The New York herald., 1863-07-08
The King OF Dahomey.
HIS APPEARASCE, COURT CUSTOMS, ARMY AMI

ffrom the London News, June "a
Two Dispatches from Commodore wlmo,, respecting
hrs LISTS 10 the kiug " Dshoney Ia december lso2 and
January, Iso3 have been Published. The Commodore
was received win great ceremony. Every kneels
ground with their head aud lips before the king Tho
do not kiss the ground sprinkle themselves
with the men 10. When appear before
tbs KING be Obliged to perform the ceremony u
10 hs mead and upper of his body with dust before
he r.sc- as much a. - say Il nothing bat drt be
The king a very Ace looking man upwards ii Six feet
high. broad sho idered and pleasant when
h. likes Ills eyes bloodsbt which may arse iron
O.her causes He u great smoker. but
not indulge much in the bottle. his skin tluch
lighter Of his ueople resembling the copper
color ~ the American ndians. He ~ very active AID
ond OF dancing and singing, which he practices 10 pubic
during the 'cusoms" lie i much addicted g. the iar
q whom h. possesses many he likes lie h
about forty three years I'd
The Commodore, who was accompanied ~ Capt. Luce
and Dr. nran OF tn Brisk we're ia aDomsy upwards os
Ave weeks and daily witnessed scenes of very
dinary scer such the dancing Of the an1azuns
Their warke songs tho dancing and songs of tho soldiers
the distribution of presents the princes chiefs cap
aud head Of the troops tbs passing of the
kings druuimeos Of the captains ot the amaxons the
King testers aud variety Of other people which appear
before the king during the "eustoms.
On some OF the days when customs were gong on
there procession 81 the kings "reasures, ncnd
ing the human sacriccs which consisted Of with
hands ted each carried 10 basket by
the top sr his head. Iho carried three
,imos roand the squSe the Grst stopping opposite
" where the king sitting where the bearers received
glass of rum each from an amazon N attendance They
then passed through the gates 10 the platform half mile
OF. The processon lasted two days. aud IA
fees passed round both days the first day eight
and hall spaIed-s, ws were told Probabiy tho, are
only spared until the next customs IDe nnforanate
men looked At they passed bot was nol IA our
power 10 hclp them IN any way
The Commodore world noe wtners the saying u the
h, re o. n. Wei ms who sss aioa, 20 be s,,s,srs
With regard TO the Save trade. the king said that the
trade had been carried on 10 hs country for oeas.es
and his great means 81 living snd raying bis
people lie did send slaves away Ia his own saite
but White ueni ~ him for them and v 40 there
any harm IN his selling We ought y prevent the white
men rom coming 70 him tbey d,d nos CONS he YOU'D
not -ei we had seen whai great dca he had give
away every year % hs t.oys sso - .sss espsndsa. on
n p~ople came pain oil he would eel u them ne
could carry hrs sovernmen. uTsn thss trade alone
IN he gave up the slave rsde where wW he get money
from II ,oas A.s fann uNat scd fnoss ti ess sAs
mad hs fsaT, do a. and Aen1, tseass
~sss v,l ", psops DO And besides ths, should !.
10 danger oi lcslng nv lie ~ III Commodvc sasr-
"I asked him nov much mobeJ hs -osid lake 20
70 AN no. the Kings of IAsos Porto Novo, henn
40 Thsse onlv tee kings IA AREA, Ashantce and
I~bcrney, am The s,ng o. All ,he pacss Nothing vii!
resomuense no tor zoe slave trade argued Tat 10
be storpsi 10 tme thai even no- vefy few shsa-
for them, snd wbat would he o. when ~ was sl
eci'
IN resereacs 70 human .sereco shc siog sald il wus
pls or INN :. give them W a hs s0rrs
we're, softly sygtiy sball b. acns lrne. boz aol
vet my bead would b. eut cE to-mornow ! stopped
guddrply.r cornrodvsc wunot ssys II can N
prove y the king tina, are resiiy snc~re wshas
to he freud rlth nu. 4Ec ctfhn thai rotffia,e
VII ihnk yory Seriously = or rsofosais v sn or iv
ug ~ III saye trace well he human .acrl8csa
The tonfn sAys sisl few have ~ gSa 4. .
pfsfnc Bens ~ ssAl verg I.er.cci Que. 3hs ara
grr.s a ihese important truths than any u ns
suD = b ant shaii 90 tia sntd ths nav
r wsr. IS constant ia rshoncy ihsre = "a inoe,..a,
Gta,n ~ the ropasin, and are nearly ave
tl,,saad sgawen ~ the iabo'nian army. Cornas DO
Nnuet says = ihese Ams1b bs - They a. sugsr,or