Perhaps this is the last instance of such savage bar barity known in Europe ; and here we can ace the customs of the Scythians, from whom the inhabitants of these kingdoms are by many believed to have sprung. The Seythians drank the blood of their enemies, and made drinking cups of their skulls. There was a cer tain festival at which none could drink who lad not killed an enemy; and it at length became cen•lected with religious rites, as well as being a token of con quest. Liv' relates, that the Boii, availing themselves of a victory which they' had gained, cut oil' the head of the Roman general Postumius, and having set his skull in gold, deposited it in a temple for consecrated liba tions. It can scarcely be doubted, therefore, that in former years cannibals were known in Europe, and it is probable that the tribes of Britain may be ranked among the number.
This sanguinary and repulsive custom has, for cen turies, been confined to the African and American con tinents ; for Ave do not know, with certainty, that it has been found in Asia, strictly so denominated. Though many have been inclined to consider the narratives of the earlier European navigators to America as in this respect fabulous, cannibals were recognised there from the time of Christopher Columbus. Intelligent ob servers, who resorted thither, either for a permanent or temporary residence, about the middle of the sixteenth century, have detailed the whole of the barbarous cere mony, and with such intrinsic evidence, that we cannot reject their testimony. It does not appear, however, that human flesh was an ordinary means of subsistence ; On the contrary, the enemies taken in open hostility, or by stratagem, were alone sacrificed by the victors. Many superstitious ceremonies were practised on the occa sion ; the victim was reserved until a certain time, some times remote from the period of his capture ; and, in the mean time, he was copiously fed, and allowed sufficient exercise. As his fate approached, his face and body were painted with mystic lineaments, which were also impressed on the club that was to give the fatal blow. He was confined the night previous to execution in a hut specially built for the purpose, which, after his re moval, early next morning, was thrown down. 13•It these preparations, and others which followed, were in sufficient to inspire him with the fear of death : he con tinued to congratulate himself on the mischiefs which he had already been enabled to inflict on his enemies, boasted of the prowess of his nation, and foretold the vengeance that they would take for his death. He be held, without emotion, the fire, and the surrounding hordes invited to partake of the bloody repast, and stood undaunted to receive the blow which was to terminate his existence.
In the feast which followed, we find a lively picture of the descriptions contained in Homer ; and if that poet had lived subsequent to the days of Herodotus, we could, under some modifications, have traced them to the historical truths which he records. The poetical fictions which are employed to embellish the adventures of Ulysses are also founded on the general belief of the times. The body of the victim being carefully washed and skinned, was cut into quarters, and the flesh was immediately devoured, roasted or half boiled, amidst savage rejoicings. Ilere, the women acted as conspi
cuous a part as the men ; they were employed in the mystic ceremonies, and they witnessed the execution, and participated in the banquet with equal indifference. When it was their misfortune to suffer, Liey shewed the same fortitude that was exhibited by warriors. John leery relates an instance that came under his own notice, of advising a woman, who was about to be massacred, to pray' to heaven ; she replied that it was unneces sary, and that she laboured under no apprehension of death.
The same custom has been practised down to the present day, though it is now greatly declining. Father IL hnepin, and M. Laborde, observe, that the Caraibs were cannibals when visited by them in the latter part of the seventeenth century ; and that they frequently carried the hand and foot of a slaughtered enemy along with them. M. de Belleisie, a French officer, was taken prisoner, in 1719, by the Atalcapas, a tribe near the Gulf of Mexico, who fed on human flesh. As he displayed the utmost repugnant: • to this practice, they deceived hint into a participation of their repast, which was com mon at that time, but which is now altogether eradicated from among their descendants. That the South Sea islanders were cannibals during the voyages of discovery from this country, is attested by Captain Cook; and there is some reason to believe that the body of that ce lebrated navigator was devoured at Owhyhee. Such was unquestionably the fate of one of his cotemporaries, M. Marion de Fresne, who had been sent out from France with a native of Otaheite, brought over by M. Bougainville. Having reached the bay of islands in New Zealand, he entered into an amicable correspondence with the natives and their chiefs. Mutual civilities were unremittingly interchanged during the 33 days that he lay at anchor on the coast ; the natives slept on board of his vessel ; and the seamen, after wandering about on shore in safety, or penetrating the interior, were re gularly conducted to the beach by the islanders. At length, M. de Fresne, accompanied by 17 people, em barked in his king boat, and was received on shore with the accustomed demonstrations of friendship. But while resting in perfect security, and when all his party, un suspicious of treachery, had separated, they were sud denly attacked by the natives, and the whole, except a single seaman, were inhumanly massacred. The un happy victims were immediately rippei up, cut into quarters, and distributed among the ferocious assailants, in sight of their comrades, who lay concealed among some brush-wood during the tragical scene. The French were not slow in avenging the death of the suffcrers they landed in force, and proceeded to the principal vil lage, from which the inhabitants fed on their approach; but there they obtained too conclusive evidence of what had passed. In the hut of the chief was found a human skuit, of which some remaining flesh still bore the marks of the teeth of the cannibals ; part of a human thigh was also seen on a wooden spit, about three-fourths of which had been devoured ; and human entrails, which are said to be considered a delicacy, appeared ready cocked. The village of these barbarians was then reduced to ashes, and their canoes also burnt.