AMAZONS IN ACTION.

Te Aroha News, Volume VIII, Issue 484, 28 June 1890, Page 4

AMAZONS IN ACTION.

The Story of a Fight in Dahomey.

A New York “Tribune” special cable from Paris says a firm of Rouen haa received from a traveller, who is actually at Kotonon, a letter, under date of March 5, containing the following particulars about the attack by the Dahomians •. During the last few days there had been about fifteen sharpshooters wounded. Something was expected, but gradually the watchfulness had become rather weak. The consequence was that the sentinels were fast asleep at 5.30 in the moaning when the Dahomians advanced in snakelike glidings. They surprised the sentinels and cut off their heads. In the same manner the watchman of the battery was butchered. The artillery quartermaster endeavoured to defend himself, but an amazon, a fine girl of 16, stabbed him with a poinard and cut his throat. The same fate happened to a brigadier, and also to a non-commissioned officer of artillery. Meanwhile the alarm had been given. The Senegalese riflemen arrived on the run and swept off the first ranks of the Dahomians. The bold young amazon was caught, thrown to the ground and her neck cut. At the same moment Governor Boyatb signalled to the gunboat at anchor just off th® battlefield. Immediately a hailstorm of bombs and Hotchkiss balls rained over the Dahomians, and caused them to take flight to the underbrush, leaving from 500 to 600 cf their people on the ground. Tho amazons still constitute the best part of the Dahomian army. This corps of about 2,500 women is mainly recruited from young girls of the best families in Dahomey, designated by the caprice of the King for military service. They live in barracks like regular soldiers, and are sworn to perpetual virginity. Nevertheless one-third of the amazon corps is composed of immoral women, whose lives have been spared on condition of their enlistment, and of quarrelsome wives, complained of by their husbands to the King, who is only free to make use of their fighting humour by incorporating these female demons into his army. One company of the amazon regiment bears the name of * razor virgins,’ because they are armed with razors five feet long, which are terrible weapons in African fights, and are used in time of peace to decapitate men sentenced to death by the Dahomian king, who also uses his amazons as public executioners. Another company is named * the big muskets,’ each woman soldier being accompanied by a slave, who carries a heavy flintlock. The ' suro to kill ’ company is formed of the best sharpshooters. There are also * carbiners ’ and * bayonet ’ companies. The ‘ arrowbearers is composed of girls too young yet for actual lighting, but who are employed as reconnoitring parties and in the ambulance corps. . The * elephant ’ company is not destined for the battle-field, but for hunting elephants and procuring ivory for the royal treasury. The mosb daring, agile, and athletic girls are admitted into this company, which might be called the citil or private service of King Kondo,