Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-03-08
moMsn WHO sHep BLOOD.
A Remarkable Race ON the West African
Coast nj war with France.

A Remarkable Race ON the West African
Coast Mt war with France.
The republic of France is at war win
the king of Dahomey, and a French
newspaper SAYS that a battle has been
fought, in which eight conibatants were
Killed aud many wounded. Later on
the Dahomians. who had succeeded IN
capturinr n number of Frenchmen ana
other Europeans. MADE another attack,
but we're finally repulsed with loss OF
400 killed.
The interesting fact in the dispatch lay
In the last lines: "Among the dead were
found some of the female warriors OF the
king of Dahomey." Who are these am
azons?
Dabomey, now for the fifth time at
war with an European nation, IS King
dom of Western Africa. in Guinea, Its
limits being inexactly defined, but with
an estimated area Of 1900 square miles
The Dahomians are pagans, ana the tiger
is their principal fetish. They are blood
thirsty, but hosptahle and courageous
Once a year the monarch, whose people
approach him 3D.. crawling with their
faces in the dust, sprinkles his ancestors
graves with human blood. There Is an
annual festival which takes place about
October and lasts several weeks. Dur
ing the Saturnalia many human victims
are put to death with great barbarity.
At one stage Of these ''customs' the un'
fortunate wretches, chiefly captives taken
T.. 4, L., xsykito sllrtQ md
long white nightcaps and tied on baskets.
They are then taken to the top of high
platform and paraded on the heads OF
amazons together with an alligator, a
cat and hawk in similar baskets After
the king has made speech the victims
are hurled down in the midst Of surg
ing crowd of natives, and meet with
horrible DEATH The skulls are used TO
adorn the palace walls, and the kings
sleeping chamber is paved with the
heads of MS enemies. The skulls of the
conquered kings are converted into royal
drinking cups.
About one-fourth of the females are
said to be married to the fetish. many
even before their birth.
The amazons form the flower of the
army. They are marshaled into regi-
ments, each with its distinctive uniform
and badges, and they take the post of
honor on the TANKS of the battle line.
Their number has been variously estim-
ated at from one to six thousand. Their
weapons are biunder buses, flint musk
cts, and bows and arrows. They are in
part recruited in remarkable manner.
II "a woman i'll Dahomey is found to be
unfaithful to her husband she Is ut once
sent to military headquarters and en-
rolled among the amazons. If she has
an acrid temper, or fails to bear child
rem, or if her husband wants to get rid
of her. he nonors himself by presenting
her to the king, who, if she has the re.
quisite physical qualifications, turns her
over to his army officers to be drilled as
an amazon.
The garrison of Aghome. the kings
capital, is composed almost exclusively
of amazons. A recent visitor TO the
capital says there were only thirty male
soldiers in the garrison. The amazons
are also trained to fill the peaceful role
of ballet girls. One of the big sights of
Dahomey is to see the ainazons on gala
days frantically brandishing their weap-
ons, uttering their war cries and going
through their dances before the king.
1t is said that at the death of the king
horrid scene ensues The wives, after
the most eXtravagant demonstrations of
grief, attack and murder each other, and
remain in an uproar until order is re-
stored by the new sovereign. Paris
Letter