~". , . , • • -" . , .. ....... . , - ~- - ~--.-_ _. .-a=c .--....-. - -- -..=-:---• - - ,----".'-..~. . --~ -- - =- - • - -, .-. , -- -- -"!'- -' , i ~ -'- • - ~ -- - A STREET IS OLD COO\IASSlf. From a pt'n ....1 .nd ink dra\\i.ru! by LaLls lull r. I A VANISHED DYNASTY ASHANTI BY SIR FRANCIS FULLER K.B.E., C.M.G. LATE CHIEF' COMMISSIONER of' " SHANT! WITH lLLIJSTRATIONS AND MAP • i.' '- LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE S1 "" -"1, W, I • • TO ALL THOSE OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO SO LOYALLY AND ABLY ASSISTED ME TO CONVERT A SULLEN AND SUSPICIOUS RACE, STILL SMARTING FROM DEFEAT, INTO A CONTENTED AND PROSPEROUS PEOPLE. I GRATEFULLY DEDlCATE THIS BOOK. F. C. FULLER. LONDON. I n r ;l2N D, 1920 INTRODUCTION THIS book claims to be only a brief, concise, and con- secutive narrative of the traditional history of Ashanti, blended with known facts. With regard to the latter, the book is but a compila- tion of excerpts from the records of former authors . I know of no work, however, that deals exclusively with Ashanti, and it has been my endeavour to reproduce these facts in a convenient and epitomized form . Another aim of these pages is to save the more im- portant historical traditions of the country from inevit- able oblivion. The unborn generations of Ashantis will indubitably suffer from impaired memories consequent on the spread of education. A lack of reverence for and love of past deeds is already noticeable among the school-children of the present day, and unless the ancient national traditions are to be entirely lost, they should be set forth in print. These reasons ",ust serve as an excuse for the pre- sent publication. Criticisms of past events have been purposely avoided, for I hold the opinion that no useful purpose would now be served by reopening controversy on irreparable acts. The "manners and customs" of the Ashantis have received scant attention in these pages, as tbe wealth of the subject-matter demands separate treatment. t VII ••• VIll INTRODUCTION trust it will shortly receive this from a more competent pen than mine. For those who wish to dip deeper into the past history of this bourgeoning blossom of Empire, I commend the works of the following authors, named in chronological order of publication: Bosman, Barbot, Astley, Mere- dith, Bowditch, Hutton, Dupuis, Cruikshank, Ricketts, Winwood Reade , Brackenbury, Freeman, Armitage and Montanaro, Lady Hodgson, and, above all, Claridge's monumental "History of the Gold Coast and Ashanti." My special thanks are due to Chiefs K wamin Frimpon and Akwessi Inuama and Mr. J. S. Erbynn for the enthusiastic assistance they gave me in my endeavour to compile the national traditions of the country. F. C FULLER. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGa I. EARLY DAYS OF THE ASHANTI CONFEDERATION I II. FOUNDING OF THE DYNASTY-OSEI TUTU, 1695-1731 8 III. QPOKU WARE, KWtSSt OBODUM, QSEI KOJO, AND 05EI KWAMINA, 1731-1799 2S IV. 05El BONSU, 1800-1824 38 V. 05E1 VAO AKOTO, 1824-1838 - - VI. KWEKU DUA r'J 1838-1867 - - VII. KOFI KARl KARl, 1867-1873 100 VIII. THE FALL OF COOMASSIE, 1874 '32 • IX. MENSA BONSU AND KWEKU DUA II" 1874.,883 '47 X, KWERU DUA IJI. (PEREMPEL 1888-1896 164 XI_ IHE LAST RI~ING, 1896-J90I ISS XII, DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY UNDER BRITISH RULE, 1903-1920 2'4 I~DEX - 230 IX LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS A STREET IN OLD COOMASSIE frollfispitrt THE FORT, COOMASSIE • '0 CHIEF KWAMIN FRIMPON ADENTIN HEr\E 40 AN ASHANTI VILI....\GE 60 ... SINA NIP.\NK.I", SISTER or AKWF.:S:'iI INUM.IA 80 ASHANT! CHIEF .