The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-04-25

on tho tropically beautiful island OF
Martinique. IN the French West Indies,
kissed by the ever-blue and lmpid waters
Of the Caribbean Sea, Behenzin. ex-king
of Dahomey. passes the few declining
years OF his life-a prisoner of France.
The man. who comparatively a few
years ago. created such havoc in his Afrl-
can fastness Is now almost forgotten. yet
he remains no less the same interesting
character to those who have seen him
ana know OF his personality and habits.
This little creole island The prison Of This
once mighty, yindlctlvc and powerful
heathcn king, is about seven hundred
miles square, and within this narrow
confine Behenzin Is forced TO remgin
closely watched by his guards wherever
he goes.
Before giving my personal Incident in
connection with my friend. the king"
1t would be well:to say something regard
ing his previous history.
France had for "A number OF years a
treaty with the Kingdom OF Dahomcy.
but that treaty had been broken by Be
henzin time and time again, until I'm the
year 1892 war was declared against him
and the noted French general. Dodds IN
command OF a large force, was sent %
that country
They boldly entered the interior. cap
turing many small villages. ultimately
sama, the sacred town. and Aboney. the
capital and home OF Behenzin which had.
however, been abandoned by the king
and his followers, who escaped into the
dense forest
Behenzin chased from pillar TO post,
at last wearied. and finding resistance
useless, surrendered to General Dodds,
and II was afterwards learned that be-
fore he gave himself up he had MS
mother killed in order that her spirit
might convey TO his father in THE
Great Beyond the sad news of his s,r-
render and the downfall OF the Dynasty.
He was then taken To Porto MORO and
thence TO Port Louis where the sea was
viewed by Behenzin for the first time.
10 is a superstition with the Dahonevites
that IL the sea is looked upon by their
ruler the end OF their reign Is sure Ia be
near at hand, and consequently when this
occurred Behenzn gave up all hope and
bowed to the inevitable.
From Port Louis he was transported TO
Fort Tartocon, Martinique, and placed
IN the barracks there. Later on he WAS
given "A house upon the outskirts OF the
city of Fort de France, where he now
lives with his suite still, however, closely
watched by his guards.
Upon my arrival at Martinique | heard
a great deal of His Kingship--in fact Il
seemed to be one OF the chief topics of
conversation and I decided TO make the
acquaintance OF His Royal Hghness II
possible. Journeying To Fert de France
| presented myself anu my card al the
fort where he was then holding court"
and requested ] might be allowed 10 In
terview Behenzin. My object was made
known To the interpreter Ga Dahomcyitc
who spoke Frcnch). VINO, after an alb
sencc OF n few. moments. returned with
the news that the king was quite willing
to grant an interview with 1.-THE man
from beyond the seas"
l entered a large room bare with the
exception of "A solitary chair OF any ar
ticle of furniture. Having seated myself
| had but few minutes To wait when
ljehenzin entered i'm all his stateliness
followed by seven women and two men.
Advancing toward me in a patronizing
manner. he grasped my hand with extra
ordinary pressure and | afterwards look
ed To see If IL still remained, at the
same time uttering I'm gutteral tone
ami" which means friend. and the
only French he has been able 10 master
The women. four of whom are his wives
and three his daughters, stood about him
and when / offered 20 shake hands with
the wives they drew themselves up, fold
ed their arms and i'm common parlance
gave me the 'icey heart"-the daughters,
however. shook hands and bowed cere-
mohously
The appearance of the king is striking
and thoroughly majestic. towering over
six feet two inches in height black as