Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB
[merged small][graphic][merged small]

A FISHERMAN, in the month of May, was angling with an artificial fly. He threw his bait with so much skill, that a young TROUT was rushing towards it, when she was prevented by her mother. "Never," said she, "my child, be too precipitate, where there is a possibility of danger. Take due time to consider, before you risk an action that may be fatal. How know you, whether yon appearance be indeed a fly, or the snare of an enemy? Let some one else make the experiment before you. If it be a fly, he, very proba

bly, will elude the first attack; and the second may be made, if not with success, at least with safety." She had no sooner uttered this caution, than a GUDGEON seized upon the pretended fly, and became an example to the giddy daughter, of the great importance of her mother's counsel.

MORAL.

In early youth, ere cautious doubts arise, Each glittering bait appears a golden prize:

Ah! happy he, who, wise before too late, Can draw a lesson from another's fate.

[graphic]
[graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small]

gree for the extraordinary bravery exhi- evade all chance of personal encounter, bited by the African amazon at all times, and to make themselves and their proas the king's wars are always of a com-perty as scarce as the limited period at mercial nature-carried on not to avenge their disposal will admit. "Cowries" insult or injury, but purely for the pur-(the current coin of these realms), cookpose of capturing victims for the slave ing pots, and children, are rapidly trade. The king is closely interested in the success of his arms.

In fact, as Commander Forbes remarks, the royal nigger Gueza is king not only of Dahomey, but of the slave trade and its merchants in Africa; and it is on this account, for the extravagant cruelty that prevails in his dominions, and for that peculiarity of enlisting an army of women, that he is as widely renowned as any monarch in Europe, almost. His dominions are not small. Lying inland on the Guinea coast, they extend from the banks of the Niger almost to those of the Volta; and his rule over this territory is a reign of terror. Terror to us, that is to say; for his majesty's subjects appear to be of so barbarous and bloodthirsty a nature, that a mild rule would be impossible.

Dahomey has been a military nation, and little else, for two centuries; but it was not till the present monarch usurped the throne (his brother was deposed for unmilitary conduct, which, probably, means some vague love of peace and humanity) that the kingdom became so distinguished. Now it has subjugated all the surrounding country; and should any neighbouring people become rich, or numerous, they are swiftly brought up by a declaration of war from the king of Dahomey. Thus it is, that on the western and north-western side of the country, the stream of the Volta alone separates Dahomey from the great rival monarchy of Ashantee; while on the eastern side devastation has been carried on as far as it is convenient to march an army, even on the profitable expedition of a slave hunt.

It is easy to imagine the consternation of a feeble state lying in the ascertained direction of his majesty's march. The inhabitants, instead of congratulating themselves upon the "royal progress," and congregating to witness the imposing cavalcade, immediately endeavour to

secreted in the innermost recesses of the jungle. Young wives, whose value to a Carolina cotton-grower would be nearly equivalent to that of a five-year old drayhorse in Barclay and Perkins's stables, are hurriedly concealed in the depths of recondite caverns. Troops of lads of about the age and size of Oxford undergraduates, though infinitely more desirable in the eyes of a Brazilian merchant, are hastily driven from the paternal home to save them from the pitiless invaders. Meanwhile, each unfortunate elderly gentleman, whose infirmities preclude his escape, begins to feel peculiar discomfort in the region of the Atlas, knowing that his coveted pericranium is of the precise value of nine shillings to any soldier of the king of Dahomey, for the adornment of the royal scullery, and will shortly be disposed of, without the possibility of his having a voice in the transaction, by a summary and most unpleasant process.

We remember a painful instance of the sudden onslaught of this barbarian host upon a flourishing town on the banks of the Quorra river. The assizes were proceeding at the time. A learned and venerable judge, assisted by a black but intelligent bar, was unravelling the intricacies of a complicated case. The proceedings had attracted more than ordinary attention, and a very numerous and grave audience, but all in that simplicity of attire which characterizes the statues of ancient Greece, and the robins of England.

The counsel for the defendant had closed a long harangue in the harsh and unmusical dialect of his race, when suddenly an unusual agitation was perceivable at each avenue leading to the overcrowded court. Neither the sheriffs nor his assistants were able to restore order. The confusion increased; and the worthy judge was finally compelled to yield to the pressure from without. For a few moments the cause of the interruption

was not ascertained; but when the astounding fact transpired, that an overwhelming army of the Dahomans had surrounded the court-house, and that all attempt at resistance was vain, it is impossible to describe the uproar and dis. may that ensued. The enemy were not long in turning their advantage and their prisoners to account. In a few minutes the judge and jailer, both as nude as at their birth, were handcuffed together; the angry plaintiff, his unpaid witnesses, and his leading counsel, the jury, attorneys, and members of some of the oldest and most respected families in the vicinity, were manacled in pairs, marched under a strong escort to a convenient spot, and there sold by their captors to their monarch, at prices averaging from eight to twelve shillings a couple. In twenty-four hours they were all as closely packed as figs in a drum, in the hold of a Yankee slaver, whose fortunate owners cleared an enormous profit upon the transaction. By such cheerful and lucrative pastimes, the tedium of the Dahoman winter is beguiled, and the amiable prince thus recruits alike the energies of his people and his own exchequer.