\ND RETINUE roo CHIEF AKWESSI INUAMA, HEt\D LINGlTIST (20 INTERIOR COURTYARD OF J\N ASHANTI HOUSE STATE SWORD, ASHANTJ STOOL, AND BRONZE WEIGHTS TO WEIGH GOLD DUST 160 AMMA ACHINVA, DAUGHTER OF EX-KING PERltMPE 180 A VI1.LAGE SCENE, SHOWING COCOA-l)R YINC PLA. TFORMS :200 ~MEETING OF CHIEFS .:218 VIEW OF MODERN COOMASSIE 218 MAP THE GOLD COAST AND ASHANTI at tJtd • X> A VANISHED DYNASTY CHAPTER I EARLY DAYS OF THE ASHANTI CONFEDERATION THE origin of the ASHANTlS, like that of all the AKAN tribes, is veiled in mystery. Some claim that their ancestors descended direct from heaven, and com- menced their earthly existence at a place called ESIAKWA, in the Kibbi District of the GOLD COAST COLONY, but the more sensible portion of the com- munity believe that their forbears came down from the north. Indeed, this is the generally accepted theory, and is supported by the fact that until recent times a curious connection existed between the Ashanti Royal Family and that of BONA, a town to the north of BONTUKU, on the FRENCH IVORY COAST. On the death of a King in COOMASSIE the news was reported by special envoys to the Court of Bona and vice versa, although no other known relations existed between the two Courts, although enemy countries separated the two powers, and although the envoys were invariably sacrificed on those occasions. Only a strong, albeit forgotten, traditional tie could have upheld the survival of this custom through countless generations. Though the origin of the ASH ANTIS is uncertain , there is little doubt that the Ashanti confederation 2 THE ASHANTI CONFEDERATION originated at a place called ESANTEM,\NSO, clooe to the present village of EsuMEJA. The tribes inhabiting that locality were known by the name of AMANSE, and were the direct forbears of the Confederation that assumed the name of ASANTIi Why this latter name was adopted is unknown, but ASANTE (aflglice ASHANTI) the name became, and ASANTE it has remained. Tradition says that the first to attain power over the tribes were the two headmen named CHUM and ENCHWI. They exercised a dual control over the AMANSE. The two names have been taken hitherto to represent one man only, who, under the name CHUMIENCHWI, has been given the proud title of the first King of ASHANTI. But in reality they were two distinct persons, and there was no recognized King for many years after their day, because the Amanse com- munity was then scarcely large enough to aspire to a Royal House. Moreover, they were subjects -of the King of DENKERA. The word Duke, in the old feudal sense, would perhaps best convey to a European mind the status of these early Amanse chiefs. On their demise the power fell into the hands of one KOBIA AMENFI. Little is known of this man. He was followed in turn by OT! AKENTEN, who showed a spirit of enterprise. He marched north, fought and partly conquered the chief of DOMA, .one KOLI BATAFo, and drove the DOMAs away from their southern settlement 0 OHWIM, five miles north of the present town of COO MASSIE. OT! AKENTEN also founded a small settlement called KWAMAN, which eventually became the capital of the Confederation. OBIRI YEBOA succeeded him. This chief vigor- MATRILINEAL DESCENT 3 ously followed On's example and continued the fight against the DOMAS, but with only partial success. During this war he died. Some say he was killed by the enemy, others that h<: died a natural death. Before he died, however, his policy had attracted many of the Amanse chiefs, who migrated north in consequence and founded JUABEN, KUMAWU, NSUTA, and MAMPoN, all of which formed part of the new Con- federation and have survived to this day . The BEKWAIS also joined the league. They did not move from their original country, but remained there with the object (it is said) of stemming the raids of the DENI{ERAS, a tribe living to the south-"\vest, on the OFIN River, and the then paramount power. The nucleus thus planted by On AKENTEN' S initiative and valour developed rapidly, and, once established as a political entity, throve for wellnigh two hundred years. ' A successor of OBIRI had to be found, and the unanimous choice of the chiefs fell upon the deceased leader's nephew, OSEI KOFI, who was to become the celebrated OSEI TUTU, founder of the dynasty, and, strictly speaking, the first King of ASHANn. The tribes had already adopted the law of succession through the female instead of the male line. The . reason for this is not ,'rtain. In all probability it can be ascribed to the looseness of morals then prevailmg / / among the women. A woman's child must of necessity half belong to her family, but the same cannot be said of a man's son. The father may be so by repute only, and it is possible that his successor-with inheritance following from father to son-does not possess a drop of the blood