Washington telegraph., 1852-09-15
ted with large knives before his eyes, and
in spite of his remonstrances.

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in spite of his remonstrances.
The King (Guezo by name) is described
as about forty-eight years of age, and good
looking with nothing of the negro cast of
countenance, and of stern and commanding
presence. He has Cabinet as complete
as Lord Derby's THE King"-thus runs
Mr.. Forbes next entry-'now introduced
me to his Ministers: Mayo, Prime Minis
ter; Meigua. of Police; Cambodee, Treas
urer; Maehaepah, Justice; Toonoonoo, Eu-
nuch-in- Chief; then to an elderly lady call
ed the English Mother, named "Yawae, :"
one of the matrons of the harem, who pro-
vides food for the English visitors. Next
all the Cabooceers were introduced. The
King then expressed wish that l should
witness review of the female troops and
two egiments were at once paraded, but
not before the ground was shifted and mark
out for the maneuvring. The officers (fe-
males) were distinguished by armlets of sill
yer reaching from the wrist to the elbow,
and carrying each a small whip. The
whole were uniformly dressed in tunics of
blue and white, armed with musket, club,
and short sword. carried cartouch-boxes, and
went through several evolutions, skirmish-
ing, firing volleys, &C., with much precis-
ion.''
After the review, the officers were intro
duced and complimented and the King pro-
posed the Queen of Englands health, which,
he said, he knew the English would peter
to drink in champagne They assented and
the champagne was produced; "but. as the
King drank it, several screens were held be-
fore him, as mortals may not gaze on his
Majesty either in the act of eating or drink
ing In our opinion, King Guezo's mode
of keeping up the prestige of royalty is, at
all events, preferable to that of the Grande
MarYue, who summoned all his courtiers
about him, in the largest room of his pal
ace, to witness his exploits as gournsaud,
In the article of wives or concubines, the
African autocrat must be allowed to exceed
any monarch recorded in history, sacred or
prOtane. AFTER drinking her Majesty's
health" continues the Lieutenant, the
troops hurraed. and the salute commenced :;
but before it was half over, We were all OBJ
liged to scamper after the Prime Minister,
and hide our faces against the wall, as a
portion of the $4,000 royal wives were pas
sing, ringing a small bell; as these sable
ladies are all over the town at all times,
and no male may gaze upon then unpun-
lshed," The writer, however, subsequent
ly expresses an opinion that this number is
an exaggerated estimate, unless, indeed,
the whole of the female soldiers are emu
merated amongst the Kings wives. They
are described as remarkable for their milf
iary prowess. Whenever the civil list runs
low, or money is required for an cxtraordin-
ary emergency, war is declared against one
Of the neighboring nations, and what is
termed, in the African language, "slave-
hunt. is proclaimed. These hunts, )"
writes Mr. Forbes, "the King always super
intends, and in order to excite emulation,
gives the female soldiers different portion
to overrun from the male: in the perform
ance of which duty the females almost always
excel"
When Mr.. Forbes journal was written,
(November, 1S49,) his Majesty was prepar-
ing for slave-hunt; but he was uncertain
in what direction to let loose his (female)
dogs of war, as almost all his neighbors
were already subjected to his rule, and his
usual preserves were exhausted. AT length
he gave the preference to the Anagoos, on
the ground that they had injured the Dahom-
ans during the reign of his grandfather, and
had not as yet been sufficiently punished
The scale of his operations may be estima-
ted, when We state that, in one expedition
he captured no fewer than nineteen thou
sand men, women and children. After sac
rificing five hundred, he sold the rest for ex-
portation. His annual revenue from the
sale of slaves is estimated at about EGO, 900.
According to the latest accounts, he had
thrown off the mask, and was laughing at
the English, who fancied that he would de-
grade himself by employing his Amazonian
body guard in the cultivation of cotton, or
any other peaceable pursuit Nevertheless,
it is undeniable that his trade in human be-
ings, is just now on the decline, and that
the destruction of Lagos has, for the mo-
ment, deprived him and his competitors of
their principal mart and outlet for their
forbidden merchandise. But in the very
despatch in which Commodore Bruce expa-
tiates on the beneficial results of his late
gallant exploit, it is stated that 'the slave
trade requires no organized system for its
support ; it might cease for century and
be renewed in week. Remove the block
aiding squadron, and tomorrow, if the Span
iards or Brazillians were willing to buy
slaves, the chiefs would be ready to sell,
Notwithstanding their pledges to the contra
ry." This is most suggestive piece Of
testimony, aud we trust that it will be al.
lowed due weight the next time the expedi.
ency of keeping up the blockading squad
ron is discussed in Parliament
One hundred and fifty persons died in
New York during the last twelve months Of
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