The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-09-06
Frlghtfal Atrocities in the Kingdom
Of DahOmey, Africa.

up at Lne COuTt OF tne Ming OF DaUOmey1
aud that the English and French Govern
ments were interesting themselves in an
cndcavor TO prevent the barbarous rites.
A Mission has been established since
then to the kirgdom of Dahomey, three
young priest having left Toulon for the
purpose Of redeming the unfortunate ma
tiveS of that part Of Africa. They were
unable, however, to avert the grand cat
astl tlophc, which took place in the month
Of July, 1861, as a sacrifice to the names
of the departed King, Guezo. These
feasts of blood" lasted during six weeks.
They began on the 18th of July, by the
drowning at the mouth Of river at Why
dab of c06ecero, (oficer, adorned in his
insignia, that the Fetiche (genluD might
continue to attract thither the merchants
ships, and also to convey 10 the deceased
king the news of what was passing at Da-
honey. On dispatching these messengers
to the other world, it is the custom to give
them bottle .. ratnfia and few pastres
to defray their expenses. And the poor
wrctchrs actually believe that they will
accomplish these missions.
The narrator, whose account we con-
dense, gives an interesting sketch of the
Court at Cannat, the capital.
1.-The sight was most picturesque; all
these blacks in costume more or less fan
tastic, were seated under large parasols of
various colors The king occupied the
lower part of the scene, sheltered under
enormous parasols which formed sort Of
dais over his head"
fHb., l.;,,,r s.fo r4,,A f.nn, hi1 V,olnoa kha
road to Abomey, in the midst of his reti-
nuc, amid discharges of muSketry, mats
being spread in the middle of the road for
only himself and wives to walk upon. On
one side marched the troops to the sound
of medley of music, the dealcniug din Of
four or five hundred tantans, and the dis
charge Of guns. On the ether appeared
90, 900 negroes, running, leaping and stri.
ding, covered with perspiration, 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 father in the other world, being pro-
vid.d with money, etc, for travelling ex-
penScS.
For three days officers and musicians
were inundated by scores to enter the
service of the deceased King.
The captives had Il gag put into their
mouths, in the form of a cross, with the
pointed end upon their tongue, which pre-
vents them from doubling ii, and, conse-
queHtly, from crying, and must cause them
intense suffering. These unfortunate crea-
lures had, almost all Of them, their eyes
torn out. There was to be great massa-
ere the following night.
The palace square, in which forty thou
sand negroes were assembled day and
| night, amidst their collective filth, emit
ted an infectious smell. Add to this
stencil the vapor arising from the blood,
and the emanatious from the bodies in a
u state of putrefaction, the depository of
which was not far distant, and it will ca
silly be imagined that the air must have
been infectious.
On the 30th and 31St, the military chiefs
Of Whydah offered their victims, who
were led three times around the square,
amid the din of hellish music. On COM
pleting the third round, the King advan-
ccd 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 asketfulls,
accompanied with large calabashes, in
which the blood had been caught, to be
poured over the grave of the deceased
King. The bodies were dragged y the
feet and thrown into the town bitches,
where the VHltuFeS, Crows and wolves
were fighting for the Shreds of their flesh.
Several of these bitches were filled with
human bones. Similar sacrifices were
made on the following days.
The late Kings tomb is large cavity
dug in the ground. Guezo is in the middle
of all his wives, who, before poisoning,
placed themselves around him, according
to the rank they held at court. These
voluntary deaths may have amounted to
six hundred.
a great many women were among the
victims.
Four fine blacks were selected to act as
coachmen about small coach, to be sent
to the defunct 10y those four wretched be-
ings. They were ignorant Of their fate.
When called forward, they advanced sad
ly, without uttering word. One of them
had two large tears running down his
checks. All the four were killed, like so
many fowls, by the King in person.
The King looked ON and smoked his
pipe during the ceremonies" After the
six weeks are up, the king will 20 to war
to take additional prisoners and recon-
!uence his 'custoInary feaStS" toward the
end of October, when about seven or eight
hundred more heads wiz have to fall.
The new Missionaries for Dahomey
were well aware of these sanguinary Gus
toms before their departure, and were
only the more anxious to go, at the risk
Of their lives, to try and put an end to
them,
I~S~~---
"W0MAN's RIGnrs" NOT USUALLY
TALKED ABoUr.-Martha lInmcbrcd, in
fa", gives the following list of" Woman's
Ri~hts" which have been sadly overlook.