The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-05

describes his six years life among the
Yorubans. He tells the story of the
narrow escape of Aheokuta, city of
200, 900 inhabitants. from destruction by
the king of Dahomey little while he
fore he was Shorn of his power by the
French.
The king of Dahomey advanced
against that great city with a large
army, including several thousand anna
IONS, female warriors who were moth
ing better than human tigers. Mr.
Stone says that one of their faVorlte
amusements was 10 see which of them
could first get through a high circle of
thorns to kill helpless prisoner tied
to a stake. Though their limbs we're
shockngly tern by the thnrns. they
thought it excellent sport. One ANA
Zon could offer no greater insult to an
other than tell her you are nothing
but a man." and only the death of one
or the other could settle the difficulty
They were past human feeling and
shedding human blood was their chief
delight.
This large army was able through
| favorable circumstances to advance
! within ten miles of Abeokuta without
being detected, A large forest lies be-
| tween DahomPy and Abeokuta. The
| thousands of DahOmians had entered
! this forest in single file at many places
| and had cut their way through 1t, step
| by step. until they reached Eshagga,
! suburb ten mill from ADeokuta They
| were month travelling through the
| forest, and during this time We're not
| permitted to make any noise that
| would distinguish them from wild
| animal. If any one forgot himself and
| spoke in an ordinary voice he was in
| stantly slain orders to the men
We're given in Erunts ana barks like
| those of monkeys. In this way they
made several miles a day, and united
all their columns just before coming
| out of the forest at Eshagga.
A singular custom of the Iorubans
| made it easy FOR them to get into this
| populous }1urb When Yorubans go
! to war the do not salute any one, and
| it is a gross insult for any one to sa-
| lutte them. The Dahomians came out
| on the road between Eshagga and
] Abeokuta about dark. If he had
| known it he might easily have destroyed
| the great city that night, for the Horu-
bans were wholly unprepared and did
| not suspect the enemy's presence. But
| the king thought ii unwiSe to leave
| 10000 Yorubans in his rear. and there
| fore determined to destroy Eshagga
| that night and assault AbeOkuta next
day So his columns marched toward
| the suburb, and those who lived there
thought the soldiers were Yorubans on
their way to the war at Ejahyay, and
as they never spoke to soldiers on the
march they did not know the fearful
| blunder they had made.
| The Danhomians quietly fled into the
| town and encamped in the market
place, the inhabitants feeling all the
more secure because so many soldiers
| had come among them They retired
to rest, little knowing the sword that
was at their throat. Soon after the
| doomed city became still the slaughter
| began. Nearly 10000 persons were
killed, only a few hundred being spar
ed to he taken to Dahomey and there
offered in sacrifice Everybody else
perished except one man, who, though
/ badly wounded, succeeded in reaching
Abeokuta next morning and giving the
alarm. The city was terribly fright
ened but it was found Il little later
that the hostile king had abandoned
his original plan. and not a single Da-
| hOmian was within thirty miles of the
| city. Apparently he was stated with
the terrible slaughter at Eshagga and
decided to- postpone his attack on the
| great city until the following season.
! Then the attack came, but Ahenkuta
| was ready to defend herself to the ut
most. and the tyrant of Dahomey was
repulsed with heavy loss.-NeW York
| Sun.