The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-11


from the Colonel announcing that he had collected
1900 men and 1.4OO women as carriers and that
1900 OF them were route with provisions but a
few miles from Prahsu
RENFoRCEMENTs AND FOOD.
On the nth. as consequence OF the good news.
the Rifle Brigades first wing arrived at Prahsu,
and soon after every face was beaming bright at
the sight Of 200 stout, lusty Abras marching
In With loads OF rice, sugar, tea, &C. &C., on their
heads. On the 18th 600 fellows came in with an
additional supply and 500 carriers were sent across
the Prah to convey supplies to the advance. On
the 10th another force OF 500 bearers were de-
spatched across the Prah to convey food to the
uepots in front. The prospect becomes more and
more encouraging. Each day reipfOrcements and
supplies are daily arriving at Prahsu. AS we do
not anticipate another breakdown or impeachment
before the capture Of Coomassie 1t is easy to tell
what our future movements win be.
ONWARD TO THE FRONT.
On the morning Of the 10th left Prahsu, where
l had lived for three weeks for the 'front.'. The
first day reached Assaman, twelve miles from
the Prah; the second day arrived at Ackrofuma,
after ten miles, marcn: the third day brought
me to Quiza at the base of the famous Adansi
hills, ON the Ashanteee side and the first real
Ashantee village we have seen.
LIFE IN THE GLOOMY FOREST.
Inc same eteTDal lOreSL WHICH mas enlOlueu US III
its dusky, humid embrace since we left InquiDim,
near the sea, stretched across the Prah beyond
Assaman and Ackroiuma, up ana across the
Adansi hills, seldom lit up by the broad,
honest face OF day, always gloomy, twi.
lighted. Occasionally streak Of sunshine
stole through depths OF LEAKAGE and cast silver
bars across the path. Cottonwood and teak,
bombax and phairen, gigantic brethren of the
trOpic forest, stood up straight and strong. up
lifting mighty globes of green leaves side by side
with the bastard mahogany; and the bantam, the
mangrove and the wild zig, all strong armed and
the Anakims OF the vegetable world, nourishlng
countless parasites and dwardng innumerabe
trees, and mile after mile, curve after curve every
unduation after another showed US the same un-
in character slowly. You could not discern
the change IN the vegetation, nor IN tn, the
stone stole up from under cover, and where it
gave an ochrsh colorng to the clay, and where
the tamped path gave out ringing sound to the
stamp OF nailed boots sometimes, too, one de.
tected to our right or our left a dark shadow OF
hin looming through the forest. The. rustllng
sound OF running water over rocks and pebbles
told us that we were approaching hily country.
UP THE ADANsI
When came to Moissee was at the foot Of the
Adansi Hills, on the ASSN side. Colonel Evlyn
Wood was IN command OF camp situate here,
ana was constructing stockade which would
ned by Hoassas, 'S was also here en- After a
hearty breakfast at the hospitable mess
JaDlC OIL Colonel WOOu anu Captain FuTZc
/ started up the ascent provided by the indomlta.
bic Hume, chief of engineers, and all those bound
Tor the mont had many times cause to bless his
laborS. The original path by which the AshanteeS
had retreated to their own country was straight
shoot up hill that was almost as steep as precl-
plce. After hall an hours fatlguing tug up we
had surmounted the hil and were permitted TO
have view which in a country like this may be
line from east to west separate from each other.
The view AL around was that OF an uneven country
deeply wooded, the cooring OF whose foliage va.
nnlu tn linn sod
here and there by the leaiess and bleached
branches of some ancient cottonwood. When we
looked at the slopes OF the neghboring hills the
forest exposed variety Of tree stems, some Of
silver gray tall, straight and smooth; others
rugged and crooked; some tenuous and graceful;
others colossal, but dwarfed Where the tamarind
and minOsa nOurished on the hill slopes the scene
was more picturesque from the tender green Of
their foliage and the parachute-llke expanding Of
their branches.
ANOTHER CAMP
had been formed on the top of the hill, and the
Ofcer in command praised the site for its salubrty
and breezy, cool airs. One breath of the delight
1ul, sweet wlnd which famed my heated features
informed me OF what joys he experienced and or
how he must have felt invigorated after his cam
paigning in the warm, moist, unhealthy atmosphere
OF the lower forests.
ARIsroCRAcY WITH PLUCK.
Lord Clifford, the chief OF scouts, states that
when he had assembled half way up the mn he
rousted out OF ambuscade some half u dozen Ash
antee scouts, who shouted out 10 him to keep his
men back, otherwise they would fire on HIM; but
as the young nobleman pressed on his men the
Asnantees gave way, reluctantly reversing their
guns; or. IN other words, turning the stocks Of
their guns to Chords party as sign that they
did not wish to force hostllites. The summit Of
the hill was thus gained without blOOdshed, aud
the most important position which the Ashantees
could possibly have held was surrendered without
a blow. On the top of the hill an elaborate fetch
ceremony mad been performed to thwart If pos
sble, the views and prospects OF the British eXpe-
dition. Two goats had been impaled and buried
alive, surrounded with Sticks placed In circle
pons Of G d po
ing upright, bore a paper. on which was written
with Moorish characters a most horrible curse
upon each and every man VINO crossed the Adansi
Hills into Ashantee land. Ignorant Of the nature
of the dreadful penalties he was mourning at the
hands OF the insulted and dened fetch deity Lord
clifford plunged down the slope with his scouts
and at the base surprised some more OF the enemy
at the village OF Quza, who retired with guns re-
they were going 70 ASH permission from the chief
oil FomannA9 70 fight.
HUMAN SACRIFICES.
In the village OF Quiza q more awful ceremony
had taken place-a human being had been sacri-
feed to invoke the aid OF the stoid ietch god
undoubtedly was, had been cruelty tortured, and
had undergone a horrible mutation before he had
finally sunk under his suf1erings. The Darbarous
spectacle OF dead man, half buried in the ground,
his mutilated organs exposed, an old gun pointed
in his nerveless hands towards the approach from
iectaton Of those avarcieHs White men who not
content with the possession of the entire seacoast
sought to increase their possessions by the INVASION
OF our most powerful fetch deltles rest on their
heads.
RURAL SCENES AND TOPOGRAPHY.
AS stood on the crown OF the Adansl hill tried
to obtain as extensive q view possible OF the
forested land which was the object OF our journey.
The eyes, as they rested on the expanding sea OF
leafy verdure which lay like thick green carpet
over the uneven earth In a succession OF waves
and troughs, seldom saw q land which externally
seemed more peaceful or seemed to enjoy deeper
SaDbath-like serenity, or better adapted as the
abode OF peace and rest. 1t was, indeed picture
OF deep, undisturbed stiffness; Tor looking from
the height OF 1000 leet down to the far-spreadlng
could be heard rusthng, not branch creaking as
1T bent, no sound OF beast or fowl or insect broke
the charmed stiffness; but those who knew the
the animal and insect lite that swarmed within Its
depths, knew that the height and distance caused
the pleasing illusion OF serenity. Turning my eyes
away from the scene started to continue my jour-
ney, and was soon charging down the precipltous
steep on the AShantee slde the first OF my col