Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1820-05-09

chair richly OrDamented with gold-tbe
belts Of his guards were cased in gold, and
covered with small jaw bones Of the same
metal. His eunuch wore only one massey
piece of gold about bis neck. The royal
stool, entirely cased in gold, was displayed
under splendid umbreIIa--the breasts Of
the attendants we're adorned with large
STARE, crescents and gossamer wings, OF
solid gold. The regal relatives wore gold
chains about their necks. The kings Ia
BILE was furnished with massey plate, silver
forks, knives, and spoons in abundance,
and in the centre large silver waiter
supported a roasted pig--and the various
cookery was Of an eycellen. character.
Mr.. Bowdich supposes the number OF
men in the kingdom capable OF bearing
arms, TO be rising of 200, O00-the dispo-
sable force to $50, 000-the whole popnIa-
ton to be million. They have daily
market supplied with beef, mutton, wild
hog, deer, monkeys flesh, fowls, yams,
pIantains, corn, sugarcane. rice, peppers,
vegetables, butter, oranges, papans, pine
apples, bananas, salt aud dried fish, large
snaiIs smoke dried; palm wine. rum, pipes,
beads, looking glasses; sandals, silk, cot
ton cloth, powder, white and blue thread,
calibashes." The cattle are as large as
English cattle-the soil produces two
crops 10 a year--all the fruits mentioned
as being 10 the market grow spontaneously
and in great abundance-the oranges are
very large and of exquisite fayour--a
berry which gives to acids the favour of
sweets, making lines taste like honey, is
common--the caster oil plant rises TO
large tree, and the cotton tree sometimes
to $50 feet.
The government is despotic, frequently
severe aud oppressive, and in enforcing
the custom which has been mentioned,
cruel and sanguinary. They have sort
of legislative body, consisting OF the King,
four aristocratical assessors, aud All assem-
5tyof captains, making their three estates.
With respect TO religion, they believe
that white people are under the care of a
higher sort of god, and that the blacks are
left to the care of Inferior deities, though
they expect that black kings and black
nobility viii go to the upper gods after
death. and enjoy for ever the luxury which
was their portion on earth. Hence cooks,
buffers, &c. are sacrificed on their tomhs.
They have two sorts of priests, one to hold
intercourse with their idols, the other to
coniure, tell fortunes, &c.
Gold and silver are in great abundance
among them, and are wrought, with con-
siderable skill, into vessels and utensils
Such is slight account of this nation
Of negroes, race that has apparently, by
The force Of their powers, made consldera-
BILE advances towards civilization and
organized state of society and
who, it would seem, if the proper pains
we're taken, and the necessary means and
were afforded, might become
a well Informed, well regulated, humane,
and christianized people. But, 1t appears,
that the great obstacle 10 the introduction
of the real blessings Of civilized life among
them, is that terrible curse, corrupter, aud
desoIator OF nations-the Stare trade. So
long as Spain continues the traffic, nothing
can be hoped towards this object from the
efforts of those nations that prohibit il
Whilst this mission was there,one thousand
slaves left the Ashantee country for two
Spanish schooners that were upon the
coast. Until this traffic is effectually
broken up-and that will never be until
the prosecution of it shall be declared to
be. and punished as, piracy -there is little
hope that these heather barbarians viii
become just and humane. But, it is per-
fectly apparent, from the example Of this
people, that there is no material defect of
bodily or mental powers and capacities,
10 the inhabitants of Africa.