New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-07-08
DEFEAT OF THE AMAzoNs. =

DEFEAT OF THE AMAzoNS.-The defeat
of the Amazons Of Dahomy before the walls Of Alb
beokua l. perhaps more important event than
most readers would suppose
Abbeokuta Is IN the kingdom of Yoruba, about Sc
miles nearly North from Badaary, dat. 30 North,
Ion 3 East which Is its nearest port Al Badagry
there IS a British fort. and no slave trade. II IS.
however. only about ten miles. westward, To the
boundary of Dahomy, and some % or 30 miles 10
Porto Novo where. and at Whdah and Great and
Little Popo, the slave trade Is largely carried on
We believe 1t also exists IN the Lagos country which
includes Badagry, and extends some distance along
the coast 10 the east Here. for about 300 miles. Is
the only coast north of the equator on which that
trade has not been suppressed.
The population of Abbeokuia SAID, on high au-
thority. to be at least $4,000, and many cstimates
make il much higher About 3000 of them are re-
captlvo> from slave ships. who have learned some
thing Of civilization and Christianity at Slerre
Leone At their own expense they have returned
nearly thousand mtlSs. to this, their nriFe region,
mostly IN condemned slave SHIPS, which they nave
bought for that purpose, and disposed OF as they
could at BadagTy.
There are two missions at Abbeokuta, one eStab-
hshed the English Church Missionary Society, and
the other by the English Wesleyans. The former
had at the date OF the last official returns. one native
ordained missionary and FIVE European nine native
school teachers, SIX schools. AIS scholars, and ~
COMMITMENTS The constant attendants on pub
Inc worship were estimated, IN August, lel9, al " oOO
at the lowest calculation" The ordained native
missionary Is The Rel fSns ce1 at Sierra Leone
and in England. The first convert baptized by hun
was his own mother This returned populatlonha have
been making large calculations for Introducing the
arts of civilized hfe. The American present at the
battle Mr. Bowen. went out under the patronage OF
the Southern Baptist Board OF Missions, TO attempt
passage through Yoruba and other intervening coun-
irics to Bounou. IN Central Africa.
The English Missionaries al Sierra Leone have
been for some time making preparations, by the
study of languages and otherwise for penetrating to
the same region by the same route.
The defeat of the AmaZOnS y doubtless owing. IN
a great measure. to the superior civilization of the
returned EgbaS The kingdom of NOruDa, formerly
powerful. has for some years been rent and almost
desoated by civil and foreign wars Since the re-
captured EebaS began 10 return IN 1870, and eSpec
ally since the establishing of the missions the chiefs
al Abheokuia have shown "A strong Inclination TO
favor civilization lis influence IN saving them from
the terrible DahomanS viii do muchto confirm them
In rs favor. Probably, has been suggested tins
victory VIII do much 10 crush the remains OF the
slave trade and II viii be means Of keeping open
the best road for Christian civilization into the popu-
lous heart OF Africa.
This Is the first trial of strength between partially
civilized and wholly barbarous Africans IN that part
of the continent and IL Will do much 10 establish the
superiority of the former IN the minds OF all VINO
hear OF II. boston lId' eio''