The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-02
Rev. Mr.. Kuhns--.His Sudden Appearance,
Companions and Commission
INTERVIEWED FOR TIE HERALD.
Description of King Koffee---His Palace,
Army and System Of Rule.
HIS THREE HUNDRED WIVES.
WOlseley's Route---Onward
for COOmaSSie.
CAMP AT PRAHsU, ON THE BANKS OF TIE pRAH,

CAMP AT PRAHSU, ON THE BANKS OF TIE PRAH,
ASSN LAND, West Africa JAN is, 1874. !
The answer to Sir Garnet's third ultimatum has
been received from Coomasse. 1t speaks OF the
Kings desire for peace with the white men. The
envoy who brought 1t and his suite OF fifteen men
were halted at Assaman. Yesterday, also, the ap-
parition OF q pale faced captive-a shadow Of a
man suffering from pulmonary consumption. one
who had fingered In compulsory detention at the
capital OF Ashantee since the 18th OF June. 1860
startled the entire camp This SICK captive is the
Rev. Mr.. Kuhne, Of the Basic MISSION jealous
missionary, native OF Neuchatel, who, after five
years residence at Coomassie. was suddenly per-
United TO leave Ashantee and proceed to the camp
OF Sir Garnet Wolseley.
REv. Mr. KUaSE's REPoRT-rHK KING AND HIS
DYNASTY.
The poor man is in such wretched state Of oad
health that could not find it in my heart to sub
Ject him 10 prolonged interview, but in the fol-
lowing remarks you will ind interviewer such in
FORMATION of interest as l have been able TO
giean:-
The King of Ashantee is young man thirty.
1--WE or thirty-slx years old, strongly pltted with
araces OF smallpox, possessing some natural
liability but which has been warped by the assiduous
sand constant nattery Of his parasitcaI and trem-
Bling subjects. The aduatory cries OF the town
Crler OF the capital are more than sufficient to
dransform any man, white or black into vain
3ncarnate despot. They are generally in the strain
oil 20 King, thou art the king above all kings
Thou art great Thou art mighty Thou art
strong Thou hast done enough! The princes Of
the earth BOW down 10 thee, and humble them
selves in the dust before thy stool
Who is like unto the King OF all the Ash
Anteess" King Konee, though arrogant
and vain and cruel beyond measure. has the eye Of
King, which means that it is the eye of one pos
sessing unliuited power over life and death. So
little does he value human life that he frequently
says, "By the slaughter Of one hundred shall be
able tc produce a thousand The King is placed
ON the stool by the united voice of the chiefs but
immediately he is seated in him becomes vested
The supreme power over life and death. II the
council OF chiefs and captains propose that be shall
engage IN war, he dare not absolutely refuse 20
make war lest some ask him, with sheer, il he is
AFRAID. when. If he replies in the affirmative, the
monarch's prestige departs from him. When the
chiefs propose that he shall make peace, after
Raging in war which turns out TO be ruinOus he
may then proclaim that peace shall be declared,
without mourning disrespect. great power in
Ashantee Is the Kings mother who often, with her
advice, has plunged Ashantee into war or fastened
q peace.
THE ROYAL RESIDENCE.
The Kings palace is large hut after the native
style OF architecture, and adjoining it is another
residence the twO-stOrled stone house constructed
for him by Dupns, traveller who visited Asian
tee about 1870. The missionaries have lately con-
structed another house for him A feet long,
rs feet wide and two stories high, OF brick which
they themselves manufactured for the King.
BRIGHAM YOUNG BEATEN AS A PoLYGAMIsT
The King has about 300 wives, though they do
not all live in the palace, but scattered among
the suburban crooms, or villages 1t is death for
man to look at the female possessions OF the mon
nj the
criers hasten ahead to clear the way and warn the
citizens OF the advance OF the fatal procession
with cries Of "Ecow ecowl chi ehl eh,, the
first two words being drawn out ike our ''halloor
while the three lass delivered in quick success
zion and in higher tones. AS they approach the
passengers turn their backs to the road and
cover theIf faces with their hands, so they may
not be thought to take any advantage Of the con.
fdence OF the King in thus exposing his human
treasures to the light of day.
WEALTH.
Bowdichs graphic descriptions OF the stately
professions and the wealth OF barbaric gold dis.
pensed at Coomassie on grand occasions turn out
to be correct This wealth principally consists OF
golden heirlooms, ornaments OF massy gold which
generation after generation treasured in secret
places. II a hostile army approached the capital
this gold would be hidden, and the death Of all
slaves would be almost certain lest they might be-
tray the localities where the treasure was con.
cealed.
CITY POPULATION.
The permanent population OF Coomassie is esti-
mated at 10, souls-men, women and children.
THE ARMY.
At the beginning of the war the army Of Ash
antee mustered $4,000. This force was collected
from the combination OF nations known as Asian
tee and the tributary countries adjoining the
Kingdom, which, according to all accounts, ex-
tend Tar into the INTERIOR OF the allied
chiefs having volunteered from the borders OF
the Sahara Desert. The army that returned to
CoomassIe lately under the famous Amonquatiah
numbered only $4,000, the large number OF 10000
having failen victims to disease. With this sadly
reduced army were the remains OF 27s officers or
CHIEFS who had fallen In battle or died Of disease
enclosed in SO many boxes. This army was re-
ceiStf ia the great market OF Coomasse by the
King. and was thanked and rewarded with pres
ents OF gold, 100 sheep and forty loads of salt;
but there was no ovation paid toit. The reception
was sng1lary sient, utterly qn!!ks !hs Ip9eserls.
able triumphAl fanfaf6n&de i5Tnsfiy made on sdch
OCCASIONS, TIN the people dispersed to their
crQe"-s, their plantations and houses Fifty-fve
slaves were slaughtered 10 the names OF the de-
parted chiefs on the custom day. the LIST OF January
OF this year.
COUNCIL OF WAR.
Amonquatlan and the chiefs who have been en-
gagged In battle have sought to dispel depression
from the mind OF the King by poasting OF his per-
1ormances In the war and declaring TO him that
there are enough men stu left TO defend the cap
ital from any attack 1t appears that the British
letter created astonisament, alarm and unmti-
gated contempt In the mind OF tue King The first
feeling was caused by the stern purpose which his
words implied; alarm, by the amount OF compen-
sauon to be exacted flor the injury done to the
Assins and Fantees, and unmltigated con-
tempt at the long explanation at which the
General had seen OF to enter into con-
cerning the cause which led 10 the death
OF one OF mis- ENJOYS suite. IL is known
now why the unhappy Ashantee Ambassa-
dor committed suicide 1t seems that II was pro-
posed to send q white man to Coomsssie with Sir
Iarnet's terms " the KlRg. ana mat this man ven