THE AMAZONS OF DAHOMEY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3806, 26 September 1883, Page 4

THE AMAZONS OF DAHOMEY.

Perhaps the most extraordinary feature in Dahoman economy is the band of Amazons or female warriors. The word has got incorporated into the English language as expressing a masculine woman, but yvhat tho Amazons really are is not generally known. Their origin dates from 1728, yvheu the exigencies of yvar compelled the then king to organise a regiment of yvomen, with whom he attacked and defeated the old Whydahs. Since then they have been a marked feature iv the military establishment of the Dahoman kingdom. Under Gezu the corps attained a maximum of greatness. AVith tho acutcness yvhich distinguished him, he raised tho Amazonian body from being merely a subordinate establishment to an ccpial level yvith the male soldiers, and created female officers, so that, by surrounding himself yvith a band of female viragos, bound to him by all the ties of gratitude and interest, he could at once put a check on too ambitious subjects, and nip in the bud the first signs of rebellion. On a certain day—once in three years—every subject must present himself, yvith his daughters above a certain ago, beforo the king. Tho most promising of those belonging to the higher classes he selects as officers, the poorer ones beingchosen as soldiers; yvhile the children of slaves become the servants of tho Amazons who reside within the palace. This done, the other daughters are returned to their parents to be disposed of as thoy may find proper. Some of the selected girls are " dashed" or presented to the most meritorious soldiers as wives; while all the female children of these Amazonian wives are Amazons by birthright. With these exceptions, every Amazon is a celibate; but as military discipline is not always equal to preserving the little god from his mischievious yvork, a fetish—tlie Demonis erected over one of the palace gates, which by its power at once discovers any Amazon yvho is unfaithful to her military oath in the matter of celibacy. The informers also—who in these cases arc generally jealous of tho culprit—are never backward in causing- the misdemeanor of the erring soldiercss to reach the ears of the ldng,°aiid, her fears being yvorked sho almost invariably confesses the name of her lover. Tho result is that both are punished

—he assuredly b,y a cruel death, and she in all likelihood by tlie hands of her comrades. The king has several Amazons as concubines, under the name of " leopard-wives," who enjoy many privileges. Though tho flower of the corps perished under the wall of Abeokeuta in 1804, their number may be yet about 4,000. They are divided into three brigades, each of which has a peculiar head-dress or method of dressing tho hair. Each of those brigades is commanded by fernalo officers and sub-officers, and is again divided into Atcbaraya, or Blunderbusswomen, the veterans of the army—only called into action in case of urgent need; the Gbcto, or Elephant-huntresses, one of the most celebrated corps in the army, and who on hunting expeditions are exposed to great clanger from the infuriated animals; the Nyekplch-hentoh, or Razor-women, of whom there are only a few to each wing. Their special object of aversion is tho king of the enemy, and_ the bugh razor which they carry is especially intendod for the decapitation of this monarch. Lastly, there are the Gulonentoh, or Musketeers,' and the Cohento, or Archercsses, who are all young girls, and more of a show corps, their weapons being of comparatively little use in active warfare. In addition, there are troops of cam]) followers, hewers of wood and drawers of water, liven they enjoy certain priviledges. If met within the pathway, headed by a beldame ringing a bell, every man (unless bearing the " king's stick" as an iiisignium of rank) must instantly disappear "to the right or left; to look upon them would bo a crime. Accordingly they are exceedingly important, and arrogantly jealous of their prerogatives. All the corps of Amazons—with tho exception of the Archercsses —aro armed with the muskets or blunderbusses, kept scrupulously clean ; but though these female warriors are brave to ferocity, yet they are poor markswomon, Mr Sketchely considering that a haystack would be about tho sum of their accomplishments in this respect.—The Peoples of the AVorld.