The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-16 00:00:00

DAHOMIAN ATROCITIES..

The following information from Dahomey has
been received at the Church Missionary House,
from the commander of her Majesty's ship Griffm,
at Little Popo, August 6, 1862 :
" Sir,—l think it my duty to lay before you, with as
little delay as possible, the following information concern-
ing Dahomey :

" On the bth of August, when'at anchor off Little Popo,
I received a letter frost the shore, stating that Mr.
Euschart, a Dutch merchant, residing at Popo, had just
returned from Dahomey, and that he had news of great in-
terest for my ear. This Mr. Euschart I have had frequent
conversation with, and I have every reason to believe that
his information is most accurate, trustworthy, and reliable.
I therefore borrowed a surf boat from a Dutch brig in the
roads, and, having manned her with 10 of my own Kroo-
men, I wi'h great difficulty effected a landing, two boats
out of three that tried the beach that day being capsized,
owing to the very heavy surf. I give the substance of Mr.
Euschart's information as closely as possible, having jotted
it down in my notebook during our conversation.
It appears that Mr. Eusehart went to Whydah on busi-
ness in the middle of June, and on the 24th of June, while
still at Whydah, received the stick of the King of Daho-
mey, with an instruction that his presence was required at
Abomey. Mr. Euschart tried every method of evading the
journey, but without avail, the Caboceers of Whydah tell-
ing him plainly that he would be carried to Abom ey as a
prisoner if he did not at once willingly obey the King's
message.

" Accordingly at 1 p.m. of June 26, having provided him-
self with six hammock men, he left Whydah for Abomey,
escorted by an armed party of Dahomians, and reached
Alada, the old residence of the King of Dahomey, the same
evening; June 27, 1 p.m., left Alada, and arrived at Ta-
b .ur at 10 p.m. ; June 28, 5 30 a.m., started for Ramos,
through swamp, and easily passed; 9 30 a.m. started, and
arrived outside Abomey at 7 30 p.m., the road on the way
having been very good. He was at once shown into a very
fair house, and told to remain there during the night. June
29, received a letter from the King that he was to be pre.
sented the next day. June 30, entered walled part of town
through royal gate ; received there by two head Caboceers,
who saluted him, saying, King had never seen a Dutch-
man ; King's father had never seen a Dutchman ; and now
they had plenty of people to kill they were very glad to see
a Dutchman.' He was then ordered to drink the King's
health four times, after which the Caboceers danced round
him, singing and firing guns. He was then conducted to
the King's palace, and received there by the Prime Minis-
ter, who told him the King would receive him next day.
" July I—Received by the King, who was seated outside
the palace on a raised dais, surrounded by Amazons, H
saluted the King in European style. The King at once got
up and shook hands with him, said he was very glad to see
a Dutchman, and continued talking in,Portuguese for about
10 minutes. He was then ordered to return to his house
and keep inside three days.

" July s—He was brought to the market-place,where he
was told many people had been killed the night before. Ho
first saw the body of ➢lr. Wm. Doherty (a Sierre Leone
man), late a missionary and Church Catechist at Ishagga..
The body was crucified against a large tree,one nail through
the forehead, one through the heart, and one through each
hand and foot ; the left arm was bent, and a large cotton
umbrella in the grasp. He was then taken to the market,
where the King was seated on a raised platform, from
which ho was talking to the people much' war-palaver,'and
promising them an attack upon Abbeokuta in November.
Cowries, cloth, and rum were then distributed. In front
of marketplace rows of human heads, fresh and gory, were
ranged, and the whole place was saturated with blood, the
heads evidently belonging to some of the Ishagga prisoners
who had been killed during the night, after having been
tortured in the most frightful manner.

" Until July 10th Mr. Euschart was ordered to remain
quiet in his house, and not to move or look out after sun.
down.

" July 10—The ground shook violently—evidently, from
the date, the effect of the earthquake felt at Accra. Mr.
Euschart was at once brought to the market-place, where
he found the King again seated on the raised platform,
surrounded by Amazons ; the King told him that the
ground shaking was his father's spirit, complaining that
6 Customs were not made proper.' Three Ishag ga chiefs
were then brought before the King, and told they
were to go and tell his father that Customs should be
better than ever.' Each chief was then given a bottle of
rum and a head of cowries, and then decapitated. Twenty-
four men were then brought out, bound in baskets, with
their heads just showing out, and placed on the platform in
front of the King ; they were then thrown down to the
people, who were dancing, singing, and yelling below; as
each man was thrown down, he was seized and decapidatod,
the heads being piled in one heap and the bodies in
another ; every man who caught a ♦ictim and cut off tha
head received one head of cowries (about 25.) After all
were killed Mr. Euschart was conducted home.

" July 11.—Taken to another part of the town wliero
exactly similar horrors wore being perpetrated.

" July 12.—A1l the platforms were taken down, and the
programme appeared to be firing guns, singing, and dancing
all day ; there were no more public sacrifices for 10 days,
but it is supposed many took place during the nights.
July 22.—Taken to see the 'Grand Customs' at the Palace
of the late King, at the gate of which two platforms had
been erected ; on each platform 16 men and four horses were
placed ; inside the house was placed another platform, on
which were placed 16 women, four horses, and one alligator.
The men and women were all Sierra Leone people captured
at Ishagga, and were dressed in European clothes,each group
of 16 men seated or rather bound in chairs placed round a
table on Which glasses of rum were placed for each.
The King then ascended the platform, where he adored
the Dahemian fetish, and seemed to make obeisance t a
the prisoners, whose right arms were then loosed to enal-,15
them to take up the glass to drink the King's health.
After the King's health had been drunk, the effects of
the late King were paraded and worshipped by the peopl
as they passed; a grand review of the troops then com-
menced, and as each marched past the King harangued
them, and promised the sack of Abbeokuta in November,
Nearly the whole of the troops wore firearms; a few select
corps had rifles, but the greater part were armed with tint.
lock muskets. The artillery consisted of about 24 guns
(12-pounders). The number of troops altogether could
scarcely be less than 50,000, including 10,000 Amazons, all
apparently well disciplined troops. After the review was
' over the prisoners were beheaded, their heads being hacked
off with blunt knives ; at the same time the horses and alli..
gator were despatched, particular care being taken that their
blood should mingle with that of the human prisoners.
" When all was finished Mr. Euecbart was permitted to
leave Abomey, which, it is needless to say, he immediately
did, havin.g received the magnificent
of cowries (165.), one piece of country cloth, and two
viatica of eight
flacks
of run.
out doubt, be attacked by the whole Dahon3
“mr. Euschart firmly believes that Abbeokuatna wairlml,wyittho:
wards the end of November. By
T. L, PER, Commander,

" To the Governor of Lagos.'

without colour on the llmporting Teaeaf pre•
vents the Chinese passing off inferior lerves as at tja
,
usual kinds ilorniman, ti,;
Tea is ,co-oared,
th,arekze ,
ductile food aias. fold in rackets )5.7 nty,
Agents,