The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1896-02-05

marveiously astute and most profound
liars, and it is to be hoped that Colonel
sir Francis Scott, governor Of the Gold
Coast an commander of the nresent en-
>ed'tic1. las exacted serious guarantees
from the much married monarch che
has ., 333 wives) for the fulfllment of
his pledges.
The British demands include the abo-
Iltlon of human sacrifices, which Prem
peh has persisted in keeping up in spite
OF an undertaking not to do so. He will
doubtless continue the practice for his
own comforts sake, if he can, British
coercion Notwithstanding.
When the king dies, certain of his
subjects, who happen to have had the
misfortune tC be born on the same day
and to be associated with him during
his lifetime, are dispatched to accom-
pany him to the land of spirits. while
the messengers who convey the news of
his death to the surrounding feudatory
kings and chiefs are instantly beheaded
on delivering their message, in order
the grief his death has caused.
The defunot monarch is conveyed
with weird ceremonies to the sacred
mausoleum at Bantama. So sacred, in
fact, is this building, that even if bit
Of the roof falls down, slaves are sacri-
feed. Here every king has his own small
room, which is hung round with clothes
and velvets. His skeleton is placed in
a chair, or basket, and fresh food is
placed before it every day.
The late unlamented King Coffee,
after making himself mad with palm
wine and gin, used to wash the stools
of his ancestors in the blood of two Or
three men specially murdered for the
occasion.
When prince of the blood dies, all
the other princes possess the right of
Strengthening every human being they
may. encounter. This right, however, is
not supposed to have been exercised
since the thrashing administered to
King Coffee by Sir Garnet Wolseley in
1878 Still, during certain Ger ceremonies,
when the king is carried through the
main thoroughfares of his capital, any
man found on the street or looking out
OF his house is Immediately decapitated.
The fetch worship to which the
Ashanti people are entirely given up is
responsible for these CHASTITY customs
The fetch house of Kumassi is an ad-
junct to the kings palace, and in it are
performed the barbaric ceremonies of
his religion. The following description
of the place was given in a recent issue
of the London Graphic
The structure is built Of waffle, daub-
ed both inside and out with thick
stucco of clay, the exterior being orna-
mented with rough holdings, some of
which, as in the porch entering the
building, are pierced to show the vari-
Gus forms of birds and animals used in
the design. The upper part of the outer
wall is whitewashed; the lower part,
for few feet above the ground, is col
ored with red earth. The outer door is
carefully screened with thick cloths.
and the roof is of thatch. Inside we
find little ornamentation, unless we can
consider the skulls, thighbones and Jaw
bones which are attached to the inner
frame of the door and the walls. and
the stains of blood everywhere, in the
light of decorations. Around the apart
ment are ranged the fetiches or gods
themselves. Just what the particular fe-
itch may mean at any given time rests
solely with the fetch men or priests to
explain. Here we have rudely carved
figure, armed with gun and dagger,
which has doubtless some potent inf1u-
ence in war, while close by is the sem
blance Of woman's head with an ex-
preston on her face worthy Of Bellona
herself. There again the leopard figures,
his spots carefully burned into his wood
en- carcass, which probably plays an i'm
portant part when proceedings involving
extra cunning, treachery and ferocity
are in hand. Huge figures of men and
women, executed without the suspicion
of a regard for decency, which preside
over orgies perfectly understandable, are
in evidence, and earthen balls stuck all
over with feathers, rude presentations
of birds, and calabashes, or gourds, full
Of what we should term rubbish, tell
tales of propitiatory offerings TO the
spirits Of departed ancestors or minor
fetiches. These tales can only be told by
the human demons, who are terror to
the people through their profession of
occult power.
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