which he has brought them. Against the devoted city his troops march, whilst the king, nobles, and royal family remain encamped. Daylight is generally the time of onset, and every cunning, secrecy, and ingenuity is exercised to take the enemy by surprise. After the destruction of a town, notice is sent to all neighbouring cabooceers, or chiefs, calling upon them to swear allegiance to the conqueror. Many do so at once, and receive their original rank, with an equal, a Dahoman, to act as coadjutor; the remainder are persecuted till subjugated. On the return from war, in January, the king resides at Cannah, and what is termed makes a fetish,'-i. e., sacrifices largely and gives liberal presents to the fetish people, and, at the same time, purchases the prisoners and 'heads' from his soldiers; the slaves are then sold to the slave merchants, and their blood-money wasted in the ensuing custom,' Hwaenooeewha, as the great annual feast is entitled in Dahoman parlance. Of these customs,' the most important is that held in March, and called the See-queah-hee, at which the king's wealth is profusely displayed. That which is held The delights and the profits of war in May and June, is in honour of trade, keep the population of Dahomey down to with music, dancing, and singing. A about 200,000, of both sexes; and Abo- small schooner on wheels, laden with mey, the capital, has not more than gifts, is then drawn round the capital, 30,000 inhabitants; of the whole popu- and the cargo afterwards scrambled for lation, not more than 20,000 are free by the Dahoman army. August and the remainder are slaves. The regular September are occupied by preparations army numbers about 12,000, of whom for war, serving out powder, balls, or 5,000 are amazons. When the king goes gun-stones (small ironstones), and much to war, he levies in all about 24,000 men, palaver on war subjects. Before going and an equal number of commissariat fol to war, the king makes a 'custom' to the lowers. Then he moves on his war-march, memory of his father, which generally with nearly 50,000 of both sexes, or one-lasts a month; and thus ends the year, fourth of the whole population of the kingdom.

[ocr errors]

"In the months of November and December" (says Commander Forbes, from whom, and from the narrative of Lieutenant Bouet, of the French navy, we compile this article), "the king commences his annual wars. For three successive years his people have asked him for war upon a particular place; and he marches forth, concealing, until within a day's march, the name of the place against

6

keeping the nation in a fever of excite. ment, dancing, singing, haranguing, firing, and cutting off heads; thus demoralizing more and more the natures of a people already amongst the most barba rous of the African nations."

Thus, war is annual; or rather an annual slave-hunt is undertaken to furnish funds for the royal exchequer. This comes in in neat sums for the soldiery, male and female, though they are fed and partly clothed, but receive no pay, except at the

scramble of "cowries" at the feasts, or "customs." Prisoners and "heads" are purchased of them; and it is as well to be forthcoming with one of these articles, at the close of the year. At the "customs" the king will offer a present to a defaulter or a coward; those who have acted well, step forward and accuse him, claiming the present for themselves; and if the charge is substantiated, an execution follows.

Executions are affairs of every day, and the first man in the kingdom is the miegan, or chief executioner. The second is called the mayo, or grand vizier. These ministers have each a "mother," as she is called; a lady who is, in fact, a female mayo, and a female miegan, whose duties are confined to the harem. To the mayo belongs authority over the soldiers masculine; the amazons are under the authority of the miegan. We have engraved a portrait of the mayo now in office.

We have said that the amazons are not supposed to marry, "and by their own statement," says Mr. Forbes, "they have changed their sex. 'We are men,' they say, 'not women.' All dress alike, diet alike, and male and female emulate each other; what the men do the amazons endeavour to surpass. They take great care of their arms, polish the barrels, and, except when on duty, keep them in covers. There is no duty at the palace except when the king is in public, and then a guard of amazons protects the royal person, though on review he is guarded by the males, of whom a large detachment wait at the palace gates ready for service. The amazons are in barracks within the palace inclosure, and under the care of eunuchs and the camoodee, or treasurer. In every action there is some reference to the cutting off of heads. In their dances -and it is the duty of every soldier and amazon to be a proficient dancer-with eyes dilated, the right hand is working in a saw-like manner for some time, as if in the act of cutting round the neck; when both hands are used, a twist is supposed to finish the bloody deed.

There seems to be no doubt that the amazons well preserve their nun-like character; and a Dahomey campaign is by

no means disgraced by that degree of freedom which might be inferred from the constituents of the army; while at home the women are accommodated within the harem's walls, and when abroad share the honours of royal wives. The bell announces to the traveller that he must not gaze on them; and they have few opportunities of conversation with the opposite sex. Their costume, however, is precisely the same as that of the man soldiersa tunic, short drawers, and skull-cap

Our

all in uniform. The general dress of the Dahomans is, a small cloth round the loins, and a large cloth thrown over the left shoulder, leaving the right arm and breast bare, and reaching to the ankles. Hats are seldom worn; shoes never. The women wear a cloth reaching to the knee, fastened under their breasts, leaving them exposed. According to rank and wealth, anklets and armlets of all metals, and necklaces of glass, coral, and beads, are worn by both sexes. readers can behold, on page 219, some members of the amazonian band. Their instruments are not the most musical. First we have the tam-tam, which is formed of the trunk of a large tree, hollowed out and covered at each end with skin. It is ordinarily two yards in length and a yard in diameter. It is of a hideous colour, for it is painted with the blood of the enemy; and as for ornamentation, skulls are arranged about it in garlands. Then there are gongs, formed of two concave pieces of sheet-iron, joined together at their inner edges. Held in one hand by a handle, it is struck with a short iron rod. This instrument is shown in our engraving. The reader will perceive that the gong is covered with network, at which depend certain little tags, the nature of which the reader will not perceive. They are teeth, extracted from the jaws of enemies fallen in battle. The band is augmented by numerous standards of bells, like those which have been im. ported into our own English bands from China; trumpets in brass, copper, and ivory; and flutes and fifes of reed. There is very little concert in the amazonian band; the instrumentalists, of whom there are a hundred, select each their

« AnteriorContinuar »