The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1874-02-25
AShan:ea.

A>hdhtee Is the most notahle of tba
existing savage Kingdoms on the west
erh coast of Africa. It's boundaries
are nor accurately defined; approximate
" the kingdom may be considered fine
region fronting the Gold Coast, he
tween latitude 50 and 100 north and
longitude 10 and 60 west. Until the
commencement of the present ceptnrv
Ashi''tee was nnheard of by Europe-
ans, for the Fautees. a hostile triha
occupied the coast. In 1907 Osai Tutu
was KING or Ashantee. He appears to
nave snhjngated many of the reicb-
boring t'lbes. Two of his tributary
ch'eis having fled to the Fantee coun-
Try, Osai demanded that they should
he given up 20 him. The demand was
refused, and the Ashanteo messengers
were put to death. Osai thereupon
made an lncnrsion iuto the Faptee
country, which he ravased down to
The coast. The British, who had q fort
at Anambne on the coast, undertook 70
shelter the flying Faulees. TIL e
As''antees invested the fort, and com.
PEELED the British governor to ash, for
peace. This peace was of brief duro
'ion. In 1917 the Ashaniees AGAIN in.
waited the Fantee country, and took
possession OF it, their acquisition by
llsht of conquest being rerocnized bv
the British governor of The to,t. In
TO- The Fhntees, encouraged Ivy the
british, rose against the Asliautees,
WHO again marched into their country.
Sir Charles Mccarthy, the British GOV
ernor OF the Gold Coast. undertook to
claslIse the invaders. A sharp action
took place, january Fl, 1924, in which
the British were defeated, tho COM
mander and nearly all his officers be-
ING killed. The victorious Ashanlees
came near capturing the British
stronghold of Cape Coast Castle; but
sickness coming on, they were obliged
ito withdraw to their own county.
Since that time the AsI,antees have
Kept aloof from the seaboard. bnt an
pear TO have extended their dominion
into the interior. Now and then trav-
elers have made their way to Coomas
sic, The Asllantee capital, in latitude
60 ST. north, longitude % 1G' west.
They report that The government is an
absolute despotism. Tbs king is the
great property owner, and is the legal
heir Of all his subjects. Slavery exists
on a large scale, many of the nobies
having as many as one thousand slaves.
Up to within a few years he slave
trade prospered aud gave lar &c in
come TO the masters: but now that the
trade has declined. slavery seems like
~ to die out. polygamy may be con-
Sidered the special institution of
Ashantee. The Importance Ola man
is measured by tie number of Ills
wives; for these are the cheapest labo-
rers. The king, it is said, is limited
TO three Thousand three hundred and
tlirty-tl1ee wives, who, during The
working season, are scattered over his
plantations. While at home in the
capital they occupy two streets, where
they are secluded from all but the King
and his female relatives; any other
person. who looks upon one Of them,
even by accident, is punished by death.
AS to their religion. human sacrifices
seem TO constitute the distinguishing
feature. The soil is fertile, producing
every kind of tropical grains and fruits.
The abundance of gold displayed as
ornaments shows that mines are COM
mon; many Of the richest, however,
are held sacred to the divinities and so
are not worked. Among the special
industries, may he mentioned beanfl-
FIJI fabric of cotton, woven in strips fonr
inches wide, and alterwa'd scwed to-
cether. A considerable commegce is
carried on between CoOmassic and
unnssa Rnrnnn Timhuctnn and OF her