Every one of these serpents is held sacred. If one of them, astray from its home, is encountered by one of the superstitious negroes, it is approached in a most reverential manner, often on the knees, and then lifted carefully in the arms and carried back into the sacred house with the most humble apologies from the worshiping savage for the liberty he is taking in touching anything so sacred.
When, by accident, a European, unaware of its sacred character, has killed one of these serpents, it has been only with the greatest difficulty that his life has been saved from paying the forfeit for the sacrilegious act; so great has been the wrath of the priests and their fanatical people.
The serpent is thus reverenced because during a siege in war time it appeared to the army, and so inspired the soldiers with courage and ardor that a victory was won.
Abomey is the capital of Dahomey. It is situated seventy miles inland, and stands upon a level plateau. It is a walled city. The walls are of clay, and measure about eight miles in length. They are pierced by four gates, according to some writers; by six, according to others. Each has a double opening, one for the exclusive use of the king, the other for his subjects.
The walls of the town are twenty feet in height. A ditch from four to six feet deep is an added protection, in case an enemy should storm the walls. This ditch is crossed by means of light bridges of wood, which can easily be moved in case of danger.
The houses are widely separated, and in some instances are surrounded by small farms. The streets are broad and tolerably clean, but by no means crowded; many of them are shaded by magnificent trees.
Near the center of the city is a small edifice, with a round roof sustained by a wooden colonnade. This is the building in which the human sacrifices formerly took place.
Near this is the palace of the king, consisting of a number of ordinary dwellings separated by courts and gardens, and serving as the lodgings of the king's female soldiers and his domestic slaves.
These dwellings are made of clay dried in the sun, and roofed with bamboos, which extend over the fronts and form verandas; only one of them has a doorway which opens on the principal street. This is the royal treasure house and is two stories high. Its walls are festooned with strings of cowries, hanging from the eaves to the ground, an ornamentation which is found nowhere else.
The king has no special apartment out of the many that comprise his palace, but chooses any, from time to time, which suits his fancy.