1864. | Geography and Ethnology. 755 
Capt. Burton states that there is a dual king in Dahomey, one for 
the town and another for the country ; and two courts, one male and 
the other female. The female element is strong in everything. Not 
only are there Amazonian troops, but to each important person, even 
including the English strangers, two women are appointed as guards, 
under the designation of “mother.” The women are unusually strong 
and muscular, and are organized after a very imperfect fashion into 
troops. Of these there are four corps, distinguished as grenadiers, 
elephant hunters, razor bearers, archeresses ; and there are also troops 
of the line, who however do not seem so much given to fighting as to 
dancing, in which all are great proficients. The total strength of this 
female army does not exceed 2,500, and the fighting members are not 
1,700; of whom 1,000 form the king’s body-guard. Strangers—Capt. 
Burton himself included—are appointed to honorary commands in this 
singular female army. 
In conclusion, and after giving many curious accounts of these 
people, Capt. Burton expressed his firm conviction that the kingdom 
of Dahomey, once comparatively strong, is now weakening rapidly, 
and stated that on the occasion of an attack recently made by them 
on a neighbouring and somewhat more civilized tribe, they were 
thoroughly defeated and driven back with little difficulty. 
Two papers on the Amazons were read—one by Mr. R. Spruce, 
on the river Purus; the other by Mr. Bates, on the Delta of the 
Amazons. The Purus connects with the Amazons near the sea, the 
water occasionally running from the Purus into the Amazons, and at 
other times from the Amazons into the Purus. The latter is an im- 
portant navigable river, running through a country almost a dead 
level. It has numerous lakes. It comes in from the south, and 
appears to have deep water, so that it may afford a valuable means of 
communication with the Andes. 
The Delta of the Amazons is exceptional. It is neither a mud 
swamp nor unhealthy, the soil being sandy, with a rocky substratum 
of calcareous beds, containing fossil marine shells. The climate is 
pleasant. In the wet season (January to June), the rainfall in 1848 
was 61 inches ; and in the dry season (the rest of the year), 9} inches. 
There are two low islands within the main mouth of the river, and 
these also are not muddy. Advancing, however, up the river by the 
Para branch, all signs of ancient land disappear, and the true Delta 
may be said to commence. Innumerable labyrinthine channels extend 
for a distance of 80 miles in length and breadth, and the land consists 
entirely of recent river detritus. Lofty and luxuriant tropical forest 
covers every part, and overhangs the narrow channels of water which | 
are often not more than 80 yards wide. The climate here is much 
more humid than below. It results that (owing no doubt to changes 
Englishmen are present the black king tries to make things as pleasant as possible, 
in order that the scenes enacted may be painted, as they have evidently been, 
couleur de rose. Gérard was driven out of Dahomey for his candour, so if the 
wretched king of this unfortunate people continues his horrible “ customs,” it is 
not for want of knowing those of civilized nations, for they evidently take in 
‘The Times’ at Abomey !—The Editors. 
