TRIAL BY ORDEAL.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 3624, 15 November 1897, Page 5

TRIAL BY ORDEAL.

The British and African Company Eoyal Mail steamer Roquelle arrived at Liverpool from the West Coast of Africa. The JRoquelle left Bereby, on the Kroo Coast, on the 21at July, when a remarkable circumstance was reported. Some time ago a steamer was lost, and. a number of Kroo boys from Bereby were drowned. Several other Kroo men from the same place were saved and returned home. The relatives of the deceased men became imbued with the idea that the surviving Kroo men had caused the accident to the ship, which resulted in the death of their relatives. They thereupon resorted to the natives superstitious method of making them drink sass water. This sass water is a poisonous liquid, but if the native survives it is taken aa a proof that he is innocent. Should he however die, he is regarded as guilty. It is seldom, however, that aay who drink the real sass water recover. In the present case it was reported that the natives were not content with dealing with the survivors they could lay their hauds upon, but also made some of their relatives pass through the terrible ordeal. It was said that in all about 20 natives perished in this way ; but so as not to attract attention to their fiendish acts, the natives proceeded very quietly during a period of several months. Bereby iB now a French possession. Visiting Cards equal to copperplate printed at the office of this paper.