Anthropophagy

Transcriber’s Note:
The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
CHARLES W. DARLING,
Cor. Sec. of The Oneida Historical Society at Utica, N. Y.; Member of the American Historical Association; Hon. Member of the Alabama, New Jersey, Iowa State, and New York State Chautauqua Historical Societies; Cor. Member of the Am. Numismatic and Archæological, and the Buffalo Historical Societies, N. Y. S.; Bangor, Maine, New Hampshire, Middlebury, Vt., New England Historic Genealogical, Boston, Mass.; New Haven Colony, Conn.; Linnæan, Numismatic and Antiquarian of Pa.; Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Wisconsin State, Kansas, Minnesota and Nebraska State Historical Societies.
(PRIVATELY PRINTED.)
UTICA, N. Y.
T. J. GRIFFITHS, BOOK AND JOB PRINTER.
1886.
In giving himself to general reading relating to the origin and history of the human family, the writer of the following pages was impressed with the frequent allusion to man-eating among many of the peoples of the world; and although in itself it is an unattractive subject, and perhaps to some repellant; for his own amusement, and it may be for the instruction of others, he has been prompted to collate some of the references to this unhallowed custom, in a connected form. How well he has succeeded in his effort he will leave it to the reader to determine. The only merit to which he might possibly lay claim is fidelity to the facts as recorded by the historians and travelers of the age.
C. W. D.
According to classic mythology, the Cyclops were giant cannibals, each of whom had a single eye, conveniently placed in the centre of his forehead. As the account of these Cyclops is so suggestive, let the story concerning them be told with some variations from the history as given by Lamb. Ulysses, after the destruction of Troy by the Grecians, coasted with his fleet along unknown shores, until the land where these Cyclops dwelt was reached. He immediately went on shore with a chosen party of twelve, by whom the land was peopled. The first sign of habitation to which they came was a giant’s cave rudely fashioned, but of a size, however, which betokened the vast proportions of its owner. The pillars which supported it were huge oaks, and all about showed marks of strength. Ulysses, having entered, admired the savage contrivances of the place, and while thus occupied, a deafened noise like the falling of a house was heard. It proved to be the owner of the cave, Polyphemus, the largest and most savage of the Cyclops, who had been abroad all day in the mountains, and as he reached home he threw down a pile of fire-wood, which occasioned the startling crash. The Grecians, at sight of the uncouth monster, who looked more like a mountain crag than a man, hid themselves in the remote parts of the cave, and after he had passed in, he blocked up the entrance with a rock so large that twenty oxen could not draw it. Having kindled a fire, throwing his great eye around the cave, by the glimmering light he discerned at last some of Ulysses’ men. “Ho! guests, what are you? Merchants, or wandering thieves?” he bellowed out. Only Ulysses summoned resolution to answer that they came neither for plunder nor traffic, but were Grecians who had lost their way in returning from Troy, which famous city under Agamemnon, they had sacked and laid level with the ground. They now prostrated themselves humbly before his feet, whom they acknowledged to be mightier than they, and besought him that he would bestow upon them the rights of hospitality. Jove was the avenger of wrongs done to strangers, and would fiercely resent any injury they might suffer. “Fool!” said the Cyclop, “to come so far to preach to me the fear of the gods. We Cyclops care not for your Jove; we are stronger than he, and dare bid him to open battle.” He then snatched two of the shivering wretches nearest him, dashed out their brains against the earth, and after tearing in pieces their limbs, devoured them, still warm and trembling, as would a lion, lapping up also their blood.