of his family. In any case, matrilineal descent is a very old custom 4 THE ASHANTI CONFEDERATION among the majority of the Gold Coast tribes, and it is so ingrained in their habits that a man's son counts for nothing. The brothers come first in order of seniority, after them the eldest sister's eldest son is the rightful heir. The eldest sister failing male issue, inheritance falls to the second sister's sons, and so on. Claridge* also points out: " Another reason that is given by the Ashantis for the existence of this rule is that it was essential for so warlike a race to make some arrangement whereby the heir to the stool should usually have reached years of discretion. Had the reigning monarch been killed in battle and the stool descended to his son, a long regency might often have been involved, whereas by adopting a law of succession through the brothers and nephews this risk was reduced to a minimum." Rattray in his "Ashanti Proverbs" t gives the fol- lowing story: " There lived in former times a King of Adanse who had a linguist named ABU. This Abu incurred the King's anger and was heavily fined. Now, at that time children used to inherit from their father. Abu asked his children to assist him to pay the fine imposed by the King, but they refused, and all went off to their mother's relatives. But Abu's sister's children rendered him assistance to payoff his debts, and Abu therefore, when he died, left all his belongings to them. Other people then copied him and willed their property to the siste~' s children," but adds that he considers the story to be a myth The reader can choose whichever explanation he prefers. * Claridge, II History of the Gold Coast and Ashanti," \'0J. i , p.211. t P·41. THE STOOL AND THE OATH 5 Two other customs should be mentioned before proceeding further, for although the origin of each is shrouded in mystery, they certainly formed an integral part of the polity of the tribes earlier than the advent of OSEI TUTU. The first of these is the prevailing custom of ' , stools. ' , A family, when influential enough, will establish a stool (a wooden seat of quaint and artistic design), which is entailed, so to speak, on the head of the family. As generations • pass, this stool becomes the tangible emblem of the family fortunes, and represents, to the living, the terrestrial abode of the family manes. Libations are poured over it and food placed near to it at stated intervals. The stool is washed with the idea of purifying the souls of the departed. In fact, the stool acquires all the virtues of a family shrine, besides remaining the outward and visible sign of the occupant's status and authority. From a family stool it is but one step to the formation of a stool for a congeries of families; thence to a tribal stool, and so up the scale until the great national stool is reached. The second custom is the "oath" system, whereby obligations of attendance, ordeal, or performance are imposed by an individual upon himself, or upon whom- soever he may choose. There are several recognized oaths, all varying in degrees of importance. The most common and least significant oath consists in a person swearing by his or her own particular fetish that he or she is innocent of an offence that he or she may have been charged with; that he or she is speaking the truth; that another (naming the person) is guilty of a certain crime, etc. This, of course, involves legal 2 6 THE ASHANTI CONFEDERATION procedure, and the loser has to pay the fee for "breaking" the oath sworn. As the oath grew in gravity, so did the "satisfaction" fee grow in pro- portion. Fixed amounts were not attached to oaths. These were determined by the presiding chief on the merits of each case, so that a few shillings might be sufficient to "satisfy" a common oath, while in others enormous sums, sometimes several hundred pounds, were charged. Three oaths implied the death penalty-namely: cursing the King, MEMENDA, and KOROMANTI:-I: They could be used separately or collectively under the name " NTEMKESE "= great oath. Next in importance came the chief's oaths. If a person swore one of these against another person, it was tantamount to summoning him before that par- ticular chief's