The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-02-17

IN. i. Herald.)
The Europeans who have visited the
city of Benin can be counted on tile fin
gers, says a correspondent of the London
Standard. 1t has been my good fortune
to lie one of them; ard my journey, made
in December, 1880, may not DO witho ut
interest. King Adola died some eighteen
months before my expedition and his
successor. Obbah, or Adubowa, after
sending 400 slaves TO accompany his ia
Their to wherever he might be located.
was then firmly settled on the throne.
On arrival at Benin we were taken to q
house, the owner of which was one Ego
nun, second in Importance to the king.
We were frat taken 10 see an
old chisf named Arribo, and afterward
another chief named EWagwe. At 4.S0
we were finally summoned to see the
king. We crossed a kind Of common,
passed down some streets and finally
arrived at a courtyard with high wall
of red clay. We passed through gate
way and found ourselves in large open
court, one end of which was covered
over, and in the center could dlstln-
guish teeth and ivory spiinging FROM
heads, Us in Ewagwe's house. Thore was
a large standard of wrought iron sup
used on occasion Of the kings plays. as
they facet1ously call them, when score
or two of human victims are massacred
"for the king to make his fathers with"
We were led up to this lamp and told
to stop. The crowd formed a lane up to
q respectful distance of the covered SHED.
In one part of this shed was an arrange
ment OF red bait like the box of a theatre.
Seated in this we could dimly see fg-
ure in large hat, which we were told
was the king. We took off our hats and
bowed. The messengers now came down
the lane of populace, and Informed us
that the king seut greeting; he was glad
to see US; had we been properly treated
while in his 5ountryp George, the inter
prefer, gave us the hint that the correct
method OF aalutation in this cou ntry was
to raise the right hand. Not wishing to
appear ill-hred, we did SO. We replied
that we had Teen well treRted and
thanked him, but would like to see his
majesty at closer quarters.
Being at last Informed that this king
was ready we were led through Il gate
way into what l supposed WAS his house.
It was of the same shape as the other
Benin houses, only larger and loftjsr. A
number of natives assembled in tbs first
half. or oourt. but we we're usheTed into
the second, into the kings presence
The scene which met our view was weird
and bizarre enough to bo oescri bed by
Rider Haggard. The hall was of consid.
cradle size and height and the roof was
OPEN, ns usual. There was large WE'LL
or bath, in tae center of the floor to
catch the water from the roof. At first,
in tie haZy light of the smoky palm oil
cressers, y e only noticed large hall
with people crow ding round it. But as
we looken % the length of the hall we
saw the king standing on raised step,
with his irnss supported by members of
his court .n MS right along the hall
were arry ~ ed tie personal attendants OF
the houseie 10. None Of these was al"
lowed to 81 ar SO much as waist cloth,
but all had Ie3klaces of Benin coral and
agate. On tie left were the nobility of
his court their costumes OF silk and cot
ton skirts padded out to look big, and
the UPPER part of their bodies bare. save
for many necklaces of coral and agate.
In front of the king was "Ju-Ju"
altar, composed of some white looking
compound, the top studded with nail-like
protuberances. In the center of these,
and smeared with red, which we took to
be blood, but found to be palm oil, was
a human skull, looking CHASTITY in the
dim light On our side of the altar,
painted on the floor, Was "Ju-Ju" HE
roglyphic, and up to this we were led,
but told not 10 go beyond. His majesty
was dressed in cloth of gold tiAsel and
covered with coral necklaces. He was
man of about 80, with an Intelligent, or.
rather amiable, face. Certainly to look at
him no one would suppose him capable OF
slaughtering some hundled OF people as
a sacrifice to the shades of his father.
He was very pressing for us to stay IN
his town, and said he had many things
to show us and talk about. Finally we
consented to stop over the morrow.
We were taken the next morning to the
court dedicated 60 the late king.
Terrible horrors mTst have taken place
in the Enclosure during the preceding
twelve months. We had heard stories
from the Jakrimen of hundreds OF slaves
being caught all over the country, car
ried up to the capital and slaughtered by
the king for the purpose of what they,
call "making bis father" and also OF
" ohopping king"-i. e., fulfilling the
rites and cerem onies required before q
new king is considered as properly seated
on the throne. A horrible object close to
the gate was human being, lately saoIi-
feed, and now suspended between two