ÖÖI 8x 3 ^c- 0 - Acehbooks.org

3°* S U M A T R A .
put over the delinquent's head, together with a large difh of fak and
lemons. The unhappy object, whether prifoner of war, or malefactor, is
then tied to a flake ; the people a'fiembled throw their lances at him from
a certain diftance, and when mortally wounded, they run up to him, as
if in a tranfport of paffion; cut pieces from the body with their knives .
dip them in the dim of fait and lemon juice ; flightly broil them over a
fire prepared for the purpofe; and fwallow the morfels, with a degree
of favage enthufiafm. Sometimes ( I prefume according to the degree
of their animofity and refentment) the whole is devoured; and inftances
have been known, where with barbarity flill aggravated, they
tear the flefh from the carcafe with their mouths. To fuch a depth of
depravity may man be plunged, when neither religion nor philofophy
enlighten his fteps ! All that can be faid in ex.tenuation of the horror of
this diabolical ceremony, is, that no view appears to be entertained of
torturing the fufferers; of encreafing or lengthening out the pangs of
death : the whole fury is directed againft the corfe; warm indeed with
the remains of life, but pail the fenfation of pain. I have found a difference
of opinion in regard to their eating the bodies of their enemies
jlain in battle. Some perfons long refident there, and acquainted with
their proceedings, afTert that it is not cuftomary ; but as one or two particular
inftances have been given by other people, it is juft to conclude,
that it fometimes takes place, though not generally. It was fuppofed
to be with this intent that raja Neabin maintained a long conflict for
the body of Mr. Nairne, a mod refpectable gentleman, and valuable fervant
of the India Company, who fell in an attack upon the campong of
that chief, in the vear 1775.*
The
* I find that fomc perfons dill doubt the reality of the fact, that human flefh is any where
eaten by mankind, and think that the proofs hitherto adduced are infufficient to eftablifli a point
of fo much moment in the hiflory of the fpecies. It is objected to me that I never was an eye
witnefs of a Balta feaft of this nature, and that my authority for it is confiderably wopkened, by
coming through a fecond or perhaps a third hand. I am fenfible of the weight of this rcafoning,
and am not anxious to force any man's belief, much lefs to deceive him by pretences to the higheft
degree of certainty, when my relation can only lay claim to the next degree. I can only fay»
that 1 thoroughly believe the fa& myfelf, and that my conviction has arifen from the following
cii cumftanccs, fome of lefs, fome of more authority. It is, in the firft place, a matter of general
and