The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1892-09-14
FIERCE WON EN- WARRIORS.
DAHoMEY's ARMY OF 1000 WAR
LIKE AMAzoNs.

azons and 1000 to 5000 men war
riors. This is the well drilled
standing army, which, in peace, is KEEP
at or near the capital, ready to march
anywhere at moments notice. Wher
an important war is on hand the Kins
calls out the reserve, which increases the
strength Of bis army to 12, 900 or Is, 900,
The most unique features of Dahomey
are its large force of women warriors
and its terrible system of religious sacri-
fees, in which hundreds of human vic
Tins are butchered at the capital every
year. Dahomey is the only country in
the world which makes women part
of its military system. In the year 1929
the King, hard pressed by enemies,
placed a large number of women upon
his Notifications to deceive the besiegiug
army with regard to his military
strength. These women acted with such
unexpected galantry aud engaged with
such abandon and terocity in the battle
which brought victory to Dahomey that
they were organized into permanent
regiment, and women have ever since
been among the bravest shdiers of the
land. The flower of the fair Sex is likely
to get into the army as well as nearly all
the strong minded women, the viragos.
Now and then the King takes consort
from his women regiments, but no other
man can marry them.
The women are taught that they are
not weak, but strong. Every womauly
sentiment is suppressed, and they become
unsexed and unnaturally ferocious. But
after all, the system of women soldiers
is source OF weakness as we'll as of
strength to the country. Dahomey is
rich in soil and in resources, but its pop.
ulation is not large and is decreasing.
1t has less than 800, 900 people. The
country cannot afford to keep large
number of celibate women in its gar
risons. In the natural order of things
these women would be the mothers Of
thousands of children; but not only are
the additions they make to the popula.
tion most Insignificant, but also most of
the women captured in war become mere
ly the camp followers and servants of the
Amazons, and are under the same re-
strictions as to ceibacy.
Two Englishmen, Messrs. Skertohly
and Burton, made very careful study
of the Amazons. Burton said they
showed the most desperate courage and
reckless daring, and are very formidable
enemies. Skertchly said that Amazons
delight in nothing more than polishing
their gun barrels, which CLEAN like sill.
yer in the sun. The French gained a
vivid idea of their ferocity in battle dur
ing the late war, when, under deadly
fire from the French foStifcations, they
made charge after charge up to the
works. When at last put to flight and
pursued, dying women on the ground
caught some of the French troops by the
legs and tried to throw them down and
stab them with their swords. All
Dahomeyan soldiers, men aud women,
have a ration of intoxicating liquor
before they go into battle. The French
say that in the war of 1SS9-90 the per-
feet recklessness of the Amazons was
doubtless increased by liberal potations
of gin. The women had Just enough
liquor to make them devilish without
interfering with their powers of locomo-
ton.
Their sleeveless tunics of blue and
white native cloth, their skirts falling to
the knee, and their short trousers make
it easy to distinguish them from the male
warriors. On parade in the capital they
wear head ornament of horn tips which,
however, is not worn to battle. Neither
do they, when advancing toward the
enemy wear the bells which are always
hung around their necks in time of
peace. The well-known tinkle of the
Amazon bell makes proclamation to all
the male creation that it is high time to
scurry down the byways or get out of
sight somewhere TO avoid meeting the
Kings soldiers; for the man who dares
to keep the road when an Amazon ap.
proaches pays for his tenerity with his
life. On all the highways these women
are more isolated from the other sex
than any nun. Skertchly said it made
his blood boil to be compelled to stink
out of view like a thief whenever ne
heard that odious bell.
Their weapons are blunderbuses, flint.
locks, and bows and arrows. Their plan
of warfare is always to take the enemy
by surprise. They usually march to the
attack in the gray of the morning and
before the enemy is awake they are upon
him with their impetuous war cry and
fierce onslaught. Mr.. Chaudouin SAYS
he saw 1000 Amazons in 1889 groupcd |
around the King, perfectly motionless as
they stood in line but ready to bound at
a signal from their master. Old or young.
homely or handsome, they were a re-
marka5le spectacle. They appeared |
every whit as muscular as the maie
warriors and their bearing was military. |
The crowd of people approached too |
near and half dozen Amazons walked |
along the line tlourishing their guns and |
crying with imperious gesture, "Back, !
back, whereupon the crowd made haste
to retire to a safe distance.
After the late war King Behauzin
caused a number of Amazons to be be-
headed on the charge of coWardice. lie
endeavors in every way to make them
perfectly fearless aud indifferent to pain.
Mr.. Borghero describes a sham fight that
he witnessed at the capital a few years
ago. Thousands of bundles of thornv
cactus bushes made an obstruction 1900
feet long, twenty-five feet broad, and
seven feet high. Beyond this obstruc-
tion rose the framework of a house of
the same length and sixteen feet broad
and high, the two slopes of its roof COW
fe1, ~