Africa . s now in one, now in another hutwith one or another of his wives. All buildings belong-ing to the royal group of huts are enclosed by an earthwall 15 or 20 feet high, and mounted by several ironspikes or prongs, on which are stuck the heads of victims,some already blanched, some with the putrid flesh stilladhering to the bones, and others still fresh and drij)pingwith gore. Yet these constantly-recurring sanguinary rites areless the result of cold-blooded cruelty than of supersti-tious fear and pious tradition. Hence European influ-ence is already beginning to diminish the horrors ofr
Africa . s now in one, now in another hutwith one or another of his wives. All buildings belong-ing to the royal group of huts are enclosed by an earthwall 15 or 20 feet high, and mounted by several ironspikes or prongs, on which are stuck the heads of victims,some already blanched, some with the putrid flesh stilladhering to the bones, and others still fresh and drij)pingwith gore. Yet these constantly-recurring sanguinary rites areless the result of cold-blooded cruelty than of supersti-tious fear and pious tradition. Hence European influ-ence is already beginning to diminish the horrors ofreligious ceremonies liitherto looked on as essential to thewelfare and prosperity of the king and his Dahomey negroes are all fetish-worshippers, andthis, like other forms of religion, has its priesthood, wliichis in Africa no less powerful and influential than else-wliere. Every conceivable object may be converted into DAHOMEY. 149 a fetish by a few magic words muttered over it Ly GATE OF THE GOLGOTHA IN ABOMEY. On the coast this feticism assumes tlie form ofophiolatry, or serpent-worship ; and in Whydah tliere is aspecial snake temple, where more than a hundred ofthese consecrated reptiles are preserved. The Ffons, or Dahomey negroes, are generally of 150 COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL. small size, but very robust. They climb the lofty palm-trei^s like monkeys, drink palm-wine in moderation, butare all the more devoted to tlie rum-flask. They areof a pleasant, cheerful disposition, very sociable, but irre-sistibly addicted to stealing. Everything in the state,including the lives and property of his subjects, belongs,strictly speaking, to the king, who inherits as theeldest born. Besides a number of ordinary troops he hasa female bodyguard of real Amazons, renowned for theirbravery. All the women of this corps pass for wives ofthe king, but they really live in a state of celibacy. TheseAmazons wear a blue and white striped cotton surtout ofnative c
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookidafricakeith0, bookyear1884
