The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-25
FIERCE WOMEN SOLDIERS.
THE ARMY or dMizONs or the
KING OF D1HOMEY.
How AEnjnh Turned the Tables on bis Foes
The Amazonisns Houtej-A Royal Bragg
Eart-CbsrRipg piles OF Prickly Brush.


From The London 0iobe.
The Kingdom of Danomey is in some re-
spects one of the most curious and interesting
OF all the Afro N piinclpalites. The military
strength Is not to be e,tim1ted by d lductinv
women aud children from the whole population.
The Amazons Of this corner Of the world play a
very important part IN its military affairs, and II
unfortun deiv we should be compelled To 90 and
fetch the powder an i Shos wnicn this a idacibus
pltentate mas pledged himself to proyid for IA,
King Gelele's female regiments will form very
Interesting subject Ot study for the strong.
minded representatives OF the sex In England
and .sewhers.
Fne precise period when l,dies nrst took to
soldering IN Dannney apps irs To be involved In
slmo obscurity. The Dresens monarch Is the
nintn since the founding OF the kingdom
in l6Sj. Ii appears to have been Agaj IN, the
fourth King. VINO raised from the women ~ nis
Ice the nrst fem IL army of wnicn W n I'VE
any knowledge. Skertchley says tna1 n 172S this
monarch received a defeat the hands Of tbs
he Oiginiz ID an army Of Anxious, aud by thet.
assistance completely tIrnsd the tables on his
fpes tiOugn wnether tue la lies were such VIZ
ens, or the gentle men too gallant 70 offer seri-
Gus resist moe, does not a,pear. Whether Aga
Jan really OrigluAted tn's peculiar service we
cannot say: Uut tue merit OF bringing II 10 Its
hsh-st degree OF perfection undoubtedly no
longs 10 Gezu. tue fitnrr ~ tue monarch who
now seems to DEFY B,itish power.
Ihis KING dieu In 1858, aud ~ succeeded by
Geiele. his son. VINO stll maintains the force
which won for his father sucn brilliant victories
I rec mas lost most Of its power and prestige.
Son after his accession Geeie led an army to
AbeOkutr TO avenge the defeat VI nis fitner.
On thi- OCCASION, however. sm ill-pDx broke out
aud he wis c)mpeird to return In 1854 ne
tween De- - and Geeie's atttcgs," saws bur.
ton, give. the measure of D,nomi ~ deca-
dence. In 1871. the KING assaulted ON both sides
oi tue % I'm. and the distanre O,tween tho two
points II attack was at least mile. He fought
from mornins .lI night I9d wa. dr'yea back
nut one mile To AlO. He fought az I'm at
Is AGA, brev +ating further pursuit. aud lost
tpth Of lSD soldiers. la 1851 Geie'e attacks
iight IN two hours. after losing 10 men. aud he
II .rdN Kills one Of tue enemy" In the end the
DLhOnlans were Litcrl, routed, an tue finest
pOrti N OF the Anaz inial army perish ID. For
ali That the royal brigsirt return I'd to his capt
tI in triumph, bringing with MIN number OF
slaves, wnOm he mai pLrcn sed Tor I ie purpose
Of gracing his entr ince into / Is capt Il.
Tue hummer II the Am IONS u sOWewh It du-
biOus. Duncan speaks Oi Il review at "A uOine, In
whith sIOO oi these iemdle wirriOrs passed IN
prOce SION before MIN. Skertcnley, writing
later, SAYS tneir numoor may possibly be 400.
fney are diyiJed into three Drgadss," sivs
The same traveller. "knOwn az the Kings com
pany. the Rant and Left wings Elcn OF
THESE has peculiar head uress by which
II may be known. me kilg's brig de
wear tue heal Sawed la turOan, and oOund
with narrow nllets. with iligators OF cploreI
| 81 ltn sewn on tnen. Zoe hignt wing have tn-ir
heads an Ven. leaving Oniv sOiitar, Tut or two
while tho Lett wear the hair au nAturele.
