Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-06-02
From the London Times.
A King with $4,000 Wives;

ing blDllOpoie 10 Try WIZ Can pe maze ou
of the "Romance of the Blue-book ;" an
he cannot do better than commence wit
the "Paters relative to the reduction of La
COS, (which have just appeared. Their con
tents are positively astounding and whel
we read of an African Sovereign with IS,
600 wives, and with well appointed regi
ments of female soldiers, we know no
whether we can persist, as heretofore, il
treating The ancient Amazons as myth.
The King having expressed strong de-
sire to Communicate in his capital with ;
British naval officer, Lieut.. Forbes was de-
spatched to Dahomey, situated on the Yves
coast of Africa ;; and it is from his journa
that we collect the most curious and in
structive detail concerning the sovereign,
the people and the place. He thus de.
scribes his formal reception on approach
ing the metropolis :-"Oct. 27. Started in
full uniform for the capital, distant ten
miles. Having entered the gate of the city,
which is ornamented with human skulls,
and in the vicinity of the principal Fetish
house, we halted, and taking position in
chairs across the road, waited for the cer-
emony of being met by the Caboceers. In
a short time, an immense crowd advanced
towards us, with banners flying among
them. At some distance they halted, and
the Governor of the city, at the head Of a
few soldiers, advanced. When arrived in
front of our position, he countermarched,
and made circle from right to left three
times round our seats, bowing each time
when he came in front. On the last time
he fired off musket, and danced before us;
then, having shaken hands, he took seat"
Mr.. Forbes proceeded to state that the
square in front of the palace, though ex-
tremely large, was densely crowded with
armed men and women, squatted on their
hams, :heir long Danish, muskets standing
up like miniature forest. Banners a.
bounded-those of the King being uniform
ly surmounted by a skull. This CHASTITY
style of ornament appears to be particular
ly in request in Dahomey. "The palace
walls of red clay ''says Mr. Forbes, "stand-
ing about twenty-five feet high, extending
over more than a square mile,w enc con-
Iinued line of human skulls; yet it might
be remarkable that, where decay had de-
stroyed them, these CHASTITY ornaments were
not replaced. On the thresholds and sides
Of the portals Of the palace were also hu-
man skulls; but the practice Of human sac
rifice is fast vanishing from the kingdom Of
Dahomey.' Some of his subsequent reve-
ations. however, lead to an opposite con-
clusion. For instance. we are told that ten
prisoners of rank, bound with ropes, were
ed round the town, compelled to dance,
and then tremendously decapitated with
arge knives, before his eyes, and in spite
IF his remonstrances.
The King, (Guezo by name0 is described
Is about forty-eight years anc good Looking
with nothing of the negro cast OF counte-
nance, and of stern commanding presence.
He has Cabinet as complete as Lord Der
9y's. "The King"-thus runs Mr.. Forbes
next entry,-"now INTRODUCED me to his
Ministers Mayo, Prime Minister; Eelgua,
,f Police Campodee, Treasurer Mahe-
pail, Justice; Toonoonoo, Eundch-ln:C Chief;
hen to an elderly lady called the English
Mother named Yawae," one of the mat
.Jns Of the harem, who provides food for
he English visitors. Next all the Caboo-
;eers were introduced. The King then ex.
pressed wish should witness q review
If the female troops, and two regiments
we're at once paraded, but not before the
ground was shifted and marked out for the
The officers Cemale) were
distinguished by armlets Of silver reaching
rom the wrist to the elbow, and carrying
zach small whip. The whole were uni
ormly dressed IN tunics of blue and white,
lrmed with a musket, club and short sword,
;arried cartouch-boxes, and went through
several evolutlons, skirmishing, firing vol
eys, &C., with much precision"
Aftersthe Review, the officers were in
roduce dAsd compEmented, and the King
proposed the Queen Of England's health,
which he said he knew the English would
prefer to drink in champagne. They as
ented to this, and the champagne was pro-
luced; "but, as the King drank it several
Greens were held before him, as mortal
nay not gaze on his Majesty, either in the
lct of eating or drinking" In our opinion,
King Guezo's mode ofkeeping up the pres
ige of royalty is, at all events, preferable
o that Of the Grande MonGrque, who sum-
noned all his courters about him, in the
argest room of his palace, to witness his
exploits as a gormand. In the article oil
wives, or concubines, the African autocrat
must be allowed to exceed any monarch |
ecorded in history, sacred or protane.---
After drinking her Majesty's health,
continues the Lieutenant 'the troops hur-
aed, and the salute commenced; but be-
ore it was half over, we were all obliged to
after the Prime Minister, and
tide our faces against the wall as a por-
ion of the $4,000 royal wives were pass
ng, ringing small bell, as these sable
AIDES are all over the town at all times,
nd 10 male may gaze on them unpunish-
d." The writer, however, subsequently
expresses an opinion that this number is
N exaggerated estimate, unless, indeed,
he whole of the female soldiers are emu
nerated amongst the Kings wives Ihey
ire described as remarkable for their mill
ary proves. Whenever the royal Civil
list runs low, or money is required for an
emergency, war is declared
.gaingt one or another of the neighboring
,ations, and what is termed, in the Afri-
an language "slave hunt" is proclaim
d.. these hunts" writes Mr.. Forbes,
the King always superintends, and in or
Ter to excite emulation, gives the female
oldiers different portion to overrun from
he male; in the performance OF which
Iuty the females almost aways excel"
When Mr. Forbes journal was written
1849,) his Majesty was prepar-
ng for slave hunt; but he was uncertain
n what direction to let loose his. (female)
Ill L