The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-26

ject to be drafted into tho ranks lhs
soldiers. The weak and the old become
camp followers or slaves in the royal
household. The amazons are compulsory
celibates, although many of them have been
married before enlisting. After becoming SOL
diers OF the king they are kept under the
strictesr surveillance, and IL one OF them disre-
CARDS the discipline Of the army she is put to
death. The majority Of them are of unusual
stature and extraordinary physical develop
ment, and they are selected because of their
great strength and powers of endurance. Their
courage needs no test, for it has many
times been proved to be nothing less
than fanatical. They are even more
bloodthirsty than the males of that
barbaric country, and everything possible is
done to sharpen their savage instincts. When
an enemy has been slain they are encouraged to
secure the scalp or an ear to exhibit a. proof
of their prowess. They smear their guns and
persons with the blood of their victims, and
they keep q record upon their gunstocks of the
enemies they have killed. Some of them carry
huge knives fashioned like q razor, . weapon
that seems as dear to these Africans - to
some more civilized negroes in other lands
War to the Amazons means either victory or
their own determination. They do not seem
capable Of comprehending what 10 meant by re-
treat ana commonly scorn the devices Of strata
gem. They depend almost entirely upon the
fierce attack, and their onsiaughts are 30 i'm
petuous, SO furious and sustained that they
carry all before them unless overpowed and
completely vaEQuished by an irresistible and
merciless force. The Amazons are carefully
trained and the king 10 in the habit of having
many reviews in which these favorites are
drilled in the manouvers and sometimes
undergo the most trying ordeals in the pursuit
and attack of an imaginary enemy. They
charge upon heaps OF thorny acacia or brambles
and often emerge torn aud bleeding, but ap-
parently insensible to pain.
Mr.. Borghero, one OF the few white visitors to
the capital, Abomey. tells of q sham fight
which proves that man9uvers OF this sort
in Dahomey are not tine playful affairs
that they are in civilized countries. In
a space used as . drill ground there had
been raised q bank formed of bundles OF thorny
cactus bushes about 1850 feet long, 20
feet broad, and Z feet high Forty feet beyond
and parallel with this heap rose the frame
work OF o house of the same length, but about
l6 feet broad and nigh. The two slopes OF the
roof were covered with a bed OF thornG The
whole represented fortified town. The bare
footed women warriors we're to surmouns three
times the heap OF thorns. descend into
the clear space, escalade the house, which
REPRESENTED a citadel bristiing with de-
fences, and take the town. They were to De
twice repulsed by the enemy, but at the third
afsault they were to be victorious and drag the
prisoners to the kings feet IN token OF success.
The first to surmount all the obstacles was to
receive frorn the kings hand the
reward of bravery. The king placed himself at
the head of the column and barrangued the
women soldiers. Then At the signal they threw
themselves with the utmost fury upon
the bank of thorns, crossed IL, leaped
upou the thorny house, retired from
ii as if driven back. and returned
three times to the charge--all this with such
rapidity that the eye could scarcely follow
them. They clambered over the thorny OBJ
structions as Lightly as dancer vaults upon a
floor, and that although their naked feet were
pierced with the sharp cactus needles. At the
first assault, when the most intrepid had
already gained the summit of the house, q
woman soldier, who was at one OF the ends,
fell to the ground from Q height at sixteen
feet. she was wringing her ha1rfs and re-
rnained seated, though her comrades were
trying to reanimate her courage. when the king
himself came up and uttered cry OF indigna-
ton. The woman spreng up as II electrified,
continued the mareuyers and carried OF the
first prize Tires thousand women took part
In this astounding exhibition.