Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-11-19

away with the idea OF his power and the
proves Of his iali-fiimed anna 1us. and
undoubtedly believed that he could
lflye the French INTO the sea.
King Behanzin IS most extraordinary
mixture Of civilization and barbarity.
lhe dominant note in his character Is
unlimited vanity. His Younger years
we're spent IN Paris, where he learned to
read French. lie subscribes regularly
'ur several Partisan newspapers which
are brought from the coast by special
messengers. When lie first saw notice
Of himself and his capital In the Eiggyo
he exhibited almost childish delight and
danced arouud the paper containing the
news, after which he caused his anna.
lUuian guard TO be brought up and
translated this information 10 them al
The same time giving orders for the pre-
para,ion OF another raid on the French
settlement 10 show his CONTEMPT and
learlcssness Of the consequences.
In ordinary times the army Of
Dahomey is composed of 5000 anna.
IONS and 6ooo to 1000 men warrior.
This is the well.drilled standing army,
which IS kept near the capital ready to
take up arms ~ a moments notice. In
tue present emergency the king has
been compelled To call out all the avail
ables reserves, which gives him some
twenty thousand ANA Ons and men, all
told. As the population Of Dahomey is
estimated al more than 100000 any or
all OF which can be turned into soldieTy
10y the king, II can be readily understood
tilt the french viii not have such 70
small AFFAIR on their hands rs most
persons imagine.
The most unique features OF Dahomey
are II, large force OF women warriors
ana Us terrible system oil religious sacri-
fees, in which hundreds OF human vic
TINS are butchered at the capital every
year The sacrihcill festivities take
place in the autumn and spring and are
called customs Last May the French
report that not less than six hundred
people were butchcrrd IN the market
square at Abomey, A large she'd called
the blood house was erected, IN which
the prisoners are confined aud exhibited
prior 10 the butchery. They are bound
10 poles driven In the ground, aud black
and white goats are tied alternately TO
each victim, who is most Enthusiastically ar
rayed in peaked cap and short mantle
bedecked with ribbons, A large patch
OF scarlet cloth is sewn on his shirt over
the region Of THE heart. In addition to
the human beings publicly sacrificed at
the religious ceremonies, the amazons
are allotted a very large number OF vic
tins, which they take to their quarters
within the palace 10 torture and kill at
their pleasure. No man Is allow ed 10 be
present TO inquire too inquisitiyely into
their horrible andpeculiar rites
Dahomey is the only country in the
world which makes woueu part OF
lbs military system. In the year izao
the king, hard pressed by enemies,
placed large number oi armed women
among his soldiers. These women
acted with such signal bravery and
fought with such abandon AMI ferocity
in the battles which brought victory to
Dahomey that they were organized into
a permanent regiment
The flower OF the fair sex is likely TO
get into the army AS well as nearly all
the strong-minded women. the virapos
and the unaithtul wives. Now and then
the king takes q consort from his woman
regiments, but no other man may marry
them. They are known in Dahomey BY
The names OF "Our Mothers Tigers of
War, and the Kings Wives" They
live in the kings palace and there per.
form their fetish mysteries The
amazons are sworn, 10 perpetual celibacy
and at the gate OF their dwellings a