The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1890-05-22

largely by fear of the fetch. They be-
lieve that ii they run away the fetch will
strangle them, aud so they stay to be be-
headed when the time for the annual
massacre comes around.
These massacres are the essential feat
ure of Dahoman oulture-the quintes-
senee 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 all 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 Threats
of lot OF slaves at the funeral. Ii they
wish to send word to some one in the
other world, they give the message ver-
bally to slave and cut the messengers
head off before he has time to forget it.
Provisions, rum and tobacco for a de-
ceased relative are likewise intrusted to a
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 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, aud 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 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 VI
among the officers of the court and Of
the army and other favorites of the King.
All the female children born to thest
women are sent to Ahomey and reared a.
"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 sale
to be poor, but otherwise they are gooe
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 ar
drilled constantly aud become very
proficient in their maneuvres, which in
clude a wild native dance. Expedition:
of amazons are sent far into the interior
to hunt the elephant for ivory for thu
King, and are often gone for year OIL
more at time --Nelo York Sun.