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The Dallas Daily Herald
Dallas, Dallas County, Texas
What is this article about?
Cameron's 'Across Africa' describes the funeral rites for a Urua chief in Central Africa: diverting a river to dig a pit, burying living women with the chief's body, killing one wife separately, and slaughtering male slaves whose blood is poured over the grave before resuming the river's course.
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Cameron's "Across Africa" says that on the death of a Urua chief it is the custom "to divert the stream, and in its bed to dig an enormous pit, the bottom of which is then covered with living women. At one end a woman is placed on her hands and knees, and upon her back the dead chief, covered with his beads and treasures, is seated, being supported on either side by one of his wives, while his second wife sits at his feet. The earth is then shoveled in on them, and all the women are buried alive, with the exception of the second wife. To her custom is more merciful than to her companions, and grants her the privilege of being killed before the huge grave is filled in. This being completed, a number of male slaves—sometimes forty or fifty—are slaughtered and their blood poured over the graves after which the river is allowed to resume its course."
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Where did it happen?
Foreign News Details
Primary Location
Urua, Central Africa
Key Persons
Outcome
multiple women buried alive, one wife killed separately, 40-50 male slaves slaughtered
Event Details
On the death of a Urua chief, the stream is diverted to dig an enormous pit covered with living women. The chief is seated on one woman's back, supported by wives, with another at his feet. Earth is shoveled in, burying all women alive except the second wife, who is killed before filling the grave. Male slaves are slaughtered and their blood poured over the grave, then the river resumes its course.