Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-27

wives serve in mental capacities about the
palace. The women folk of the common
people, however, are surrounded by no
such restrictions.
If any man looks at one of Prembi' q
8, 1893 wives, that mans name is Dennis.
Some of these numerous wives of the king
Of Ashanti are not worth looking at, it is
true, but the owner Of any profane eyes
that even by accident happened to rest
upon them would be conducted to shady
grove in the ncighbOrhOOd of tho town and
fail to return.
His majesty lives in a big stone and ma
tive brick palace, the only structure Of the
kind in the kingdom. His royal highness
sleeps on tho floor.
The king is several times millionaire,
and 1t Is believed that he has several bar
rcls Of gold dust and nuggets. Ashanti
is rich in gold.
Prembi is a bloodthirsty monarch, and
he Is in the habit Of making human sacri-
fees on wholesale scale. Whenever 1t
plcases him to do so, he orders few hun
dretl subjects to be beheaded. Besides this,
during certain religious ceremonies it is
customary to kill subjects. 1t is this prac-
tice which England wants the king to
stop. And it is to put an end to these hu-
man sacrifices that the British troops will
make war on the king.
When one king dies, 1000 people are
killed rs guard of honor to accompany
him to the other world. As many as 10.
900 are reported to have been killed on
ono occasion in a single day. -
Upon every national festival it ia also
the custom for the king of Ashanti to
offer human sacrifices. People are believed
to be killed almost every day ut Kumassi.
the capital, and this kind Of Official muir
der Is u regular thing.
Tho one thing which has always excited
the horror and amazement of TRAVELLERS who
have penetrated this country is the Grove
OF skulls, where In countless numbers the
bones of victims of the king lie upon the
ground with the fostering remains of those
who have recently been dispatched
Here, where vultures gorged with hu-
man flesh perch upon the trees waiting for
the new victims which many years have
taught them to look for with certainty, is
u spectacle presented the like Of which is
to be seen nowhere else upon earth.
This spot, where executions have taken
place from time immemorial, is in a small
grove back Of the large market place at
Kumassi. The victims are brought to
this place with their hands securely tied.
and they are made dumb by two knives
thrust crosswise through their cheeks.
The poor wretchcs are for a time tor.
turcd by being pinched, pricked with
swords and fired upon at short range with
blank cartridges. The powder from these
cartridges enters the flesh, causing excru-
ciating agony.
Then the cxecutioners, who are fantas.
ticaily dressed, seize their huge swords,
and furnishing them in the air lop on the
heads Of the victims one after another.
Then they retire from the scene drenched
with blood from head to foot and leavina
the bodies lying where they fall.
As soon rs the executioners retire the
vultures swoop down from the trees above,
and the ground is soon black with them.
At night the panthers come and stink
away sstiated before the dawn. The path.
way leading to this grove has- beep-wcru
broad and deep through years Of use, I'D
it Is always slippery with blood.