Wnether these ~ warrl9rs pave my c1"ice Of
regiments W are linaDie to say. In Some y irts
, ~ Tue worlJ there wOlid pcrnIps be some little
nuatpurnlnk among ltuluS WnO were divided
mo corps, one ~ winch was permit ii to wear
Its air ntturcte. wuile an ,tucr was req Iired
| 70 shlve the mead. Anazon-, hONrvcr wdose
cuhquests are suppose 10 Oe enilfeiN OF t1e
mittary order. arc perhaps 10 we the triviaitIes
Of personal ddOrnment.
| .hpacy Is joined Il yon'all but few who IRE
| lOiud 10 Oe essential e. the happiness VI the
| ki1g Or are gwen ~ MARI axe to few ~ the
| most deserving ,iders Wnetnsr t;al.le k.ens
up tha sane mods Oi enlistm at a. ais pateraal
Predecessor we are un .jio - say. GezI red
u require ev,ry one uf hts 81 Jet. wlO mad
a Ain
Al c1drl hpJh - certain uaN. dnd he personally
selected tue mOst promising - the aIistDcracy
| Tor Ainaz IN ON crs % OH tersss.s, lais
tr,veIl IS prefer It-the girs OF tue lower ord RS
being drafted IntD tao rJdk 4nI HE. ine dfess
VI .nes; ,cniae Mar''S,s 1'p5 rs . DC 50 no
| triling M INDICATIONS. " lney we a., says Dan
eau, "a olIe aud wnite stnDed cDtlOn sIrto.t
ui stout natN We manufacture without sleeves,
leaving freedom for - arms. Ihe skirt Or tune
reaches ~ pw as he kit vi tue h.giianuers
A pair II shpr. trousers Is worn und erneAtn,
re ching no inches uciOw ths k4cs.
B' way Of Illustrating ths acc1 adjustments Of
tn ~ ac.ive Il .msels. l.is g. duncan ~ ~ azlin
UeqIoted: " l wa, conduigoI,' ne says, TO a
space OF urok'n RroInd, where fourteen days
had Deen copied In erecting three Immense
pncsly piies " green ousn. lnese thres ci amps,
or pies, Oi sJrt OF s.rJng Dri n tn Irn, trnsL
wiz ths most i .n.uruus urt,kics were III iced
IN Inc, oct ipjlh- aoOut four nuudteI ydrus,
leaving 1nly II rrO" pas, ec between tuem
slhcient merely - distinguish eicn clu mp ap-
phnted 10 eLch re-.ntnt. inese uirs we're
a1oit seventy iect widc aud eiRnt higl. Upon
eNnnin,ng ,nen you'd n1t - 81 do myself
tnAt any amman b .iIs N4tuD II OOOts or SHOES
would unIor any tircum .tinces attempt To pass
over 50 tI- crD45 "A e lilcCtIJu ut tuc most Ell
nclc tlN armed VI nts nad ever seen. Behind
these piies direAIy mentioned we're large pens
at Tue utstAh. a. OF JO yards, fenced Nltn ~ o.
seven feet u Oh thicHii matted getIer with
srOng reeds. EIcir-ed witntn were several
hudd ed saves telJn-.ns to the king" lne
NnaL IA app'T ON tne scene. ntt VITA
snOil irrel arms 30 v .ris from tle pricnly
fJr rs,-, anu Ia "a Lee wJrI Is gwen. d" \ rusn
~as iuLde .ON Atd tnU pile with eel u yJdd
cOuc, ption, ami la loss tnau one miuute the
whole oodi II u Iassei uvJf tnis liu4nolss pale
hud uAd Lax "a tue sup JOscd Town..
IL pIates tas .lidntiy ui the traveller in very
yOrHO,e lSht 90 Ie aoe u ada tnat WIan tn
pipIu p'trn ate h>Ned whether he tuOugnt tns
SAM manner oil LI.Iisl women could uo tue
same, ne rrpueJ tdal mo ladies OF Elsl and we're
Mt sOiditrs, Ou. tnit IA .nf Oi tuvu uaI in
RfoLt.