The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-03-28
ROyal POmD in Ashantee.

We were suddenly surprised by the sight
of Moors, who afforded the first general di-
versity of dress; there were seventeen superi :.
ors, arrayed in large cloaks of white satin
richly trimmed with spangled embroidery;
their shirts aud trousers were of silk, and a
very large turban of white muslin
was studded with a border of different color
ed stones {; their attendants wore red caps and
tulbans, and long white shirts, which hung
over their trousers; those Of the interiors
were Of dark blue cloth; they slowly raised.
their eyes from the ground as we passed and
with most malignant scOwl. The prolong-
ed fourishes of the horns, deafening tu-
multi of drums, and the fuller concert of the
intervals, announced that we were approach
ing the king; we were already passing the
principal officers of his household the cham
berlain, the gold horn blower, the captain of
the market, the keeper of the royal burial
ground and the master of the bands, sat sur
rounded by retinue and splendor which be-
spoke the dignity and importance of their Of
fcers. The cook had a number of small ser
vices covered with leopard's skin held behind
him, and large quantity of massy silver
plate was displayed before him punch-bowls,
walters, coffee pots, tankards, and a very
large vessel with heavy handles and clawcd
feet, which seemed to have been made to
hold incense. observed Portuguese in
scription on one piece, and they seemed gen.
orally OF that manufacture. The execution
er, man OF an immense size, wOre massy
gold hatchet on his breast; and tie execution
stool was held before hin, ,clotteS in blood and
partly covered with cawl of at Tbe kings
four lirguists were encircled " splendor in
ferior to none, and their peculiar insignia,
gold canes, were elevated a all directions, tied
in bundles like fasces.
The keeper of the .easury added to his
own magnifcence by She ostentatious display
of his service; the blowpan, boxes, scales and
weights were of Slid gold. A delay of some
minutes, whilst we severay approached to
receive the kipg's hand, afforded us a thor |
ough view othim. His department first ex- |
cited nv atention. Native dignity in prin- |
ces we are pleased to call barbarous was a |
curious spectacle. His manners were ma
jestic, Jet Courteous; and he did not allow |
his surprise to beguie him for moment Of !
the composure of the monarch. RaP
pesred to be about 50 years Of age sclneO nsNs 20
he wore fillet OF aggry beads round his tenn
pies, necklace Of gold cockspur shells
strung by their largest ends, and over his
right shoulder red silk cord, suspending
three saphies cased i'll gold; his bracelets
were the richest mixtures of beads and gold,
and his fingers covered with rings; his cloth
was of dark green silk; pointed diadem
was elegantly painted in white on his tore
head; also a pattern resembling an erau cite
on each shoulder, and an ornament like
full-blown rose, one leaf rising above another
until it covered his whole breast; his knee
bands were of aggry beads, and his ankle
strings of gold ornaments OF the most deli
cate workmanship, small drums, sankos,
stools, swords, guns, and birds, clustered to-
gether; his sandals, of a soft white leather,
were embossed across the instep-band with
small gold and silver cases of saphies; he was
seated in low chair, richly ornameEted with
gold; he wore pair of gold castanets on his
finger and thumb, which he clapped TO en-
force silence. The belts of the guards behind
his chair were cased in gold, aud covered
With ss..au ;a,al,a..as of the sarna metal; tha
elephants tails, waving like small cloud be-
fore him, were spangled with gold, and large
plumes OF feathers were fourished amid them.
His eunuch presided over these attendants,
wearing only one massy piece of gold about
his neck; the royal stool, entirely cased in
gold, was displayed under splendid umbrel-
Ia, with plums, sankos, horns, and various
musical instruments, cased in gold, about the
thickness OF cartridge paper; large circles
of gold hung by scarlet cloth from the swords
of state, the sheaths as well as the handles
| of which were also cased; hatchets Of the
same were intermixed with them the breasts
| of the Orchas and variOns attendants were
| adorned with large stars, stools, crescents,
| and gossamer wings of solid gold We pur-
sued our course through this blazing circle,
| which afforded to the last variety exceeding
description and memory; SO many sPiendid
novelties diverting the fatigue, heat' ana
| pressure we were labouring under.
| We were almost exhausted, however by
| the time we reached the end; when, instead
of heino conducted to our residence, we were
( desired to seat ourselves under tree at some
distance TO receive the compliments OF the
whole in our turn.-Mission to Ashantee by
| the late T. E. Botodich.