Fig. 183.—Zanzibar Swords.
The Arabs of Zanzibar preserve the old two-handed weapon of Europe, with a thin, flattish, double-edged blade ending in a bevelled point, and much resembling the executioner’s Sword prolonged. They bear the Solingen mark. Zanzibar, however, has two Swords. The shorter weapon (a, fig. 183) is three-grooved and single-edged, the blade measuring one foot ten inches; the handle and sheath are of copper, embossed or engraved, and adorned with fine stones. The second (b, fig. 183), which is the usual shape carried by Arab gentlemen, is three feet to three and a half feet long; the long tang tapers towards the hilt, and is cased in wood and leather; the pommel is cylindrical, and the grip wants guard and quillons. Demmin (p. 396) finds it ‘difficult to understand how this singular weapon could be wielded.’ It serves mostly for show, and when wanted is used like a quarterstaff with both hands. But the Zanzibari’s Sword is always clumsy, as dangerous to the wielder as the old blade of the Gauls and Ancient Britons. Their cousins, the Bedawin living about Maskat, have conserved with a religious respect, many ancient weapons won or bought in older days, and possibly dating from crusading times. These valuable articles travelled far: the Portuguese found amongst the Moors of Malacca ‘Swords bearing in Latin the inscription “God help me.”’
The Sword is also known to the blood-stained Despotisms that border the West Coast of Africa—Ashanti, Dahome, and Benin. Many of the shapes are borrowed: such are the Maroccan Yataghan, the Turkish or rather Persian Scymitar, and the Malay Krís (crease). Provided with silver hilts and scabbard mountings, they are generally wrapped in cloths, showing only the upper part of the sheath and grip. Some of the forms have developed till they look almost original, especially the short broad blades pierced with holes like fish-slicers, and ending in circinal curves. They suggest the well-known Indian choppers, and probably in both countries they derive from Egypt. In Ashanti-land and Dahome they are mostly of iron, some are of brass, and others of gold;[525] and they are fantastically punched into chevrons and pierced with open-work. These ‘fish-slicers’ are used in sacrifice and in beheading, an operation which they perform very badly. Mr. Henry M. Stanley[526] refers to ‘long-handled cleaver-like weapons’ amongst the savages of Makongo; and to iron bill-hooks and ‘massive cleaver-looking knives with polished blades’ in Karagwé.
Fig. 184.—Gold Coast Swords.
(Captain Cameron.)
Fig. 185.—Ashanti Sword-Knife.
Fig. 186.—Swords of King Gelele of Dahome.