The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-01-09
Ashantee.

Ashantee Is the most notable of the
existing savage Kingdoms of the western
coast of Africa. Its boundaries are not
accurately defined; approximately the
kingdom may be considered the region
fronting the Gold Coast, between latitude
50 and 100 north and longitude 10 and
60 west. Until the commencement of
the present century Ashantee was un-
heard of by Europeans, for the Fantees,
hostile tribe, occupied the coast. In
1907 Osai Tutu was king of Ashantee.
He appears 10 have subjugated many of
the neighboring tribes. Two of his
tributary chiefs having fed to the Fan.
tee country, Osai demanded that they
should be given up TO him. The de-
mand was refused, and the Ashantee
messengers were put to death. Osai
thereupon made an incursion into the
Fantee country, which he ravaged down
TO the coast The British, who had a
fort at Anamboe on the coast, undertook
TO shelter the flying Fantees. the
Ashantees invested the fort, and COM
PEELED 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, the acquisition by right of conquest
being recognized by the British COVER
nor of the fort. In 1923 the Fantees,
encouraged by the British, rose against
the Ashanteos, who again marched into
their country. Sir Charles Macarthur,
the British Governor of the Gold Coast,
undertook to chastise the invaders. A
sharp action took place, January 21st,
1924, in which the British were defeated,
the commander and nearly all his Off
GERS being killed. The victorious Ashan-
tees came near capturing the British
stronghold of Cape Cost Castle, but,
sickness coming on, they were obliged to
withdraw to their own country. Since
that time the Ashantees have kept aloof
from the sea board, but appear to have
extended their dominion into the inte-
rior. Now and then travellers have
made their way to Commassie, the
Ashantee capital, in latitude 50 81
north, longitude 2o 16/ west. They re-
port that the government is an absolute
despotism. The king is the great prop
erty owner, and is legal heir of all his
subjects. Slavery exists on a lage scale,
many Of the mobiles having as many as
one thousand slaves. Up to within
few years the slave trade prospered and
gave large income to the masters; but
now that the trade has declined, slavery
seems likely to die out Proligamy
may be considered the special institution
of Ashantee. The importance of man
is measured by the number of his wives:
for these are 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
at home in the capital they occupy two
streets, where they are secluded from all
but the king and his female relatives;
any othSI pciSOiiS VIM AOOh upOb OiC
of them, even by accident, is punished
by death. AS TO their religion, human
sacrifices seem to constitute the distin-
gushing feature. The soil is fertile,
producing every kind of tropical gains
and fruits The abundance of gold dis
played as ornaments shows that mines
are common; many of the richest, how
ever, are held sacred to the divinites,
and so not worked. Among the special
industries, may be mentioned beauti-
full fabric of cotton, woven in strips four
inches wide, and afterward sewed to-
gether. A considerable commerce is
carried on between Coomassie and Hos
sa, Boanoo, Timbuctoo, and other points
in the interior; the principal exports are
gold-dust and ivory. The population of
the country is by some estimated to reach,
or even to exceed, three million.-Frona
American Revised CyeLoppdia.