The Delta independent., 1890-04-15
BARBlhoUs AFRICAN K1saDox.
A French Explorer Forced to Witness
Horrible Scene.

A French Explorer Forced to Witness
Horrible Scene.
A small French expedition has just
set out from Saint-Louis, Senegal,
Africa, bound for the neighboring
Kingdom of Dahomey. The force
comprises about three hundred Sene-
galese infantry and is to accompany NJ.
Bayol. high French official In these
regions. who is being sent by tho
Governor of Senegal to treat with
King Kondo about the Cotonou dis.
trict, territory belonging to France,
but paying Customs duties to the Royal
Blackamo0r who rules over Dahomey.
NJ. Bayol will proceed to Abomey, tho
chief city of the dusky potentate, and
will offer the Royal black brother. in
tho name OF the French Government,
fixed annual sum for tho transfer of
the right to collect the Customs tariffs
at Cotonou to the Governor Of
Senegal.
NJ. Bayol has already had remark
able interview on the same subject
with King Glegle, progenitor of the
present monarch, who passed away
only few months ago. The official,
however, failed In his mission for va
rious reasons, but chiefly, perhaps, be-
cause his escort was not numerous or
imposing enough to impress Gleglc
with respect for his white neighbors.
NJ. Bayol and his followers were re-
ceived coldly by Gleglc, who had been
previously "coached up" little in
modern history. and began to upbraid
the French for having put king and
queen to death during tine great Revo-
luton. "When France resto' cs its
kings" murmured the crudite mon
arch, al shall be ready to treat, but
not till then!" And he forthwith
caused NJ. Bayol and his escort to be
arrested.
A HORRIBLE SPECTACLE.
The prisoners were not, however,
subjected to ill-usage during their cap
tivity. On the contrary they were
treated to many things which they
would have freely foregone, but which
were supposed to mark the Monarchi-
cal esteem for the captives according
to the manners and customs prevailing
at the polished court of Abomcy. Two
hundred persons, for instance, were
one day decapitated in the presence of
the French official aud his suite. The
King himself, in honor of NJ. Bayols
enforced presence at the carnage,
chopped of a dozen heads with his own
Royal hands and ha'chet.
"Nothing," wrote NJ. Bayol, "will
ever make my companions or myself
forget this hor iblc and sickcning
spectacle. We were suffering from
fever at the time, and the sight mado
us worse. Blood flowed everywhere
about the human shamblcs. and the
butchery was accompanied by the
tinkling of barbarous music, to the
sounds Of which set of female slaves
danced round the executioners."
Shortly after this NJ. Bayol and his
companions were liberated from Gus
tody and returned to the French settle
ments on the coast.
When Glegle died NJ. Bayol went to
see his successor, Kondo-a charming
parsonage, who showed himself even
less amenablc to the Establishments of
the Europeans.
Kondo began talking shout "human
meat" remarking that he preferred
aves raw aud plain much better than
boiled with vegetables or served up as
ragouts. When he was pressed to the
point by NJ. Bayol he said that he
would ask the French to clear out of
Cotonou altogether. Kondo, in tho
meantime, is quite capable of making
raids on the French territory like his
father, in order to find flesh for his
horrible pots, or tn annex slaves for
the purpose of selling them to tho
dealers. This, therefore. is the reason
of the present French expedition to
Dahomey.