The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-03


very Impressive voice upol the high esii-
nation in which the King OF Ashantee was
held by Sir Garnet, to an ambassador ana
suite Just come from the King. SIT OarheI
according 10 Captain BracKenbury, desirous
OF showing the deep respect he entertained
towards his Ashantee Majesty had surrounded the
Kings palace with a Gordon OF guards, that IT
might be sale from intrusion and spoliation nom
q conquering people. II The King would only enter
Coomassie sir Garnet was willing to pledge his
honor as an ocer in Her Majesty's service that he
would be well treated. and that he would sign
treaty OF peace and friendship with him. The am
bassador and suite retired to communicate the
same to His Majesty, who was said to be at
Aminecha his country residence, situate mile
and a half from the capital.
"FIREln sFIREn
Sometime about ten p. M. ! was one OF those
startled by fierce light OF IRE which shone in the
neghoorhood OF the Kings palace. portion OF
the city was on fire. Almost at the same time
ares started in our rear which threatened for
time to burn US out, but the sappers and miners
working vigorously restrained the fire and con-
fined II to the houses which had been wilfully con-
signed to destruction by the Ashantees them
selves. There was only one member of the stan
who thought 1t necessary to proceed to discover
what caused the bright lights, and ne, alter gazing
upon the fire for some moments, GUESSED he
would turn in,n and accordingly retired to his
couch. But II the STAFF took 1t so easy, and did
not allow such sinister CONGREGATIONS TO disturb
their minds, Sthere were but few others who
did. IL was a most alarming night altogether.
At midnight the camp was awakened to man
by the screams which issued from doomed you
who had been found in The act OF hooking some
cloth, who had been sentenced by the Acting Com
mandant, Colonel Mcleod OF the Forty-second, to
4 be hanged. The process OF hanging him lasted
nearly an hour, during which tune the Youthful
Fantee policeman rent the air and disturbed
every one with his cries. The next morning
dawned upon the swaving figure OF the dead man
hanging to tree, visible TO the eyes OF all, as an
indication of the extent OF punishment the authori
ties were prepared TO innict upon those who vio-
lated the law prohibiting plundeGing.
Oscillation.
Coomassie, which seemed crowded with the
natives OF the city the night previous, was now
strangely deserted. The entire army collected IN
the main street did not give the city the appear
auce OF populousness 1t wore the night before We
did not discover one native Ia the streets Even
4 our own house, wherein We had taken shelter on
our first ARRIVAL had been deserted by It's owner,
\ though he had shown q disposition 10 be friendly
4 and communicative and had actually sold three
pence worth OF bananas to my friend; but the
Il owner had taken precious good care TO remove
been a wicked night we had passed. Repose had
\ been scorned by those whose minds had conceived
ALARM distrust and suspicion OF the Ashantees.
The soldiers when obliged to rouse themselves,
were stin and still fatigued from their marches,
the restless night was not calculated to assuage
their pains.
HAsrY EVACUATION AND MARCH TO THE COAST.
Major Russell's ano Colonel Woods regiments
/ were ordered at early dawn to commence their re-
turn march to the coast, rom which it may be
imagined that they did not see very much OF the
! city, and this was the first indication we received
that Sir Garnet would not stay very long in the
captured capital, and that he was actuated by an
I extraordinary eagerness to return to the coast.
THE CITY AS 1T WAS.
strolled up and down the main street of Coo
massie for while, to make survey OF the place
which the British had come las miles to
ana conquer. AS the capital Of Ash
antee, Coomasse may be fairly said to
have verified the standard l had conceived.
1t was situated on q low eminence composed OF
reddish clay and rock. strongly impreg-
mated with iron; about half mile
IN diameter one way and about a mile another
way, around the base OF which meandered slug
glsh stream about eighty yards wide, which had
transformed It's former course into swamp The
circumer ence OF the city might be traversed by
man on foot within an hour, or 1t may be said the
city was little over three miles round. The
principal streets were extremely broad and tolera.
bly, straight, wherein professions OF State, to
winch Aslantees are much attached, might be
made with due form and ceremony. The main
street might easily contain So 600 people, and other
streets might contain many thousands IN process
sion. Besides the main street. there were many
lanes or alleys running through the rears,
and communicating one with another. The
Al n mo fPnaf
was that OF arstocraric Ashantee houses,
with the usual front OF arched portcos,
wnitewashed and raised four or five feet above the
ground and situated apart one from the other
very pictures OF eXcluSveness. The whitewashed
facades OF each mouse were covered with tae Curl
Gus half Moorish, half native designs already de-
scribed in my letter upon Formannah, worked in
fine plaster made OF fine white cay which when
retoucned with a solution OF this clay acquired a
glazed White color similar to paint. The lower
half OF the front OF each house was OF deep
ochrish color, obtained from the REDDISH clay. The
steps leading from the street into each house and
the floors Of the verandas were colored and
glazed with the same material.
THE BROADWAY OF THE METROPOLIS.
SO that, looking up the main street at its width,
the glorious old patriarchal trees which lowered
at Intervals along it, the long array OF picturesque
and novel porticoed houses, each appearing as If
1t were newly wnitewashed and painted, the colors
OF clean white and red ochre strongly contrast
ing, the effect was fine and gave one a high idea
OF the Ashantees as a nation, who thus evinced
their attachments in this ambitious establishment
oil their capital. i have 1t suggested some
where that straight, broad streets mark young
ana growing nation; instances, Washington and
the cities westward. What shall be said OF
Coomassie with streets from $50 to 200 feet
wide? The city OF magnificent distances Is
exceled by this capital OF sable nation enthroned
amid Businesses OF swamp, jungle and forest. Be-
hind each OF these white and RED painted port.
coed houses, which look out the Streets the
houses OF the families and slaves belonging to the
aristocratIc proprietors were arranged In quad
rangles, which, during peaceful times, must have
been models OF neatness; but the hurried depart