court. The chief then heard the case and delivered judgment. This not only included any pen all y he may have chosen to impose, but al,o decided which of the litigants had to pay the amount determined upon to satisfy the oath fee. If a p!orson failed to answer an oath sworn against him, he was ipso facto found guilty and condemned to pay the fee. Appeal was assured by the loser swearing a yet more important oath, and so much is litigation beloved hy the ASHANTIS that a losing litigant would sometimes go to the extent of swearing a curse on the King against his successful rival, thus incurring the death penalty himself, but by so doing leaving the world assured that he had placed his antagonist in the dreadful predicament of returning the oath (and thus forfeiting his life) or of fulfilling whatever obligation was imposed upon him by the swearer. The most serious oaths all referred to some national POWER OF THE OATH 7 calamity, such as the violent death of a monarch, defeat in battle, or some other dread occurrence. The worst, and this carried an immediate death penalty with it, was the sentence" OBOSUM NKUM OHENE " (" Maya fetish kill the King "). Although much can be said against the abuses that this system entailed, it would be difficult to evolve a more perfect substitute, among an illiterate people, for our written summonses. It must also be borne in mind that the swearing of oaths exercised a restraining influence over the despotism of chiefs, because an oath, no matter how great, could be sworn by any commoner against any chief, thus implicating the latter in endless litigation and exposing him to public obloquy. The "MEMENDA" Oath originated with OSEI TUTU'S death, and will be referred to in the next chapter. CHAPTER II THE FOUNDINGIOF THE DYNASTY-OSEI TUTU 1695-1731 THE following legend is related concerning OSEI KOFI'S birth: OBIRI YEBOA had an only sister named MANU, who was childless. The fame of the fetish called .. OTUTU" in AKWAMA having reached her, ~he sent messengers to ANSA SASRAK u, the King, to obtain medicine from the fetish. He complied with her request, and MANU conceived and gave birth to a boy, to whom the surname of .. Otutu .. was given. Now, in accordance with custom this OSEI TUTu, when a youth, was sent to the court of the King of DENKARA as a hostage and sword-bearer, the AMANSES (or ASHANTIS, as we shall can them hereafter) stin being tributaries to that power. While there he had an intrigue with the King's sister, KWABENA BENS UA, who, as soon as she realized she had conceived by him, advised him to flee the country. This OSEI wisely did, and sought refuge in AKWA~W, the home of his tutelary fetish, where his personal beauty and intelligence gained him great popularity. While he was there his uncle, OBIRI YEBOA, died, and he received the summons of the nobles of ASHANTI to return and assume the reins of government. OSEI obeyed, and travelled north at the head of an armed party, with, it is said, s OSEI TUTU 9 a large quantity of ammunition he had obtained from the Danes. Tradition further states that while on this journey north he worked himself a crown of elephant's skin. This became the crown of ASHANT[, known by the name of DENCHEMCHE, and was worn by every King on his enstoolment down to PEREMPE. The King also wore it when addressing his chiefs on the eve of a campaign, imposing upon them, by oath, the duty of defeating the enemy or of forfeiting their lives. Whereupon all the chiefs had to respond to the oath and declare that they would conquer or die. OSE['S arrival in KWAMAN caused tumultuous joy, and he was universally acclaimed King. As Reindorf writes, * .. with his advent a new era began in the history of the Asantes. ' , According to Bosman, t the Ashanti-Denkera war took place between 1699 and 17oJ. If, therefore, the beginning of the Ashanti Dynasty is to be reckoned from the enstoolment of OSE[ TUTu, it dates back to the last years of the seventeenth centt.;ry, probably 1695, as OSEI waged several small wars before the levee en masse against DENKERA occurred. Allowing an average of fifteen years for each of OSEI'S predecessors, this places the commencement of the AMANSE rise to power at 1635 ; KOBIA AMEMFI