The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1890-06-18

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great numbers with gifts and sacrifices
for the wooden images that preside with
in.
This same fetch has forbidden the
Dahomey people from fighting upon the
water, doubtless in consequence OF some
naval conflict in times past that resulted
disastrously for Dahomey. Advantage
is taken of this by the people along the
coast, who build their towns upon piles
out in the lagoons and bays, aud so es-
cape entirely from the raids of the Da-
| honey warriors.
| Slaves and captives are kept in restraint
largely by fear Of the fetch. They be-
lieve that il they run away the fetch will
strangle them, and so they stay to be be-
headed when the time for the annual
massacre comes around.
These massacres are the essential feat
ure of Dahomian culturc-the quintes-
sence Of the religion Of the fetch.
While the wholesale slaughter is in.
dulged in only during two months in the
year, the business is kept up in a smaller
way oil the year round. The Dahomey
people have a profound belief in fu-
ture life, and in order that their friend
may not want there for suitable sers-
vice and attention, they cut the throats
of a lot Of slaves at the funeral. If they
wish to send word to some one in the
other world, they give the message YER
bally TO slave and cut the messengers
head of before he has time to forget it.
Provisions, rum and tobacco for de-
ceased relative are likewise intrusUed to
slave, who is sent with his burden to the
hereafter by decapitation.
Formerly these massacres took place
also in Porto Novo, and in the palace of
King Toffa there still remains the fetch
door, through which the bodies of the
victims were brought out after the cere-
mony. 1t is death for native to touch
this door.
Massacres in times of peace form a
principal occupation of those of the
Kings amazons who are kept about the
court. When 1T is desired to give a
particularly gala air to the festivities the
victim is dressed in European costume,
doubtless as a token of contempt for the
whites, and an umbrella is placed be-
tween his knees. The amazons surround
him with guns and other weapons, with
which they torture him much as Ameri-
can Indians torture their captives, slash
ing at him with knives, firing the guns
about his head, and in other ways en-
deavoring to terrify him before the fatal
stroke is administered and his head comes
off.
The amazons, who form the bulk of
the Kings army, are recruited in various
ways. They are far from being the
flower OF the kingdom, however. Many
are criminals who have committed
offences and who save their own heads
by becoming cutters off of the heads of
others. In a.general way, all the women
for whom no better use can be found are
put into the army. The greater portion
! Of the recruits are said to come from the
ranks Of what are called the daughters of
the King" When the army comes back
from raid into Porto Novo the King
takes as many as he pleases OF the female
captives, and the rest are divided up
among the officers of the court and of
the army and other favorites of the King.
AL the female children born to these
women are sent to Ahomey and reared as
"daughters of the King. From among
them the King chooses those who please
him for service about the court, and the
Others are trained up for the other
divisions of the amazon army. The
training is said to be severe and to de.
velop women as strong as men, who are
utterly careless of their lives in battle or
in hunting. Their craftsmanship is said
to be poor, but otherwise they are good
soldiers.
They are organized in divisions, much
as armies in more civilized lands, and
have uniforms, according to what branch
Of the service they are in. Those who
constitute the Kings body guard arc
drilled constantly aud become very
proficient in their manGuvres, which in
clude wild native dance. Expeditions
of amazons are sent far into the interior
to hunt the elephant for ivory for the
King, and are often gone for a year or
more at time.-NeO York Sun.