Note 23 — Chapter XIV · —(Continued).

All the victims, however, are not killed. On January 31st, 1864, two, a youth and a maiden, were offered up (officially), and kept alive to sweep King Gezo’s grave. The sporadic sacrifice mentioned in the text was known to former travellers. “The immolation of victims is not confined to a particular period, for at any time, should it be necessary to send an account to his forefathers of any remarkable event, the King despatches a courier to the shades, by delivering his message to whoever may happen to be near him, and then ordering his head to be chopped off immediately; and it has not unfrequently happened during the present reign, that, as something new has occurred to the King’s mind, another messenger (as Mr. C—nn—g very justly observed, like the postscript of a letter) has instantly followed on the same errand, perhaps in itself of the most trivial kind.”—Dr. M‘Leod, p. 64.