The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-10-13
PeculIaritIes of the Ashantees.
Tho Army omeer., the Court and the
Umbrella.

Now that the EnBuSn'hbnAnteeM Wal
Is attracting attention, anything rela.
ting to the latter people is OF interest.
A letter writer says
The post of general Of the Ashantee
army is not always desirable one.
When the army is dispatched the gem
eral is told to carry out certain opera
tions, with the intimation that II he
fails to do SO and returns he will be be-
headed. This promise is generally re-
ligiously kept II he fails TO carry out his
orders, and produces great activity and
yigor among the Ashantee generals. In
most cases, when IN Ashantee army is
about to invade country, before taking
any active steps, the general. in Tcom-
mand sends q fist Of his demands to the
enemy, and two sticks, one short, the
other long. This signifies that If his
requests arc complied with, the war will
be short, and he will return, but that If
they refuse it will be long and bloody.
This occurred in the last Ashantee war,
when Governor Pine commanded Rt
Cape Coast.
Gommassie is the capital Of Ashantee,
although not the most populous in the
kings realms. II is well built town,
with wide streets. The kings palace,
which is built OF quArried stone, is q
large and capacious editice. 1t iR two
stories high, some OF the rooms in it are
Of great size, and all arc very lofty.
Attached to tho kings palace is the
great court yard, where he holds his
councils Of the mobiles. The king sits
on a low throne, and the chiefs sitround
those Of the highest rank being near
est to the king. A space in front OF the
king 10 always kept clear for the speak
ers. and wllos4eI is addressing the
assembly takes his stand there.
The Palace and the BantammEh are
the two principal public buildings in
Commasslv. Tie two chief streets, or
squares as they arc called, are Market
SQUARE and Cannon sqttare, the latter
taking It's name from trophy Of
European cannon in IL. They were
taken from the Dutch many years ago.
In 1t the king sits in state and gives
public audiences to his subjects. The
population OF Commassie Is about 40,-
ZOO. The most populous town in the
Asliartes dominions is Salaga, tho cap
ital OF the principally of Jabon. II is
famous for its breed Of hofses, and is
situated on the upper Volta, about 200
miles from Commassie.
The Ashantee army, when in the
ieldy carries few banners or flags, and
but little Importance or, honor Is nt-
tached to them. What hold with the
Ashantees the position which stepdards
occupy with otherarmies are the umbrel-
las OF tho king and the chiefs. When
the king Of Ashantee takes the field his
presence is denoted by his State um-
brelln, which is always carticd near
him or over him by ono OF the MOBILES
Of his household, the Kings umbrella
bearer being always man OF vcry high
rank. The kings umbrella is Of great
size. II is constructed Of alternate
triangles OF red and black vslTet, and is
splendidly ornamented with gold. To
give IN idea OF the value OF these UNI.
brellas, the umbrella OF chief not Of
the first rank often costs G200. When
the king takes the field his State dress
consists Of q light tunic Of crimson
velvet OF damask, reaching from his
neck nearly to tiis arms, OF loose trous-
ers OF some similar material, and he
wears u cap OF crimson velvet, or at
times cloth OF the same color wound
round his head as turban, with pro-
fusion Of gold ornaments about his per-
son.
The loss OF tho kings umbrella in
battle would be considered the greatest
disgrace and defeat an Ashantee army
could meet with; and in like manner
for chief TO loose his umbrella in bat
tie is q great diShonor to him. The
chiefs oil carry umbrellas varying in
splendor and costliness according to the
rank OF their owner, hut no Ashantee
chief may have an umbrella as large Rs
the kings, or with the same arrange.
ment oftlowers, which are specially re.
served for royalty.
When tho Ashantee army take the
field their arms consist Of q long musket,
the barrel OF which alone is five feel
long. They are called Buccaneers, and
they wear in their girdles q large spear
headed knife, which at close quarters
is very formidable weapon indeed.
They carry their powder in n sort ol
leather case, and their bullets in q bag
OF native mating. A certain portion o.
tho army, about one.fourth, are armed
with short carbines or blunderbusses
which aru loaded with several bullets q
time, and with pixies about six fee
long.
Tho Ashantee army is raised in I
manner not altogether unlike the man
ner in which feudal army was rnisei
in Europe formerly. Each OF the grea
chiefs commands q body consisting o
his own class or ieudal vassals. In th,
regiment or division, II IL may be 81
sailed, the companies or regiments, q
the case may be, consist OF tho mel
brought in by the subordinate chiefs
each commanding his own body OF re
tainers, and oil tho men in each Of then
owe feudRl allegiance to the chief VIII,
commands 1t. Several OF such clans o
regiments are placed under tho com
mand Of one Of the greater chiefs. Th
regiments and divisions are distinguish
cd by the different colors OF their tunic
and caps. Each chief is supposed h
provide for the commissar.at Of his owl
mon but the king, whose revenues ar
very large, generally brings supplies Q
food for the common use to supplement
private resources.
The kings revenues ore derived prir
cipally from tho gold mines, nearly a
the most valuable mines being his ow
private property; and oil nugget
found, no matter where, belong TO hin
while the gold dust belongs to the find
ora