In this country it is customary, when a servant or messenger is sent to inquire after the health of any person of rank, to send your cane or stick, which the messenger delivers into the hands of the person addressed. When the King sends his messenger in the morning to make his compliments and inquire after my health, both my people and the messenger-attendants prostrate themselves and kiss the ground to the King’s cane.
Next morning, June 12th, as early as seven o’clock, I was again summoned to attend the review. On approaching his Majesty, the same ceremony was observed as on my introduction yesterday. He again asked me to ride, and told me he should like the principal officers in command of the male soldiers to be present at this day’s review to see me. Accordingly, some of the principal ministers came with me to show me where to stand, to allow the passing soldiery to have a full view of the King’s visitor, or King’s stranger, as they called me. The soldiers were now fast arriving from all quarters; each regiment preceded by its band, whose instruments produced the most discordant sounds that can be imagined—drums, elephants’ teeth, bullocks’ horns, and a sort of triangular iron tube, which they beat with a small stick, and which gave forth sounds like a sheep-bell.
The commander rides in the centre of his regiment, if provided with a horse (which is not stronger than a Shetland pony), with two men holding him on. Others who have no horses are carried in hammocks. After about four thousand men had passed me, marching without any discipline or form, I returned to the King’s canopy to await the commencement of the review. In a short time the female soldiers made their appearance in full marching order, with provisions, amounting to about seventeen hundred. This corps was preceded by its band. The drum is carried on the head, one end to the front and the other to the rear; the person beating it walks behind the carrier. The drum belonging to the corps was ornamented with twelve human skulls. The women carrying provisions march in the rear, each of them having a certain portion of baggage; some carry mats for the female officers to lie upon, and one woman carries a large umbrella for the commanding officer. Those carrying provisions have large calabashes on their heads, weighing about sixty pounds each, containing different sorts of provisions, such as fowls cooked in palm-oil, kankie, dab-a-dab, made of the same material as kankie, but boiled instead of baked. This is the principal food used here for general consumption, as well as on the march. Seven standards are also carried with this regiment, the tops of which are ornamented with human skulls. This regiment belongs to Megah, the King’s principal jailor.
About two hundred marched past as I have described, followed in succession by the King’s women, to-day amounting to six hundred, all from the King’s palace. These were headed by Dagbyweka. The drum was also ornamented by twelve skulls of traitors, or men caught in arms against the King. This corps observed certain regulations on the march not customary with the others: nine women and an officer marched in front as an advance guard, at a short interval fifty supporters, then followed the main body. One individual officer is always appointed to lead the attack, who is distinguished by a sword of different pattern. An attack is, if possible, always made in the night, or very early in the morning.
Next followed the female soldiers from Apadomey, commanded by Knawie (or white man’s mother). Next, Icandee people, a country distant one day’s journey to the W.N.W. of Abomey.
After this procession, which consisted altogether of about eight thousand women, well armed and clothed, had passed, the King asked me to go and see what his women-soldiers were about to perform. I was accordingly conducted to a large space of broken ground, where fourteen days had been occupied in erecting three immense prickly piles of green bush. These three clumps, or piles, of a sort of strong briar or thorn, armed with the most dangerous prickles, were placed in line, occupying about four hundred yards, leaving only a narrow passage between them, sufficient merely to distinguish each clump appointed to each regiment. These piles were about seventy feet wide and eight feet high. Upon examining them, I could not persuade myself that any human being, without boots or shoes, would, under any circumstances, attempt to pass over so dangerous a collection of the most efficiently armed plants I had ever seen. Behind these piles already mentioned, were yards, or large pens, at the distance of three hundred yards, fenced with piles seven feet high, thickly matted together with strong reeds. Enclosed therein were several hundred slaves belonging to the King.
It may be well to state that this affair was entirely got up to illustrate an attack upon a town and the capture of prisoners, who are of course made slaves. After waiting a short time, the Apadomey soldiers made their appearance at about two hundred yards from or in front of the first pile, where they halted with shouldered arms. In a few seconds the word for attack was given, and a rush was made towards the pile with a speed beyond conception, and in less than one minute the whole body had passed over this immense pile, and had taken the supposed town. Each of the other piles was passed with equal rapidity at intervals of twenty minutes; after which we again returned to our former station in the market-place. Here we found his Majesty waiting for us. He anxiously inquired how I was pleased with the performance of his female soldiers, and asked if I thought the same number of Englishwomen would perform the same. I, of course, answered, no: we had no female soldiers in England, but we had females who had individually and voluntarily equally distinguished themselves.
In a short time after our return, the Apadomey regiment passed, on their return, in single file—each leading in a string a young male or female slave, carrying also the dried scalp of one man supposed to have been killed in the attack. On all such occasions, when a person is killed in battle, the skin is taken from the head, and kept as a trophy of valour.[16] I counted seven hundred scalps pass in this manner. The captains of each corps, in passing, again presented themselves before his Majesty, and received the King’s approval of their conduct. After all had passed, each regiment again formed in column before the King, and each officer was presented to me, and their deeds of valour recorded, for which they were promoted. No promotion takes place unless merited on account of some act of distinguished merit. When the King’s household troop or regiment formed up, his Majesty asked me if I observed the form of an animal worn on the white cotton skull-cap of this corps. I replied in the affirmative. This animal, he informed me, was killed by some of his women when in the bush during the last war, a few months ago; and he had ordered the figure to be worn on the cap as a badge of distinction.
One officer of this corps of King’s soldier-wives was introduced to me. Her name was Adadimo. This female had, during the two last years’ war, taken, successively, each year a male prisoner, for which she was promoted, and his Majesty had also presented her with two female slaves. Adadimo is a tall thin woman, about twenty-two years of age, and good-looking for a black, and mild and unassuming in appearance. The King also introduced her to an Ashantee prince and some attendants, who were here on a visit, of which I was not before aware. No doubt the King of Ashantee had sent them as spies to ascertain whether I really did pass through Dahomey to the Kong Mountains or not, as it will be recollected that, upon the King of Ashantee refusing to allow me to pass, the Governor of Cape Coast (Captain Hill) told the King’s messenger that I should pass to the mountains in spite of him (the King of Ashantee). After presenting Adadimo to the Ashantees, he addressed her and the regiment to the following effect, the regiment being now on their knees:—He told them that I was one of the Queen of England’s soldiers, sent on a friendly mission or visit, to collect information respecting his kingdom; and he himself felt proud and much gratified to be able to inform them all of the circumstance, more especially as he could assure them that the Queen of England was the greatest and most powerful sovereign in the world, and far surpassed all countries in war, as well as in the manufacture of guns and cloth, the two British articles best known in the country. He repeated that the highest possible compliment was paid to Adadimo, by her being introduced to me, and having her name registered in my book. During this speech she remained on her knees, and returned me repeated thanks. The same example was followed by the whole regiment.
Next came a regiment belonging to a country called Ginoa, commanded by a female of the same name. This regiment consisted only of three hundred women. This corps make no prisoners, but kill all. After all this ceremony was over, the principal male officers prostrated themselves, and went through the regular form of harangue, as if this review had been actual service. They informed his Majesty that they were happy to congratulate him upon the return of his victorious army and capture of a great number of slaves.