The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-06-26
CALDWELL IDAHO TERRITORY FRIDAY. 2e 1885,
CFamous Amaxons of Dahomey.
From the Pail Nall Gazette

~ dInoub Am~AonS Va oanonoy,
From the Pail Nall Gazette
The Germans, to whom Africa as q
field of colonization is mine of mex
haustible novelty, have just rediscov-
cred the amazons of Dahomey. These
famous warriors, of whom so little has
been heard for so many years, have been
inspected by DR.. Zoller, who gives an
account Of his reception at the court of
the Portuguese half breed, Juliano de
Souza, who, in his semi-royal state at
Whydah, rejoices in the possession of
fully equipped battalion of women who
fight. Alas however, for our precon-
ceived notions, the amazons of De
Souza have more resemblance to q corps
de ballet than to a corps d'armee, and
the deepest impression which they left
on the mind of their visitors was that
they would mako the fortune of any en-
terprlsing impresario who would intro
duce them to European audiences.
Of Juliano de Souza himself, who
has had his son educated in an Eng
lish boarding school, and married by
Fresh priest, DIR. Zoller speaks in high
terms:
The tall, broad chested man, with
dark yellow, almost brown. complexion,
received us with the amiable politeness
of a pompous aristocrat. He wore
long, shirt-like garment reaching down
to his feet, high European boots, an
embroidered smoking cap, and-al-
though he is Fetish worshipper-a big
black metal cross on his chest. After
apologizing for the remarkable costume
which he had been obliged to don be-
cause Of indisposition, Juliano gave the
sign for the beginning Of the festivities.
The stage for these was the open space
in front of Juliano's house, rather
rickety building of two stories in the
middle of the village, which was filed
with the upper ten of Whydah, a null
titude of black spectators all of whom
pretend to be of European descent But
woe to him who, without being white
man. dares to wear European boots, or
allow himself to be carried in ham
mock, the European means of convey
ance. Not even the King would ever
dream of committing so objectionable q
breach of African etiquette.
"When it was dusk the army of anna
IONS made their entrance into the yard
Enthusiastically attired, and looking more
fantastical still by the glare of the
torches which were borne before them.
Shortly before their dance commenced
the Chacha distributed German beer
and Bania rum among the audience,
which consisted of some 500 spectators,
many of whom were accompanied by
their tame sheep, which follow their
masters like dogs. Rum is the ordin-
sry beverage offered to visitors in Daho-
mey. The Amazons of Abome, of whom
there are at the most some 5000, are
nominally the wives of the King. and
as such form body guard, which is said
to be superior to the male soldiers in
courage discipline, and loyalty. But
although these amazons accompany the
King on all his wars. think they are
more for show than for service. Among
all the savage and semi-savage tribes
singing and dancing are considered as
essential as drilling and drumming
ourselves 1t is natural that
the amazons, having from their earliest
childhood been educated as warriors,
and singers, should be as supe-
rior to male soldiers in these accom-
pIshments as our Guards are to the re-
serves.
"The amazons OF the Chacha, all Of
whom have served in the army of Abo-
me-, are women between the ages of
eighteen and twenty-five; and as the
Chacha does not go to war, they are
only kept for show.
They have separate barracks, but
i've, like the thirty male soldiers, in
iifferent quarters of the town, whence
hey are called together whenever they
re wanted. At their first entrance,
vhen, marching up in long process
ion, they saluted their lord and mas
er, was astonished at the military ex-
ctitude of their movements. Imag-
ne sixty young women strong and
lender, who, without losing anything
their womanliness, present decided
? warlike appearance. Among Euro
cans this combination of the woman
nd the warrior could not be imagined;
ere it is explained by the peculiar for
lation of the negro skeleton. The I
zeletons of negro women Gn striking
ontrast to these of the mulattoes) are '
;rikingly like the skeletons of male
egroes. o
"The assertion is untrue that the fe- e
ale warriors of Dahoney have their q
reasts cut of, like the mythelogical g
nazons of the ancient Greeks. Their a
uniform might furnish our D
asters of the ballet with fresh ideas. n
he fresh young faces look roguishly |,