The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-01-17
THE ASHANTEES.

THE ASHANTEES.
Of the wealth of the Ashantees the wild
est ideas seem to prevail 1t appears to be
| generally believed that If our troops find
their way to Coomasse they will secure a
booty sufficiently large to compensate them
for the hardships they may have to under
go in getting there. That gold is plenti-
full is notorious. The soil of Ashantee is
said to be imprcgnated with this precious
metal, and considerable quantities have
been procured from the sand of the streets
of Coomassie. The mines are undoubted-
ly rich and imperfectly worked; some of
them, indeed, through the superstitions of
the people, are not worked at all. The
King of Ashantee is probably tine wealth.
lest man in Western Africa. For, he may
not indiscrminately confscate the proper
ty of his subjects to his own use, yet his
revenues are considerable. To him falls
all the unwrought gold of which his PEG,
pie die possessed. To him is paid a heavy
tax on all the gold that is manufactured
into ornaments. A large percentage of
the gold which is taken from the mines
finds its way into his treasury. He re-
ceives the tribute from the subjected pro-
vinces, as we'll as the duty that is levied on
all gold found in the market of Coomassic,
and on all merchandise brought into his
kingdom. Another great source of his
wealth arises from the confiscation of the
property of those who have been publicly
convicted Of witch craft. There is moth
ing more universally believed in than this
mysterious art, which is supposed to make
its possessor almost omnipotent, and there
is nothing more deprecated than the suspi-
cion of possessing it. Nevertheless, many
of the most wealthy people of the land are
annually found guilty of practising witch
craft, and the bulk of their property goes
to the King. 1t is the same everywhere in
Africa. But lately a cattle disease has
been very virulent in Zululand. Ketch
wayo had hitherto discountenanced pun
ishments for witchcraft, and had consider
ably lessened the number of executions for
that crime. But his own cattle died, while
those of some Of his weather. subjects
lived and it was very soon discovered by
the medicine men that his losses were
owing to witchcraft, and that the possess
sors of the healthful cattle were the guilty
parties. This discovery proved fatal to
them, and led to considerable increase in
the number Of Ketchwayo's cattle.
On certain occasions the King of Asian
tee makes display of his riches, and en-
courages his great men to do the same.
Clothed in robes Of silk and laden with
jewels of gold, he sits upon throne which
is heavy with gold adornments. His at
PENDANTS surround him almost as gorgeous
ly at.ired as himself, and bearing in their
hands the wealth of his treasure house,
which consists of vessels and implements
of gold that are probably more than equal
in value to any war indemnity we may
think proper to impose.
In emulation of their King, all who
have wealth at least once in their lives
make an ostentatious display Of it; and
there are those who have seen such dis
plays, who declare, that as the King of
Ashantee is the richest potentate, SO is
Coomassic the richest town in Western
Africa.
Besides gold, the country has natural
resources. which, if properly developed,
would make it prolific in the production
of all things necessary for home consump-
ton and valuable for expectation. Thepre-
sent products of the soil are Indian corn,
peas, beans, yams, pumpkins, bananas,
melons, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, man.
ioc, and sugar cane, besides many other
articles of food, and many kinds of fruit.
Cotton, indigo, and coffee might be grown
to any extent.
The commerce of Ashantee with the
coast is not great, but with the interior of
Africa it is considerable. The chief ex-
ports are gold-dust, ivory, and the gura-
nut, which is species of bean, greatly
ior for its tonic qualities, and is also used
by them as others Of their faith use the
betel nut-if the two be not identical.
The Ashantees are not generally indus.
trious-a warlike people seldom are; but
they are skillful in the manufacture of
gold ornaments which art they have learn
ed from the people at the coast and from
the half-caste Moors from the interior.
They are also workers in iron, and make
their own knives swords, and agricultural
implements. And in common with many
others of their race, they fabricate cotton
cloths, which, however, are not so delicate
as the fine linen Of ancient Egypt.
The houses of the Ashantees differ from
those found in many other parts of Africa.
The circular hut, so common in the eastern
aud southern regions of the Continent, is
not known to them. On the contrary, the
Ashantee houses are rectangular in shape,
with high clay walls, and are sometimes
more than one story high. The walls and
doors are usually painted with species of
chalk, and pictures of animals and gro
teSQue UgufeS OF all KINGS are drawn upon
them.-The CornhW Magazine.
"A certain doctor, who sometimes drank
a good deal at dinner, was summoned one
evening to see lady patient when he was
more than "half seas over,' and con-
scious that he was so. On feeling her
pulse and finding himself unable to count