Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 1892. Dahomey.

Manawatu Herald, 26 April 1892, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 1892. Dahomey.

Ever since 1782 the Kingdom of Dahomey has been governed by a series of cruel tyrants. The awful accounts of the bloodshed indulged in at the 'death of a monarch mu|t be fresh in the minds of most r of*6itv readers, from the descriptions published by Captain Burton and other

African travellers. The situation, on the coast, of this kingdom gave the rulers the coveted outlet for the successful disposal of the slaves captured in the interior of the continent, and to this day the spot is marked as the "slave coast." The Dutch, the French; the "Portuguese, .and Danes held fortified positions on the shore, to secure their traders in this horrible trade. When the na"tion? agreed, at the commencement .of the present century, to join in putting down the slave trade, the Dutch and Danes believing "their occupation gone " relinquished then* possessions to this English, who immediately entered upon a legitimate trad© in palm oil, and other tropical products. "The French held on to their positions and are now engaged in what will probably be a very expensive contest with the kingdom of Dahomey. We have no particulars to hand of the precise reason for the misunderstanding that has arisen with the French, but it will probably be found to arise from the dread the .King of Dahomey has of being cut off from the coast. He has just cause to fear, as the neighbouring state of Ashantee in 1873, lost their coast territory, by interfering with the transfer of the Dutch possessions in that territory to the English. The Dahomeyan troops are said to number some twelye. thousand, all well 'armed and provided with machine guns, and to have approached within a mile of Kutanu (or Porto Novo). Over this town of 20,000 inhabitants, France exercises a protectorate. History repeats itself in this case. The king has intimated that he holds certain Europeans who will be massacred if he is attacked The king, in 1876 also did, but his coast was. blockaded' and. he made concessions. Some peculiar complications may arise during this dispute with France, as Dahomey, after further fights and defeats by the British got placed, at the king's request, under the protectorate of Portugal! It would appear an excellent thing if the French would " §o in " and annex this turbulent and barbarous kingdom, if merely to prevent a repetition of the blood thirsty customs at the death of the monarch. The country, away from the ooast, is very unhealthy rendering it impossible for Europeans to live there permanently, and even the|negro inhabitants suffer greatly from malarial fever. Dahomey has one interesting feature, viz., its force of Amazons, the famous fighting women. The Amazons of Afrioa are the survival of the Amazons mentioned before 1200 b.c, who derfred their name from the Greek a, meaning no, and mazos, meaning breast, or no-breasts, from • the horrible fact that at' one time, these women,- to enable thein to^ throw tb^e javelin with more forcef •burned their right breasts off. With a change of weapons, this custom, whioh gave "these fighting women the name ; they are known by, has ceased. ■ ■