The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-08-28
FuR|Es Of The DESERT,
The Trouble Now on Between the
Women Of Dahomey and
the French.
Experiences Of tho Past With
These Same Savages Were
Most Disastrous.
1hsy Must he Brought to Subsection This
Time, Without Fail-The Situa-
tiOn Mt Prssen.

Written for TIE HELENA INpEpENpxNE.l
~HE TRICOLOR IS WAVING IN DA
M honey, on tho west coast OF Africa
9lO where the warliks hosts OF Franc
have again invaded the country of Kim
Behanzin. This savage ~potentate has gon'
back to his old trick Of violating treaties
and has thus drawn down upon his head 10
tho second time within two years the nava
and military vengeance Of the republic
j have been requested to give some per
sonAl account OF that strange country
gained during the campaign OF 1880. durlns
which I served a. an infantry ofacer. IL
view of The great seriousness Of the prsssn'
complicstions-which may indirectly result
in Z collision between Germany and France
and the general public interest they hav.
aroused. I Think l can give the reader some
timely and amusing information about wal
In Dahomey, and the true inwardness O
the present situation.
Dahomey IL an extraordinary land pso-
pied BY a still more extraordinary race Of
semi-naked savagss. Its seaboard il al
most UNMARRIED in its barren monotony Of
ragged mountain, scarcely diversified by a
bay or inlet or the encouraging vista Of Z
seaport town. The eye, wsaried in its
efforts TO pierce the blue haze OF tropical
horizon, sees avery whore 4 mcnotonous
coast expapss Of dense green brushwood,
Clittsring beneath the msrcilesa rays OF .
v~srticsl sun. Upon rounding the coast OF
Guinea The voyager 10 pleased TO leave oe-
hind him . country which even repealed
the ocean pirates Of the past, and has long
been forsaksn by the most adventurous
0olonista
Casting anchor at last before Kotonou,
We see on the shore q settlement Of wooden
houses painted blue and q score of straw
matched cabins in the foggy distance.
From the top Of a lofty pole the flag of
France is flying and q SeneRalese tirailleur
PAGES to and fro. evidencinR by his jaunty
and soldisrlike nien the utter contempt he
feels for the savage denizons whom his al
legiance TO France causes him to regard az
deadly foes. We reach the shore by means
Of a surf boat, the crew OF which, entirely
naked, suns in chorus = propitiatory song
to Awekete, the Dahomeyan genius Of the
sea. Bonding to the oars with strong arms
and set teeth, the sturdy blacks. directed
by the pilot in = strident voice, make tho
boat. or ~piroRns. skim over the summit OF
the white capped waves with . swiftnsss
that nearly takes away our, breath. When
the boat CRATES upon tho beach We are
carried ashore in tho arms of stalwart
negroes. Tho curious bar of sand which
here extends along the entire Bay of Benin
il caused by the strong southwestern cur
rents, And for nine months out Of the
twelve il II considered dangerous to attempt
! landing anywhere near Kotonou, Whydah
or Grand -Popo. Persons dissmbarking
have frequently been upset and fallen VIC
tins TO the numerous sharks lnfesting
these waters.
Kotonou. where We have succeeded in
effecting our landing upon Dahomeyan
terra frma, signifies. in the Fon language,
'the mouth Of the river of DEATH and it
is a phase inseparably connected with the
several conflicts that have occurred be-
tween tho arms of France and the dusky
hordes of Dahomey. Here the hottest
fight in the campaign of 1890 took place
upoa the fourth day Of March. Had it
not be:a for the intrepid bravery bravery
officer of marines. the entire
French force would have been annihilated.
During the night of the Sd Of March and
the early morning Of the 4th. andsr cover
Of She intense darkness n tho addition
ally favorable circumstances of a violent
storm, King Behaazin decided to make a
was we'll planned. and every care
taken TO insure the probability of
success. Without noise. or lights,
and in careful military order. the forces
OF DAhomey took up their position in q
forest situated about two hundred yards
from the French lines. Here they rested,
awaiting the arrival of dawn with the in
tention Of commencing hostilities at cock
crow. The French foroe was composed of
300 tirailleurs of the native SensRalese in
fantry and troops from tho Gaboon coun-
try, and il was biIleted in the factories of
Messrs. Regis and Fabrs, two French mer-
chants engaged in business at kotonou.
The arrangement OF our forces was
adroitly planned, being the result of a thor
ouah knowledge of the difficulties Of tho
situation created by the peculiar war tao
tics of the Dahomeyans and the nature of
tho ground. Four small posts formed one
section in schelon representing the base Of
an isosooles triangle having upon n flank
tho open sea and on the other a canal lead
ing to tho Denham lake. Instead OF post
ing solitary advanced sentinsls. so easy to
surprise and overcome, ferty gardes ~civiles,
with two pieces of mountain artillery,
formed the second line drawn up near q
somewhat rude structure prstentiously
called the "sanatorium."
The vigil Of the naval infantry continued
without any occurrence happening to dis
turb the monotony OF ~''sentry co." All the
world seemed asleep, the silence of the
night remained unbrokeu. The men of the
guard, however, were widsawaks, especially
Lieut.. Comperat b commanded the most
exposed Of all the posts to the north of q
certain spot where a fort vas in course Of
construction About a quarter before five
O'Clock q. m. the terrific storm of wind and
rain which had been raging all night sud
denly began TO abate, and through the
sifted clouds the moons rays yhone forth
cheeringly. Lieut.. Compsrat, Of whom l
may casually remark that his first instruc-
tion in the military art was obtained
during his brief attachment to the Third
regiment Of Iouaves, he having graduated
from the Ecole Saint Maixent in 1884,
beard suspicious sounds coming through
the thick humid air: it seemed to the officer
That he could distinguish the noise OF muf-
Ned footsteps. Instantly the trumpet was
sounded and tbs lieutenant formed his
men in a position to resist attack, and no