3-017-000 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

War trophies taken from the army of the King of Dahomey at Abbeokuta, 1864. Items taken after '...the King of Dahomey's army, reckoned at from ten to fourteen thousand warriors, of whom two thousand were women, suffered a disastrous repulse [by the Egba people] from the walls of Abbeokuta...In the advancing column were Amazons [ie female soldiers], who fought bravely and desperately...[However,] the Dahomians were utterly defeated... The [objects] came out of a box full of trophies of the victory sent by the Rev. H. Townsend, an English missionary at Abbeokuta, to his brother, Mr. George Townsend, who has made a drawing of them for our use. 1. Decapitating-knife, resembling a huge razor, in length about 40 in. It is made to shut like an ordinary razor, and when used, kept tight by a spring. 2. Large wooden drum. This instrument is fluted, and has been split through its entire length in order to discover if it contained charms. Length about 40 in. 3. Cartridge belt, made of skin, and worn by the Amazon round the waist. 4. Dahomian three-legged stool stained with human blood'. From "Illustrated London News", 1864.