258 
MODES OF 
few exercise to their fullest extent those qualities, 
which they possess so greatly, and prize so highly, 
the development of this tragedy to depend, I witnessed the 
most fearful scene of ferocious cannibalism. 
“ The bowels and entire viscera having been disengaged from 
the body, were at first portioned out ; but from the im- 
patience of some of the women to get at the liver, a general 
scramble took place for it, and it was snatched in pieces, and, 
without the slightest process of cooking, was devoured with an 
eagerness and avidity, a keen, fiendish expression of impatience 
for more, from which scene, a memory too tenacious upon this 
subject will not allow me to escape ; the kidneys and heart were 
in like manner immediately consumed, and as a climax to these 
revolting orgies, when the whole viscera were removed, a quan- 
tity of blood and serum which had collected in the cavity of the 
chest, was eagerly collected in handsful, and drunk by the old 
man who had dissected the body ; the flesh was entirely cut off 
the ribs and back, the arms and legs were wrenched and twisted 
from the shoulder and hip joints, and their teeth employed to 
dissever the reeking tendons, when they would not immediately 
yield to their impatience. The limbs were now doubled up and 
put aside in their^baskets ; and on putting a portion of the flesh 
upon a fire which had previously been lit, they seemed to 
remember that I was of the party ; something was said to one of 
the women, who cut off a foot from the leg she had in her posses- 
sion, and offered it to me ; I thought it prudent to accept of it, 
and wrapping it in my handkerchief, and pointing to my tent, 
they nodded assent, and I joyfully availed myself of their per- 
mission to retire. They shortly afterwards returned to their 
huts with the debris of the feast, and during the day, to the 
horror and annoyance of my two boys, and those belonging to 
the establishment, they brought another part, and some half- 
picked bones, and offered them to us. The head was struck off 
with a tomahawk and placed between hot stones in the hollow of 
a tree, where it has undergone a process of baking, and it is still 
left there otherwise untouched.” 