circo 1650; OT! AKENTEN circa, 1665; and OBIRI YEBEO 1680. When at the Denkera Court the youth OSEI had won the heart of a celebrated fetish priest named KOMFo (priest) ANOTCHW[, who was said to be a native of AKWAPIM. Whether this man, who was destined to become the Cardinal Wolsey of ASHANT!, * Reindorf, II History of the Gold Coast and Ashanti," 18gS t U New and Accurate Description of the Coast of Guinea," 17°5· 10 THE FOUNDING OF THE DYNASTY actually accompanied OSE[ on his journey north or whether he followed him is unknown, but certain it is that no sooner had he joined OSE[ TUTU than he became the young King's confidential adviser and right-hand man. ANOTCHW[ appears to have adopted at once the new kingdom as his own country, and from the time of his advent he worked healt and soul for the aggrandizement of ASH ANTI . He commenced operations by planting a " KUMA"- TREE, prophesying that as it throve, so would OSEI TUTU'S power increase. Henceforth the name of the capital became KUM-ASE (" under the kum-tree "- anglice COO MASSIE) . He then decreed that all the stools belonging to the chiefs who had taken part in the war against the DOMAS should be destroyed and buried and new stools made, so ab to efface the disgrace of OBIRI YEBOA'S death. As an example he himself fashioned a new stool for OSE[ TUTU. It was partially covered with gold-leaf. and became the celebrated" golden stool" of ASH.\NT[. ORIR[ YEROA'S death had not been publicly announced to the people by the nobles. His bones were kept in a coffin until OSEI TUTU'S advent, when they were taken to BANTAMA, half a mile outside the town, where a building was provided for their recep- tion. This was afterwards improved and became the royal mausoleum. No sooner was OSEI TUTU settled on the throne than. with the unanimous support of his nobles, he prepared to avenge his late uncle's death. He declared war against ODAMARA KWESSI, the Doma Chief, and completely routed his forces. Some of the refugees escaped to the north-west and founded GVAOMAN (lit. "you have deserted your country"), now called JAMAN, MERGING THE CONQUERED II while others founded OOUMASI, BEREKUM, and several other towns, but all became tributary to COOMASSIE. OSEI TUTU next fought and defeated one AKOSA of AMOKUM, and appointed Eou PENIN to succeed AKOSA. OSKI TUTU took a great liking to Eou PENIN, and gave him his niece 'NVAKU in marriage. AKOSA'S brother, BAFO, escaped to TEKIMAN, and sought protection from AMO YAO, the chief of that place, who established BAFO at a hamlet where three old men resided, NKWAKORA MIENSA (lit. "three 'lId men "). From this the present town of NKORANZA derived its name. The next chief to whom OSKI TUTU turned his attention was OSAFO of TAfo, a village only a few miles distant from COOMASSIE . The TAFos were aborigmes of the soil, and looked upon the invaders with dislike . OSAFO was defeated, and admitted into the Confederation. He afterwards conquered WIAFE AKENTEN of OFINSU, whose territory was likewise incorporated in the kingdom. . Owing presumably to the wise statesmanship of ANOTCHWI, all conquered tribes were given full rights as ASHANTI citizens, and, beyond certain obligations of tribute which were imposed on them, they experienced no interference at the hands of their conquerors. By this enlightened olicy erstwhile enemies became friends. , After the lapse of a generation or two the conquered were merged in the Confederation, and with the accre- tion of the latter's power became proud of belonging to the ASHANTI kingdom. Now occurred a fateful event destined to cause all upheaval and a redistribution of power. An impudent demand for enhanced tribute from the King of DEN- ... ,S • • ----------------------------~ 12 THE FOUNDING OF THE DYNASTY KERA was met with a haughty refusal on the part of OSEI and his nobles. Flushed with victory, they were in no mood to submit tamely any longer to a yoke that had become yearly more irksome and degrading. There was but one alternative. Without a dissentient voice the chiefs decided on open rebellion. Before proceeding, however, to relate the story that tradition tells of the Denkera war, it might be as well to examine the fighting formation evolved by the ASHANTIS and their resources in men and ammu.