The commander rides in the centre of his regiment, if provided with a horse (which is not stronger than a Shetland pony), with two men holding him on. Others who have no horses are carried in hammocks. After about four thousand men had passed me, marching without any discipline or form, I returned to the King’s canopy to await the commencement of the review. In a short time the female soldiers made their appearance in full marching order, with provisions, amounting to about seventeen hundred. This corps was preceded by its band. The drum is carried on the head, one end to the front and the other to the rear; the person beating it walks behind the carrier. The drum belonging to the corps was ornamented with twelve human skulls. The women carrying provisions march in the rear, each of them having a certain portion of baggage; some carry mats for the female officers to lie upon, and one woman carries a large umbrella for the commanding officer. Those carrying provisions have large calabashes on their heads, weighing about sixty pounds each, containing different sorts of provisions, such as fowls cooked in palm-oil, kankie, dab-a-dab, made of the same material as kankie, but boiled instead of baked. This is the principal food used here for general consumption, as well as on the march. Seven standards are also carried with this regiment, the tops of which are ornamented with human skulls. This regiment belongs to Megah, the King’s principal jailor. About two hundred marched past as I have described, followed in succession by the King’s women, to-day amounting to six hundred, all from the King’s palace. These were headed by Dagbyweka. The drum was also ornamented by twelve skulls of traitors, or men caught in arms against the King. This corps observed certain regulations on the march not customary with the others: nine women and an officer marched in front as an advance guard, at a short interval fifty supporters, then followed the main body. One individual officer is always appointed to lead the attack, who is distinguished by a sword of different pattern. An attack is, if possible, always made in the night, or very early in the morning. Next followed the female soldiers from Apadomey, commanded by Knawie (or white man’s mother). Next, Icandee people, a country distant one day’s journey to the W.N.W. of Abomey.