, 1863-09-05

TIE following letter bas been received by
the Duke Of Wellington from the celebrated
lion hunter, II. Jules Gerard: 1
MONSIEUR LIZ DUO: Your grace is well
aware that few men gain BY being seen close,
unless they are men Of intellect and merit
The Msg 9f Dahoms{ desR1tss his fog99Y@sn,
ite," tally justlaes that rule, to which he Is
no exception. Physically, he Is similar to
other blacks Of his country-tall, well built,
head like bulldog. The most usual ex-
preston Of his countenance Is that Of cum
nlpg and cruelty. His moral qualities are In
perfect keeping with his physical conforms
lion be is more gracious than the Kings who
have preceded him, fanatical for old tradt-
liens and customs. The traditions Of that
microecopic court are to turn the whites to
the best possible account, (erpsofter er Aancs,)
hut especially to induce them to make pres
| epts. It is the custom to excite the people
with ennguinary spectacles. SO as to be able to
carry off The ueigbbotiDg population when
slavedealer makes IN offer 70 the King, and
bare just spent two days at Kama, where
! the King was staying for the celebration OF
| the lesser ceremonies. On the day Of my
| presentation I was conducted across the
pceed to view On separate sites. ,si1 wero
hn1gipg up by the feet, the six others were
up,ight like men about to walk. Those
whom Eaw close we're horribly mutahted
asd rot beheaded: An ea enormous pool oa4 ot
fold, giving pnmistakable evidence Of pre-
yiuus sacrifices and Of tho tortures which &C.
compapied them. Our reception by the
King was brilliant, very cordial for myself
as we'll as for the French Consul; but We
were soon able to convince ourselves TINT
this was but comedy always performed BY
this roor paladin to get the presents brought
by the whites. Born and brought up in the
midst of these spectacles, which would be
ridiculous if they we're not horrible, the Rle.
his subjects. saw him on that day admir-
ing, with the delight Of child, the grotesque
dances and ridiculous pantominc Of his min
i6ters, and then Of the princes, and then, OF
all present, for our amusement. a most
lighted the King, who seemed to be IN state
of ecetacy and this, N. le Due, lasted for six
!, ht u1E. On the following day his Majesty In.
: yIred us TO witness procession Of the King
:. Riches On reaching the square Of tbs palace
/ | (1eed huts) IN agreeable surprise had been
+ By pbol Of blood two yards IN width, and or
i. eteh side column Of recently decapitated
; htads formed two iramense chaplets: It il
tue that on tlis day the King wore the em'
: eumed that it Was the croEs Of execution thai
he meant to imply BY this ornament. As re-
q CARDS the procession OF his wealth. 1t consiat
: "a Of q feT old carriages, bath chairs carried
= By nen With figures like Polich1nello. On'
. thousand women carried each bottle o
= LIQUOR on her head, a brass BASIN inthe ehap'
= Of fcot.bath to receive the blood Of tn
= = human victims on ths day Of the Kings ban
ouet; an image Of the Virgin various baa
+ 1. tt full of hnmnn skulls; an image Of st
Il Law renee as large as life, carried BY th'
Il blacks: finally, the drum Of death.
,f1 At another festival the King commando
~ on loot his Amazons, who manenvred W.T.
=. " The precision Of dock Of sheep. On tn
- market place already mentioned each ste
1. was ornamented by a dead body, and the Kin
u came and went Ia the midst Of pools Of bloc
II Al fragments Of human flesh IN state (
~ putrefaction. On this occasion he had daube
u u lis face with coal. The ceremony terminate
~ by q mad dance, in which the Kin
Sa took part, dancing tfs-a-vis to drunken 90
He d.ers and musicians. Such are II. 1e Due, Il
'e man, the government and the people whom Il
have hitherto hoped to turn into path LEI
contrary to the laws OF humanity, / regr
Ae that Capt. Burton should have arrived j
Kama Just at the moment Of the Kings d
~ pa1ture, as he might have been enabled r. g
arl Judge Of all these things, ! am, M,
ia Due, xonr most oheaa!ee1t sergant.
CO :- JULES GERARD.
Il -P.s.- On the day Of his departure Il
:, King invited US to review Of his army pr
lie pared for war. It WOE from 12 900 to lao
ay strong, comprising 1900 Amazons, 10
dc men Of the body guard and 2, 900 archers.