- nition at the time war was declared. • The fighting formation consisted of a central column in the following order: Scouts, advance-guard, main body, the commander-in-chief, carriers, camp-followers, and the rear-guard (which invariably faced in the opposite direction to that of the advancing army). The central column was flanked on both sides by the right and left wings-five bodies to the right and five to the left. The various bodies were composed of clans irrespective of their numbers. Their positions were assigned to them once and for all time. The left wing was the more important, for with the fourth body on that side was the King, if he took part in the campaign. Even if he did, he was never allowed to be in actual command of the military operations, in order that he should avoid being cursed by the enemy as the cause of all their misfortunes. In big wars, whim all the head chiefs had to appear in person, the army was commanded by the Chief of BANTAMA or the Chief of MAMPON, generally the latter. In smaller campaigns, when onIyrepresentatives of the big chiefs attended, the commander was chosen from the Jiasiwa, Ananta, or Chidom Stools. WAR CONDITIONS 13 Each body of men went to war with its own supply of ammunition, its own reserve of rations, and its own doctors. The latter were called ESUMANKWAFO. They were combatants, but attended the wounded as best they could. The Commander-in-Chief communi- cated with the various bodies of troops by means of special runners called AFUNASUAFO (A.D.C.'s), and received news of the progress of the battle in like manner. Non-compliance with orders resulted in courts- martial. Each case was treated on its merits, and the punishments meted out included death, degradation, and fines. Cowardice on the field was invariably punished with death. Under a similar penalty it was strictly forbidden to disclose the number of deaths or casual- ties. Military service was compulsory. Evasion of service was punished with death. Age and infirmity alone allowed an adult male to remain outside the army. Discipline in the ranks was extremely severe. Obedience was ensured by the ease with which the death penalty was meted out. It is impossible to arrive at even the approximate number of fighting men that the ASHANTIS could put in the field, but they mw,t, even in OSEI TUTU'S time, have numbered many thousands. OSEI TUT . had accumulated a large store of gunpowder for those days, but flintlock guns were still difficult to obtain, and it is doubtful whether at the beginning of the Denkera w.ar 30 per cent. of the men were armed with guns. The following diagram illustrates the war-formation on a complete footing (see p. 14). The ASHANTIS explain that this formation was sug- gested to them by the formation of ants on the SCOUTS ~ ~ >-l (AKWANSRAFO) oj>. ". ";.. Xz I • >-1 .. 5.'.;.': ~ . ADVANCE-GUARD ::r: ttl ~. " c: v ""> .z.. ttlZ (CHAFFO) t'l ''"" '0." ZZ ,,0 c: Z '" > -> ;.. ;.. tD Z "%] .cII.: -n z '" "z' >'" .. .. -z 0 : -" - >. c..:. c:'" .z, 0 '" ,E :- MAfH Boo\' ,, . ,>-''"" .'". -'0" ,' ." ~ ~ <".0 > c:: os > • ." •• (ADeNT") • - z c: - 0 Z -tj I I I z C'l I 0 Commander-in-Chief (OSAHENE) '=l with his Own warriors and >-1 A.D.C.'s. (AFUNASUAPO) ::r: t'l tj Carriers and camp-followers (ASS",SAFO) z>< I ;l> (Jl RE4.R6CLTARD >-1 (CHIDOM) >< facing the rear I I I THE DENKERA WAR march, which their forbears were wise enough to adopt and improve upon as time went on. It is highly improbable that the military organization had attained to this pitch of perfection in OSEI TUTU'S time, but the foundation for it had been laid years before, and OSEI could depend on an efficient machine that no other tribe could withstand. It was un- doubtedly these powers of combination and co-ordina- tion, so brilliantly displayed by the ASHANTIS, that gave them an immense superiority over their neigh- bours and raised their country to the proud position of the paramount power among the surrounding Native States for the space of two hundred years. THE DENKERA WAR According to Bosman, BOAAMPoNsEM, the King of DENKERA, sent some of his wives to COO MASSIE to congratulate his former shield-bearer, OSEI