The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-08

zion or 10000 souls DOUBT whether there 1000
Of them who understand English. The people are
as barbarous, untutored and superstitious as
though they had never seen an Englishman's face.
They are as wild in appearance, as naked In body,
as filthv in their habits as any tribe OF savages
have seen. Their
FETICH IDOLS
and medicine heaps, and Mumbo Jumbo rites are
visible in the streets OF Cape Coast. The Bizarre
fantasies in which women caper about nude, and
ancient hays disagreeaby remind you OF the
ronyness OF the human body in Old age. and little,
conscienceless children prank and mop, involved
inextricaby between the pedal extremities OF
their grandmothers, form picture oil the most
horrible depravity, and one utterly unsuited, l
should say, at least Tor any portion OF the British
colonies.
If / have to echo the opinions of all white men
who have come out lately to join this expedition
and declare that these people are the most
INDECENT, toil-hating tribe 1t has ever
been my lot to see, am bound
also to say that the administrators the
administrators-in-cnief, the governors and sub
governors sent out to rule them must have been
selected by the British government Tor those very
qualities which we are all so ready to condemn
in the Fantees OF Cape coast Castle.
Consider the thing POS years in posse ssion. Why,
Prussia was made kingdom only l72 years ago.
The battle OF the Boyne was fought only 1873 years
ago. Just think, then. how many things have
transpired during the 2O5 years since first John
Bull laid his paw on this spot in the Gold Coast,
and yet the Fantees the population of this govern
mental station, have to be described as the most
shiftless and indolent OF the negro race.
BRITISH FOLLY.
Apart from the crime of having behaved so
oan nrin hot
nighted and utterly lost creatures must charge
the British with their usual fault of raising the
cost of labor and necessaries or life to about 20
times what 1t ought to be. Englishmen are as
much sufferers as am myself. They suffered as
much from the same folly as did in Abyssnia.
When we might have obtained fowls at the rate of
IL for 81 in Abyssinia, Sir William Merewether
commanded three fowls only should be given for
81. There has been as yet. to my knowledge, no
such order from Sir Garnet respecting
the number OF fowls to be given for
81, but I do expect some such order will
be issued soon, as proclamations are being
issued almost daily. In the meantime how
ever, the prices of everything have risen, until
l should much prefer to pay the high prices of
living at the Fifth Avenue Hotel rather than at q
miserable Fantee hut.
Two chickens cost 81 here and mutton is not
purchasable under rs cents per pound. Much Of
anything else cannot De had for love or money,
except rice, which sells at is pounds for 81. The
household expenses are enormously nigh. First,
your hammock bearers cost you at the rate of $45
per month: your pOrters, who are to carry your
effects and provisions to the .'bush, cost you as
much more; your house rent costs you $40 and
your cook SIS per month, so that II one fnds his
bills at the end OF month to be under 5000 one
must consider himself specially fortunate.
al thotv
tees should be abusive OF them when began this
letter, that think had better bottle up my in
dignation for the present
have already remarked that the Fantees are
very superstitious Their fetish consists OF
wooden image OF an armless and legess man,
which is placed upright by the side OF some public
street, and at its back is generally found medi-
cine heap, covered over with either turtles back
or huge stone. II the fetish Is not formed of
wood, figure OF clay or q padded dolshaped
thing, answers just as well. This image, made OF
wood or clay or old rags, is endowed by
the fetish priest with extraordinary powers.
white man, educated at university
in all the secrets of medicine and surgery ID not
gifted with one-half the powers commonly as
crlbed to and commonly believed to be possessed
by this miserable IDOL The fetish man carries the
image to the bedside of fever-stricken patient,
mumbles formulas into the ear of the sick one,
waves the fetish over his head, and departs satis-
fed that a cure has begun already. But should
the British surgeon come up in time to arrest the
progress OF the disease and erect cure,
THE FETISH MAN
curses the surgeon for making his fetish to ie be-
lievng that the failure of the image was caused
by the undetermined and false Vaccinations OF the
surgeon.
III were to describe all the ceremonies which I
an
columns; but there Is one which have seen which
causes intense disgust to the colOred missionaries
OF the town. 1t Is the exhibition of virgin arriv-
ing ut years of puberty to the rude gaze OF the
rabble OF Cape Coast Before the British authori-
ties nteriered the scene was really disgusting and
downright savage; but at present, though 1t is q
singular one, the immodesty Off Is yelled some
what The young girl, in former times, was &C.
customed to be stripped naked and obliged to
march thus through the Streets loaded with gold
and silver ornaments. The wealth OF the family
was sometimes seen on her person, amounting
in value to several hundred dollars worth, while
ner friends and relatives, her playmates and &C.
quaintances, followed her with all the fanaronade
which delights the ears OF savages Several Kim
kassts. or drums, were beaten in the most ener-
getic manner; flies were blown, ana the vocal
noises inharmonious at the best of times. were alb
solutely deafening She was thus paraded around
the town until every household had enjoyed the
inefrable felicity of seeing the virginia. maid when,
at dusk, she was conducted to the bridal bed Of
her husband, who had probably paid dowry for her
to her parents to the amount of $40 or $50. The
earlier hours Of hymeneal joy were honored with
an increase OF din, at which all the
friends and relatives participated, and
bestial orgy concluded the singular cere-
mony. In these modest times, however, the
maid is not permitted to expose her person, but is
shown about properly clothed and bejeweled, and
since the absence OF the Fantee males in the
"bush" the noise and din Of the iestivty is not 80
unbearable and soul-distracting as formerly.
Lest my letter may be lntolerably long-dull as
know 1t to be from lack of war news-I propose to
give you a few remarks concerning
THE ASHANTEES.
To begin with the King. then. The present chief