New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-01
THE CRUELTIES OFDAHOMEY
FREQUENT EXPEDITIONS IN SEARCH Of
HUMAN VICTIMS FOR TIE SACRIFICE.

|
times each year spectacular performances are
| given in honor Of the avenging goa, ana HUH
dreds of victims are offered in sacrifice to appease
the wrath of the bloodthrsty monster 'hc
King is always present on the OCCASION OF the
| great annual sacrifice. An imaginative person
might see in these professional marches some re-
] scmblance TO the famous Fete dc Dieu. Az 'he
recent celebration 5000 women, the womch
of Cce-lc arrayed in the cOstcst fabrics that the
| land affords, marched TO the royal grounds lhey
| SANG or chancd tie wild savage songs-niourh-
| full and weird all African melodicS-untii 'hey
stood in the presence of the King whom theV
honorcd with cries OF KIM, KIM, KIM, when Is
| probably fitting epithet for the regning king nc
| hind these women followed line of magnificent
Acknowledging creatures, living statues OF
| bronze, their loose white garments half outlining
| their muscular forms They wore the head-dfess
similar TO that OF the Phoenician women, consist
ing of loose drapcry falling from the tight band
| into which it is drawn across the forehead INTO
graceful folds upon the shoulder. Each carried
in the right hand three-ponted bar OF IRON
timed with sharp prongs As they passed, slowly
| marching softly singing, strangely gesturing,
their garments gently waving they reminded one
Of the priesesses who play such an important part
| in the Oriental fctes. Files of other mysterious
|
| their faces closely masked. The King only has
the privilege of looking the faces OF these I'M
| known women the mysterious wives condemned
70 die with their lord and king. Young girls pre-
| coded them crying, and ut their approach the
| crowd quickly DISPERSED knowing that an indis-
| Greet glance meant punishment and death.
| This long procession disappeared through the
| gateway into the courtyard Of the King at
| Abomcv, and the supreme fetch, which now APP
reared, added another touch to the horror Of the
shifting scene Aman supporting on his shoulders
n bulls head as hdeOus In appearance rs posi-
be brandishng right and left sacred knife,
was borne aof upon the shoulders of slaves so as
to he seen by the people crowded in front Of the
palace. The appearance of this figure was the
signal for the brandishing OF torches, the peais of
cannon and the cries OF the frenzied multitude
that tcrrorstrcen, fell PROSTATE upon the ground,
beating the earth ard begging for mercy. This idol
is a pcrsonation Of their IMPLYING god. whose
favor can be gained only by the spillng Of human
blood. Negro women, carrying gobets of silver
and ivory, cevcrly made by the FORCES of the
king, Jars filed with wives, and Golfers Of rare
stnirs. follow in the train of the guard Tho en-
chantresses waving in the left hand fantastically
decorated horses rails and carrying in the right
cup of wine. march slowly around, in and ont,
from right to left, before Offering their ibations
and sprinking the royal court with the sacred
liquor. These solemnities last until nearly mid
night, and during the whole time not word Is
uttered except to sound the praises of the King,
Kini-Kini.
Gcle-lc, old. grotcsquc and bloodthirsty. was a
monarch Of the kind whom Montcsquieu delighted
10 describe. Arraycd in his crimson satin leggins
and cros,-barred hose. with jaunty blue velvet
embroidered turban upon his head, he would some
times dance in honor of a distinguished visitor,
| always surrounded by dozen superb women, his
favorite attaches.
Prince Kondo. now King Be1azin, is considered
gracious by rulers in ncighboring provinces. but
he is dcccitfu and cunning. and delights in offer
ing sacrifices with most alarming frequency. The
cayey soil, the OF his massacres, il veri-
table sea of blood Mutilated bodies of his he
headed victims. after enduring agonzing death,
are tied together two at post, and left as a
| temptation 10 birds of prey. These frightful re-
membranes haunt ones dreams for years. They
vertablc massacrcs and their purveyor is the
King Bedazin. who has inherited the bloodthirsty
disposition of his father, and, like him, believes
that he is the only ruler on the earth. The peo
pie of European countries are 10 him only buyers
OF skins sellers Of wine, traders in the oil Of the
palm.
In the month of December the King offers sacri-
fees in the preparation for the annual war, in
order that the gods may look with favor upon his
undertakings and give him success. These ex-
petitions. or slave hunts made 10 the com
munities around the realm The inhabitants,
whether enemies friends. unceremoniously
seized in time Of without plausible preteNt.
The tribe which To- all appearances is on friendly
terms with the Court of Aborney may BE- chosen
at the last moment by this crafty and fcrocious
monarch. terrible raid was recently made into
the territory Of Ouatchis and Grand Popo, the
French possessions, situated west of Dahomey
about twenty-four miles from Kotonori The
French garrison stationed al Grand PopO was
unable To give the proper defence. but the lake
that separated the narrow piece of land which
the fort il built from the territory Of the Grand
Popo and the Ouatchs sufccd 10 arrest tho
hcrlr+ OF Bcda7in who could non forget the dis
ascrs hc had formerly suffered from the natives |
in this region. The whole territory extending |
along the River 40 was plundercd and devastated |
dispatch announced to the ncghboring provinces |
that 5000 natives had been taken prisoners by |
the Dahomey troops or in other words that 3, 600 |
slaves had fallen into the hands of the King slaves
from whose number 200 will soon bc chosen az |
victims 10 be sacrificed TO the shade of the de- |
parted Gcc-lc.
The territory of Porto Novo now offers partici- |
lar attractions to these Dahomey forces The King |
has two methods of dsposing of his prisoners of |
war. The marches the interior of Soudan, |
with which his country has been in friendly rela-
ions for Il number of years, offer opportunities of
furnishing the interior trade. The Turning tribes
10 these scattered posts to seek laborcrs for
field work. and Arab brokers here recruit the |
laboring force of the tribes of Morocco. Tripol |
and Upper Egypt. The slave trade with the |
natives Of the interior has been carried on for |
thousands of years. The principal market for |
trade with EnroNan Powers. in which Portugal |
has the lead, by reason of her early conqucsts in
Brazil and her need of n slave labor, is Whydah, |
which still furnishes fourshing slave traffic for |