TUTU, on his accession. They were well received and sent back with valuable presents and friendly messages. OSI!! shortly afterwards returned the compliment, and sent some of his wives to DENKERA, "but the King cast a wanton eye upon one of them, and, hurried on by exorbitant lust, gratified his brutal desire. "* On the return of the women te \.,OOMASSIE this was reported to OS!!! TUTU, who, it is said, there and then determined to throw of! the Denkera yoke and seek revenge for the affront at the same time. Preparations for war went on apace. Large quantities of ammunition were brought up from the coast, which the unsuspecting DENKERAS actually allowed to pass through their own territor-v. • Bosman, p. 75. - I 16 THE FOUNDING OF THE DYNASTY On hearing of these preparations, BOAAMPONSEM endeavoured to appease TUTU by the offer of a large sum of gold; but TUTU was determined to fight, and refused all overtures of peace. Another contributory cause of the war may have been the arrival of Euro- peans on the coast, as suggested by Claridge: * " Hitherto the right of way to the sea had been of no special value, but on the arrival of traders in ships loaded with powder, guns, and other merchandise dear to the heart of the African, it at once became a source of wealth, and free access to it a matter of paramount importance. " The old King BOAAMPONSEM died while these preparations were on foot. He was succeeded to the stool of DENKERA by the youthful NTIM JAKARI, said to have been OSEI TUTU'S own son by AKwABENu,\ BENSUA, the late King's sister; but this is doubtful, owing to OSEI'S youth. This fact. however, did not deter OSEI TUTU from his object, and there is no doubt that he would have declared war against the DENKERAS even had he not been given an excellent casus beUi by the hot-headed NTIM, who very unwisely chose this time of strained relations to send ambassadors to COOMASSIE with a large brass pan, demanding that "the King of Asante and his Chiefs must fill up the brass pan with pure gold, and must send each the fa\'ourite among his wives and their mothers to Denkera to become his wives." t On receipt of this impudent message, OSEI TUTU held a great council of chiefs to hear the Denkera demands. In the turbulent scene that followed the ambassadors were ill-treated and sent back to DENKERA • + Claridge, \'01. i., p. [g6. t ReiDdorf, p. 53· THE FIRST FIGHT with abusive messages. This, of course, meant war. But the ASHANTlS held back. They allowed the wrathful NTlM J AKARI to advance north and attack them. OSEI TUTu wished to command in person, but KOMFo ANOTCHWI prophesied that if he did so he would conqaer and kill NTlM, but that he (OSEI) would only live seven days after NTlM'S death. Hearing this, BOATEN ANENTU, Chief of MAMPON, at once offered his services as commander-in-chief, which offer was accepted. The first clash of arms occurred at a place called EOUNKUM (between ESUMEjA and EjUMUM), where the DENKERAS had only a small advance-guard to deal with, which continued to fall back before the advancing forces, on a prearranged plan to inveigle the enemy farther north. A brush ensued at EpUTEUjA, close to JACHI. The ASHANTIS again fell back on their main force, then encamped at FEYASI, eight miles south-east of COOMASSIE, where the two forces eventually met, to the bitter discomfiture of the invading army. So certain had the DENKERAS been of an easy victory that NTIM was surprised while eating and killed by repeated blows from a knife by a JUABEN man named ADAKWAYIADOM. The first blow dented a gold bangle NTIM was wearing. This bangle was afterwards the cau

