The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-02-13
ASRaamGees

3AsiIantee lis the most notable of tn
existing savage kingdoms on the Wes
tern coast of Africa. It's boundarie
are not accurately defined; approx
mately the kingdom may be considered
the region fronting the Gold Coast, be
tween latitude 50 and 100 north ana
longitude 10 and 60 west. Until the
commencement of the present century
Astlantee was unheard of by Europeans
for the Fantees, a hostile tribe, occu.
pied the coast. In 1907 Osai Tutu was
King of Ashantee. He appears to have
subjugated many of the neighbOrine
tribes. Two of his tributary chiefs
having fed to the Fantee country, Osai
demanded that they should be given
mp to him. The demand was refused,
ana the AsIantee messengers were put
to death. Osai t~hereupOn made an in
cursion into the Fantee country, which
he ravaged down to the coast. The
British, who had q fort at AnambOe on
the coast, undertook to shelter the fly
ing Fantees. The Ashantees invested
the fort, and compelled the British
governor to ask for peace. This peace
was of brief duration. In 1917 the
Ashantees again invaded the Fantee
country, and took possession of it, their
acquisition by right of conquest being
recognized by the British governor Of
the fort. In 1922 the Fantees, O
aged by the British, rose against the
Ashantees, who again marched into
their country. Sir Charles Mccarthy,
the British governor of the Gold Coast,
undertook to chastise the invaders. A
sharp action took place, January 81,
1894, in which the British were defeated,
the commander and nearly all his Off
GERS being killed. The victorious Asian
tees came rear capturing the British
stronghold of Cape Coast Castle; but,
sickness coming on, they were obliged
to withdraw to their own country.
Since that time the Ashantees have
kept alOOf from the seabOard, but ap-
pear to have extended their dominion
into the interior. Now and then travel
ers have made their way to CoOmaseie,
the Ashantee capital, in latitude &c 81
north, longitude % 16' west. They re-
port that the government is an absolute
despotism. The king ia the great
property owner, and is the legal heir of
all his subjects. Slavery exists on a
large scale, many of the mobiles having
many as II Thousand slaves. Up
to within a few years the slave trade
prOspered and gave a large income to
the masters; but now that the trade
Eec "OSA4nC0S SIbfC1f SGCAlIS 1IkGIy UD
die ont. Polygamy may be considered
special institution Of Ashantee.
The Importance Of q man is measured
by the number of his wives; for these
IRE the cheapest laborers. The king, it
is said, is limited to three thousand
three hundred and thirty-three wives,
who, during the working season, are
scattered over his plantations. While
1t home in the capital they occupy two
where they are secluded from
Ill but the king and his female rela-
any other person who looks upon
me of them, even by accident, is
punished by death. As to their religion,
human sacrifices seem too constitute
he distinguishing feature. The soil is
producing every kind of tropical
and fruits. The abundance of |
'old displayed as ornaments shows that
mines are common many of the richest, j
are held sacred to the divini- j
les and SO not worked. Among the s
pecial industries, may be mentioned a {
'eautifql fabric of cotton, woven in
trips four inches wide, and afterward |
ewed together. A considerable COM t
lerce is carried on between Coomassie c
nd HOossa, Bornoo, Timbuctoo, and V
ther points in the interior the prinei- "
al exports are gold-dust and ivory. 1
he population of the country is by
estimated to reach, or even to +
xceed, three million.-CRevised Ameri- o
IN CyclOpRdia. t