each one of the warrior priests 

 inserted a crocodile tooth from his neck collar 16 into one of the wounds and they became, as the 

 narrator put it, taghusaudn; that is, filled with the blood spirit. The reader is left to imagine 

 the scene that must have followed. 



Human sacrifice takes place in other forms, according to universal report. Thus one hears 

 now and then that a warrior chief had his young son kill a slave or a captive in order to receive 

 the spirit of bravery through the power of a war deity, who would impart to him the desire to 

 perform feats of valor. Three warrior chiefs informed me personally that they had done this 

 in order to accustom their young sons to the sight of blood and to impart to them the spirit of 

 courage. I have no doubt whatsoever of the truth of their statements, as they were made in a 

 matter-of-fact, straightforward way, as if the affair were a most natural occurrence. Accounts 

 of such performances may be overheard when Man6bos speak among themselves. 



There is also another way in which human lives are sacrificed, but it partakes less of cere- 

 monial character than the two previous methods. I was given the names of several warrior 

 chiefs who had practiced it. The following are the details: If the warriors have been lucky 

 enough to kill an enemy during a fray and at the same time to secure human booty in the form of 

 captives, they are said on occasions to turn one or more of these same captives over to their less 

 successful friends in order that the latter may sate their bloody thirst and feel the full jubilation 

 of the victory. I was informed that the victims are dragged out into the near-by forest, speared 

 to death or stabbed, and thrust with broken bones into a narrow round hole. That this is true 

 I have every reason to believe, for I heard these reports under circumstances of a convincing 

 nature. Furthermore, such proceedings would be highly typical of Man6bo character and 

 would probably occur among any people that valued human life so lightly and that cherished 

 revenge so dearly. What could be more natural and more pleasing in the exultation of victory 

 and in the wildness of its orgies than to deliver a captive, probably a mortal enemy, to an unsuc- 

 cessful friend or relative that he too might glut his vengeance and fill his heart with the full 

 joy of victory? 



» Ta-lUMn, 



