Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-07-24
ram GUS Amazons Of Dahomey.

Famous Amaxo0s OF 0a0o"ey.
From the Pail Mali Gazette. Is, Sz
The Germans, to whom Africa as .
field of colonization is mine OF mex
aaustible 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 a
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 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-
terpr1sing 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 d
Fresh priest, DR.. Zoller speaks in high
terms:
The tall, broad chested man, with a
dark yellow, almost brown, complexion,
received US with the amiable politeness
of a pompous aristocrat. He wore a
long, shirt like garment reaching down
to his feet, high European boots, an
embroidered smoking cap, and--al-
though he is a 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, a rather
rickety building Of two stories in the
middle of the village, which was filled
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 a white
man. dares to wear European boots, OF
allow himself to be carried in a ham
mock, the European means of convey
ance. Not even the King would ever
dream of committing so objectionable
breach of African etiquette.
when it was dusk the army of anna
cons made their entrance into the yard
Enthusiastically attired, and looking more
fantastical still by the glare of the
torches which we're 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
ary 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. l 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
among ourselves. 1t is natural that
the amazons, having from their earliest
childhood been educated as warriors,
dancers, and singers. should he as supe-
rior to male soldiers in these accom-
plishmeuts as our Guards are to the re-
serves.
| "The amazons of the Chacha, all Of
whom have served in the army of Abo-
I ~
, eighteen and twenty-five; and as the
Chacha does not 60 to war, they are
naturally only kept for show.
! They have separate barracks, but
! live, like the thirty male soldiers, in
different quarters of the town, Whence
! they are called together whenever they
are wanted. At their first entrance,
when, marching up in a long process
sion, they saluted their lord and mas
ter. I was astonished ct the military ex-
actitude Of their movements. 1mag-
inc sixty young women strong and
slender, who. without losing anything
of their wo1nanliness, present decided
ly warlike appearance. Among Euro
| peans this combination OF the woman
and the warrior could not be imagined !;
here it is explained by the peculiar for
nation of the negro skeleton. The
! skeletons Of negro women Tin striking
contrast to these of the mulattoes) are
strikingly like the skeletons of male
negroes.
"Tle assertion is untrue that the fe-
male warriors of Dahoney have their
breasts cut off, like the NEUROLOGICAL
amazuns of the ancient Greeks. Their
! pictures que uniform might furnish our
! masters of the ballet with fresh ideas.
The fresh young faces look roguishly
from under the white, brirnless yokev
cap, ornamented with black pictures OF
ANIMALS, such as lizards, birds, and
Others The feet are bare; short
knickerbockers of green, red, or
yellow material come down nearly
to the knees, and bright-colored
tunic of striped silk or velvet,
which leaves only the neck and the
arms free, covers the upper part of the
body, which is supported by corsets Of
native manufacture. A broad belt Of
many colors heightens the slim appear
ance of the female warrior. At the
left side Of the. belt a sword is fastened,
and small cartridge pocket in front.
A scarf Of white or light green silk IS
worn like Scotch plaid. The arma-
ment consists of swords, battle axes, and
guns, which latter are put aside during
the dance. Quite apart from the effect
Of combined dancing and singing, the
| performances, which went for several
hours uninterruptedly before our eyes,
were quite in the style OF our corps de