Telegram-herald., 1890-04-10
ANAZONIAN WARRIORS
Tne King of Dahonsy,s Famous
Female Body-Guard
wen-FsrDsd wones whS ARE oofs s->~
" AttLrsa .aa % Hhr9ags Al sorts
0f Military ksolsElo1s-A >aAn
kiSht II D4sky Beauties

A battle has been fought between
force u French troops and = fo7oe II the
troops of the King Of D4hopsy, "hoss
possessions lie on the eastern coast o.
Africa The natives we're repelsed.
leaving four hgndred Of their number
dead on tie felA. Among the Slam
were found = Runber of the famous "o-
men warriors who compose the body
guard OF the King Of D@homey A cor
respondent of the Cologne Gazette,
writing from Whyd4h. the seaport OF
Dahomey. gives a graphic account ot
the army Of women who took part IL Vhe
recent battle. The correspondent had
been on yisf< % the court Of the Por-
tuguese hAlf-breed Juliano de SoGEa IN
Dah0mey. and describes his experiences
as follows.
After apologizing for the remarkable
costume which be had been obliged 70
don because 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.
multitude Of black spectators all Of
whom pretend 70 DO OF European ces-
cent But woe 20 him who without
being white man" dares % wear
European boots, or allows himself 10 bo
carried in a hammock, the European
means Of conveyance. Not even his
Majesty the King would ever dream Of
committing so objectionable breach Of
African etiquette.
When IL was dusk the army OF ANA
yons made their entrance into the yard
Enthusiastically attircd and looking moro
fantastical still by the glare OF the
torches which were borne before them.
Shortly before their dance commenced
the "Chacha" distributed German beer
and Bahia rum among the audience,
which consisted OF some tve hundred
spectators, many OF whom were accom-
panied by their tame sheep, which fol-
low their masters like dogs. Rum is the
ordinary beverage offered TO visitors in
Dahomey. The amazons ot Abome, Of
whom there are at the most 5000, are
nominally the wives OF the King, and
as such form a body-guard which is said
70 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 seni-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 be as supe-
rior 10 male soldiers in these accom-
plishments as our guards are TO the re-
serves.
The amazons OF tho "Chacha," all of
whom have served in the army Of A bone,
are women between the ages Of eighteen
and twenty-five, and as the "Chacha"
does not go to war they are naturally
only kept for show. They have no sep
arate barracks, but live, like the thirty
male soldiers, in different quarters Of
the town, whence they are called togeth-
er whenever they are wanted. At their
first entrance, when marching mp in a
long procession, they saluted their lord
nnd master, ! was astonished at the
military e1actitude of their movements
Imagine sixty young women, strong
and slender, who, without losing any of
their womanliness, present decidedly
warlike appearance.
Among Europeans this combination
of the woman and the warrior could not
be imagined. Here, it is explained by
the peculiar formation of the negro
skeleton. The skeletons of negro
women lin striking contrast TO those of
the mulattoes) are strikingly like the
skeletons of male negroes.
The assertion is untrue that the fe-
male warriors OF Dahomey have their
breasts cut of, like the NEUROLOGICAL
amazons Of the ancient Greeks. The
pictp rescue uniforms might furnish our
masters OF the ballet with fresh ideas.
The fresh young faces look roguishly
from under the white, brimless yokey
cap, ornamented with black pictures Of
animals, such as lizards, birds and 9TH
ers The feet are bare; short knicker-
bockers OF green. red or yellow materi-
al come down nearly 70 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 4 broad
belt of many colors heightens the slim
appearance OF the female warrior. At
the left side Of the belt a short sword is
fastened and a small cartridge pocket in
A - e ..-lg g., -r.Ns
silk is worn ike Scotch plaid.
The armament consists Of swords. bat
tie axes and guns, which latter are put
aside during the dance. Quite apart
from tho 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 ballet with the only differ
ence that no other corps dc bal
let would dance with equal eK-
actitude. First came a tall and souc-
what elderly woman She was the cap
tain and "a she entered the son % the
Chacha whispered to ne. "Just look
how well my mother dances" Then
followed. with battle axes uplifted, the
younger officers and in their rear The
still younger troops. nov iashing To-
ward us in their sham fight, now wheel;
ing round. dispersing ard again 8nitinT.
And al this Nth rythuicsl movements,
hair warlike, half coousttish. b1t never
clumsy. The elegant play 81 TIE hare.
round arms recalling 20 mind the limbs
o. ancient classical statues. Al dances
which 7 have -een performed among
savage ard 8er1i-ssvare peoples have