Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1862-04-26
FL tt.Gl Atrocities In the Kin ydom o.
Dahomey. Africa.


III Il H.. king OF Daho'n.v and that the
Ln-ii-l and French Governments were in
t..-.iu. thu, selye> in az .nlca,0r To pre-
:. =; The bail ari,.s iit,s.
-. ~ i,u his been ,,;abl-h,4l ,incr then
.i. Kingdom Of Daho:n,y. ihr,-' YOUNG
..-.- having lr:, Toul.n FIR 'hr rniP.se ID
T. .,ir@ ~, unfortunate ui,.vs- 81 that rar;
tt.., Thy v.rc maLl,. lpwr,,r, t"
...-- De- I'D ra;r-:rril y. vAi-h ;,,l r'-rr
"a 81, in...:A 1. july. l>dI. p a s.ri.l,. ="
a.. n.l- e. Ia dccra,.7l kiu- '.y.z..
'.i--. fists 4 Ll.ol'' ltd during si2
Wis. III, i--.an GA tie i,;-h 81 July. ~
IA rlr..sn..... q: IL. Ii,,,il e. ;h, ,i,'r at
Whvd.h 81: = -5b ~~co toiii-rr alur.i.d ~ II
hi i..>:sli. ,lI;., h. fr;icL. ,..iiiu- might
cai.iin,,. 10 attract rhiii..r ih,- Iu,'T,hsiii,
-l.:i. and ai-o % c"nvsy (" The d.-.=---!
king Ia. news Of Ia, w. l.-,-.,s;. at i'al.JT
~. On di>p,iei.i:.- ti,,>. ia,-,>.4.:,-r- :" 'hc
other world. il j. the custom To- give then
l-:iic 81 - .tfr anl i f,w plastic to drfray
their .Npra.>; and H., r'or wr,tch'> acin-
;ll> h,.lic,, that rhcy will accomplish these
mis- s;o....
IL. na.i.". ~ho>r acc"unt W. cci,!,E>'.
give al Interesting -kc:cl If the Count 1T
Csnnal, the Capital.
:. Thr sight was mort picture pc; all these
backs in costumes morcor less fantastic were
seated under larr. parasol- 81 various co!"',.
The king occupied the lower part Of The r'rn'.
sheltered under enormous paraso!S which
formed Il sort Of dais over his head
The King started from his palace on the
road to Abomcy, in the midst OF his re'Eue,
amid discharges of muskctry, mats being
spread in the middle of the road for only HIM
self and wives to walk upon. On one side
marched the troops to the sound of Il medley
Of music, the dcafening din of three OF four
hundred taintains, and the discharge Of guns.
On the other appeared 20 900 negroes running,
lraping and s.rding, covered with perspir'-
ton, before the Kings followers, who drove
them along like cattle.
On the 10th five messengers were killed, to
be sent OH missions from the King to his IA
ther in the other world, being provided with
money, etc, for travelling expenses.
For three days officers and musicians were
:n,nolatcd by scores to enter the service of the
deceased King.
The captives had y gag put into their
mouths, in the form of a cross, with the
pointed end upon their tongue, whichprevents
them from doubling it, and, consequently,
from crying, and must cause them intense
suffering. These unfortunate creatures had,
almost all of them, their eyes torn out. There
WAS to be great massacre the following
night.
The palace square, in which forty thousand
negroes were assembled day and night, amidst
their collective filth, emitted an infectious
smell. Add to this stencil, the vapor arising
from the blood, and the emanatons Of the
bodies in state of putrei;,ction, the deposita-
~ of which was not far distant, and it will be
easily imagined that the air must have been
Infectious.
On the 30tl and the 3lst the military
chiefs of Whydah offered their victims, who
We're led three times around the square, amid
the din of hcllish music. On completing the
third round, the King advanced towards the
deputation, and whilst he was congratulating
each contributor the butchery was effected.
"During these two nights there fell up
wards of five hundred heads. They were
borne from the palace in baskets full, accom-
panied with large calabashe., in which the
blood had been caught to BE- poured over the
grave Of the deceased King. The bodies
were dragged by the feat and thrown, into the
town bitches, where the ynlturcs, crows and
wolves were fighting for the shrcds oi their
flesh. Several Of these bitches arr filled will,
human bones Similar sacrifices wcrc mad,
on the following days.
The late king'- tomb is a large cavity
dug in tn. ground. Guey" Is in III. middr oi
al bis wives, who, h..forr poisoning them
Ives. placed themselves an,und him. acconl-
ir= +, the rank they held at court. The,
voluntary deaths may have amounted to -iX
hundrsSi''
y great many women were ain"ng thu VIC
tins.
Foar fine blacks vsr- s-lc's-i 20 art .
ecachm.n shout a small enarL. 20 T. s-ui e.
,ie d.fun,; by ib---. four wn;chsd l-ing-
Thrv v-rc i-ssorzni If ihrir fate Wh.-
calisd ,or~ ard. thev alvzns Il s-dly. With a..
- n. az 49,, IA 80 rrr.-.