Results of Missions on the African Coast
The following gratifying statement was published in a late
number of the Liverpool Times. The occurrences referred to were
transacted on the Calabar coast.
ABOLITION OF HUMAN SACRIFICES - The mission
ship connected with the United Presbyterian Ch. Mission to Old
Calabar, Western Africa, which has recently arrived at this port,
says the Liverpool Times, brings the interesting and important
intelligence, that by the most stringent Egbo law which it was
possible to enact, human sacrifices have been forever abolished in
Old Calabar. The gratifying result has been accomplished by the
strenuous and united efforts of the missionaries on that station, and
the captains of the various merchant vessels lying in Calabar river.
The circumstances are briefly these: Two chiefs, Effiong Bassey
and Erem Cuffey, died, and seventeen of their wives and slaves
were put to death and buried with them, while a considerable
number were held in chains for the same purpose. One of them
having escaped, fled to the missionaries, who instantly made
known the appalling facts to the captains of the vessels in the river,
and they unanimously resolved to try to stop the inhuman practice.
A meeting, consisting of two missionaries, three surgeons and the
captains, accordingly took place at Mission house, Duketown, and
after a number of conferences with and stirring appeals to the
authorities of Old Calabar, King Eyo and King Archibong, with
twenty-six of the principal gentlemen connected with Creektown
and Duketown, met and signed a document, in which they
promised to allow no human being to be killed among their
families or dependents, except for crime; and on the 15th of
February last, proclamation to that effect was made at the market¬
place, with all the customary formalities of Egbo law; and so
strong is this law among the natives of Calabar, that on King
Archibong being asked what would be done to any gentleman who
might violate it, he replied, “he would chop him down to nothing”
- that is, he would forfeit all he possessed.
Home and Foreign Journal
June 1853
