The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-11
THIRTY MILES OF COOMASSIE.
From Prahsu to the Adansi Hills-Life in
the Gloom of the Forest and at the Cabin
Notwithstanding with tho Enemy
Fetish Ceremonial Against Con-
Bones-Human Sacrifice.
QUIzA. AsHANTEE LAND, Jan. q, 1874.

oV0oo AAuAnoA EdC1 lOCGs
QUIzA. AsHANTEE LAND, Jan. 81, 1874.
You will observe date my letter from Ashantee
Land, for we can at last truly do so, having ar
rived in Ashantee proper yesterday morning.
There are no more doubts as to whether
we will really invade. Ashantee territory, for the
act has been done, and we are but thirty miles
from the AshanJee capital.
RELIEVED FROM DANGEROUS POSITION.
When wrote last we were in a difficult pO-
sltion; the transport threatened to be a wOeiul
failure; the desertIon of carriers was fast becom
ing general; the liant hearts were increasing in
number and deporting themselves to in
accessible hiding places, and, in our
opinion, the star of General Sir Garnet
Wolseley, hitherto 80 bright, was waning.
Very lew OF US believed in his heart OF hearts that
the General was fit man; he was liked and adj
mired Tor his social qualities; partial men were
numerous and willing to volunteer pleas in his be-
half, and many chivarous officers there were who
were ready to defend him from each and every
detractlOn; but the feeling of dstrust was spread
ing. we were to have moved forward on the 18th,
in four coumns-Captain Glover on the extreme
right with his Haussas and Yornbas; Captain But
Ter left OF him, with an unknown number Of Atkins;
Sir Garnet and his two brgades to the left of But
Ter, from Prahsu northward, and Captains Dali
rymple and Moore on the extreme left, with an
incompatible host of revengeful Wassaws and
Denkeras, altogether between 600 and 10000 in
number. Our future movements, marches and
strategies had been formulated and elaborated,
and Coomassie, the Ashantee capital was predes-
tined to fall on such and such date, until the
transport arrangements and all concerned, from
the home government in England down to the
lowest subaltern on the control stan were pro-
co; OcC
Garnet's staff had no word OF consolation to offer
to the eager specials, though Sir Garnet seemed
smiling and assured and the happiest mortal under
the sun. The chief OF staff, Colonel Graves dared
TO say even the evening OF the
18th that the arrangements were not al
tered, that the force would really move
on the 18th, though we who knew that
the force could not live on bamboo LEAKAGE and
blades OF tiger grass or on twigs OF cottonwood
mentally doubted the possibility Of the contem-
plated move. The morning OF the 18th an officer
OF the staf, who had heretofore been remarkable
Tor nothing save sullen contempt for the press
CORPS voluntarily surprised us by saying that the
headquarters would not leave .Prahsu on the 18th,
probably not until the 23d.
A FELLOW FEELING.
Even this was satisfactory. weeks postpone
ment could not be set down as failure.
certain General in command OF the Army Of
the Potomac deferred his forward march,
ana that when he finally did move moved
backward, and how they firmly resolved
to believe him TO be not failure, VIII not be
prised to know, perhaps, that do not believe Sir
Garnet to be failure, because he had this once
deferred his departure from Prahsu for week.
Indeed there has been nothing In the Generals
conduct to criticse, unless it be the gratutous
lance he placed in negroes promises, faith in ne
gro honor, confidence in the integrity OF a savage
backamoor, and acting according to that belief to
the detriment OF the expedition. Not without
some labor and anxiety had force OF 5000 5000
carriers been collected, drilled rationed paid,
chiefs feed and coddled and their vanities tickled.
1t was the height OF folly not to have protected
them against ill-treatment and guarded against
their desertion after going to expense to
them.
DISCIPLINE AND IMPROVEMENT OF ORGANIZATION
When 1t might be said that the expedition was
verging on an ignominious collapse Colonel Col
ley-a late arrival from England-had devoted
himself since landing at Cape Coast Castle, to
studying the transport problem and to Analysing
the nature OF the negro carrier and his qualifca-
lions. He found a most defective system had been
followed with them. The poor negroes, loaded
down with necessaries OF war, in the habit OF
being driven to the 'front.' unrationed subjected to
gross brutality without cause, and on arriving
with their loads at the depOts, were CON-
PEELED to stand for hours in the sun before
they got their food. He found, also, that though
they were dealt with severely, very little II any,
precaution was taken to prevent deserton. They
were permitted to struggle, slngly or in couples,
along the entire line of march. One or two native
policemen, slouching unconcernedly in rear OF the
struggling carriers, were supposed 10 be sufficient
for 500 more. A heartless Sandhurst boy, called
the Control On1cer, received the carriers at his
depot and his subsequent treatment OF them de-
pended on the state OF his stomach and liver more
than upon the importance of the strict discharge
OF a control oficer's duties Colley's presence at
Cape Coast Infused feeling OF responsibility into
his suoordinates. The happygo.lucky style fdoing
business was abandoned for an earnest and con-
pended the fate of valuable expedition Along
the road change for the better was observable
AT the first sign of the approach or carriers the
Young control officers abandoned their pipes and
their swinging hammocSs for business. The loads
were examined, and the carriers being rationed,
at once were marched or to camps under
the care of their owD chiefs, who were
held responsible for their absence. At the
same time two or more policemen were sta
toned at each village, who were ordered to Sc
cure any man who returned home without
pass. Deserters soon began to ascertain that to
live outside OF government employ was impossible;
the forest gave nothing to the starving; their VII
lagos were N the possession Of policemen. yhe