The French official accounts from Dahomey are most favourable. Colonel
Dodds, in command of the Expedition, reports, on October 31st, that he was attacked on the 20th and 21st by the entire Dahomey= Army, but repulsed it with great slaughter. On the 26th, therefore, he moved forward to Koto, where the King had constructed strong lines, which, after fierce fighting, the French carried. Colonel Dodds pro- posed to reach Kana, the sacred village just outside Abomey, as soon as his force was rested, and would, it is expected, cap- ture that point, and then Abomey, within a fortnight. This account reads truthfully, and suggests that Dahomey, as a Kingdom, will speedily cease to exist, to the relief of all man- kind ; but there are one or two dangers still to be overcome. The French force is greatly weakened by dysentery and malarions fever, and the Dahomeyans will probably fight for Kana, which is the centre of their superstitions, with despairing courage. The force, too, depends a little too much upon its beasts of burden, the negro porters ; and a serious panic among them might paralyse its deliveries of ammunition. Colonel Dodds, however, is evidently a most competent officer, and we may fairly hope for the best, which would be the final and total extinction of this blood-drinking negro dynasty.
Previous page
