Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1893-02-09
THE TIGERS OF WAR.
How the Warlike Amazons OF Dahome!
Were Wiped Out.


The occupation Of the Amazons is
gone, and those tigers of war" are exc
clusively engaged in nursing the
wounds they received from the French
soldiers during that last fatal battle in
Dahomey. Many of us will not ac-
knowlede it, perhaps, but in our hearts
we have been rather sorry for these
women warriors who fought like de-
mons for their king, and who have
been such picturesque figures in vari'
Gus tales of travel. But we were not
permitted to indulge long in these senti-
mental reflections, The Amazons have
been ANONYMOUSLY defeated, and now
that they are down the historian of the
press arises to assure us that they never
amounted TO much after all, and that
they fought under the influence, not of
loyalty, but of rum.
The Amazon ranks are recruited
from girls of thirteen or fifteen years
of age, who are trained in military cx-
ercises, but not allowed to bear arms
until they have attained more mature
age. Women who have committed any
great crime find safe refuge from pun
ishment by enlisting in this female
body-guard. The recruits are subjected
to very severe training, which forti-
fes them to endurance of all kinds Of
hardship and physical pain. They are
compelled to sleep out of doors in all
kinds of weather, and to suffer blows
and kicks without a murmur, and are
often kept starving for days. Among
the hardships Of the drill is the feature
of scaling walls For the purpose of
gaining proficiency in this exercise
these half naked women are
made TO Chamber up to the
top of wall thicbly covered
with thorns from priclly pears
and cacti. In addition to this the
ground is thiclsly strewn with broken
glass, and the ambitious recruits are al
WAYS terribly lacerated and covered
with blood, but after such drill
complaint is an unheard-of offense.
Under these circumstances every wom-
anly sentiment is suppressed and the
Amazons become unscxed and unnatur-
ally ferocious.
In battle the Amazons fire rapidly for
a few minutes, and then thrown down
their firearms, and, uttering terrific
yells and screams, charge the enemy
with their knives With these they do
terrible execution, and even when shot
down and trampled under foot they
will fight to the last gasp, stabbing
blindly at their assailants above, and
biting and tearing the legs of those
standing over them.
The French gained vivid idea of
their ferocity in battle during the war
of 1885, When under deadly fire from
the Notifications the Amazons made
charge after charge on the works.
When at last put to fight the dying
furies seized several of the Frenchmen
by their legs and tried to stab them
with their swords. Before going into
battle the Amazons are given liberal
quantities of rum, which gives them
the frenzied ferceness and daring reck.
lessness which always mark their at
tacls.
The uniform Of the Amazons is a
short, sleeveless tunic of blue and
white goods of light material. Their
shirts do reach their knees, and
these, with the short hair Turk
ish trousers and an almost jaunty
white cap or bonnet, orna'
mented with horn tips, make their APP
pearance decidedly picturesque. Their
officers are distinguished by lot Of
silver amulets and bangles generally
covering the entire forearm. Theil
weapons are Winchester repeating
rifles, old-fashioned blunderbusses
bows and arrows. They all wear car
fridge belts and curiously wrought
pouches, and carry long knives with
which they mutilate the wounded in {
horrible manner.
1t is fortunate thing for the Anna
IONS that they can not read these las
tributes to their memory.-Chicago In
ter-Ocean.