war, and was richly rewarded with trea-sure and slaves. The latter he sent to AGUNA, of which he became chief on the demise of DJEDU KUMENIN. OSEI TUTU now turned his attention to the AKIMS, a powerful and rich tribe that had helped the DENKERAS against the ASHANTIS. After a breathing-space of about two years' duration, he invaded their territory, which was partly to the north, but mainly to the south, of the River PRA, and after one, some say two, battles defeated them com- pletely. The AKIMS were made tributary to ASHANTI, and a heavy indemnity was imposed upon them. Now ensued a long period of much-needed peace. Historians, presumably for want of detailed informa- tion, have ignored the .,cars that intervened between OSEI TUTU'S first and second invasion of AKIM. But assuming that the first occurred as late as 1702, * we know by OSEI TUTU'S death that the second did not take place until '73', an interval of tweoty-nine years, during which no important war was waged. Small raids there must have been, but no fighting on a large scale is to be recorded during those years . .. Reindorf gives 1700 as tbe date of the invasion. THE FOUNDING then that 05El • .i E JI ", -: - ') ,., "'-. :.- ;' j .). ( i .. " , ' ' /,:J. , ' 11.11 -!~ Ib ." ,J , ,,J ,,, ~ , ',I, • ,: ~ 0 ~ 7 0 ~ ~ •0 , 1'1/ ~ 0 ~ ~ !!. • e" ~ ,,,~.. :.1. "" ', -- I ,, • , I -- ---- - .--== : -~ - ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE , 21 The losing party had to pay the fee for breaking the oath, called ATENYE. As already stated, every oath carried a fixed fee attached to it, but the ATENYE could be and often was reduced by the King on the "begging" principle-e- i.e., an appeal ad misericordiam. The ATENYE belonged exclusively to the King. The winning party had to pay "thanksgiving money," called ASlDA, which was never a large amount in comparison to the ATENYE. This was fixed at the end of the trial by the linguist. Half of the ASlDA went to the King, the other hall being divided among the chiefs on a fixed scale. " The administration of justice was no doubt expensive, and often capricious and corrupt (especially in the case of two rich men), but the redeeming feature of the system, evolved by and for a barbaric people, was the fair play meted out to the poor man. He had nothing to bribe with, and was therefore listened to with consideration. The great blemish of the whole system lay in the fact that little or no distinction was made between civil and crinrinal matters. Excluding murder, any criminal offence could be turned into a civil charge by the swearing of an oath, and this indiscriminate inter- change militated again-t just punishment, as culprits, were they men of means, escaped by payment of fines. A murderer, on the other hand, suffered terrible penalties. No sooner was he condemned than he was skewered through the cheeks and tongue, so that he could not speak and curse the King, which meant instant death. He was then taken round the town and horribly mutilated before actual decapitation. After this long interval of twenty-nine years, during 3 • THE GREAT OATH of frequent demands from the King. Ashanti mes- sengers were on several occasions first abused and then ill-treated. Finally a recognized act of open defiance was committed, the head messenger's right-hand first finger being cut off. On receipt of the news, OSEI TUTU and his chiefs lost patience, and an invasion of AKIM on a large scale was determined upon. They drove the AKIMS across the River PRA and invaded their territory; but the AKIMS, learning where OSEI TUTU was to cross the river, laid an ambuscade for him, into which he fell, and was killed, it is said, while actually crossing the river in his litter. The ASHANTIS maintain that OSEI'S death was kept secret, so as not to discourage the army, and that they did not return until AKI M had been overrun by them, during which time OPOKU WARE, the heir- apparent, surreptitiously represented the deceased monarch. The King's death, however, proved a great blow to the Ashanti chiefs, '1nd probably damped their ardour. This view is supported by the fact that OPOKU WARE had to recommence hostilities against the AKI MS soon alter his accession, so that their defeat could not have been complete as a result 01 this campaign. And so died OSEI TUTU, surnamed" He who speaks through Guns," immortalized U. the memory 01 the ASHANTlS as the greatest 01 their national heroes. The untoward circumstances of his death gave rise to the greatest of the Ashanti oaths, MEMENDA (Satur- day)-an oath so sacred that it could not be spoken without the offender incurring the death penalty. It could be alluded to in oblique phrases, such as .. the great oath," .. the dreadful day," .. the day of punisr.- men t I " et c. 24 THE FOUNDING OF THE DYNASTY It has hitherto been generally accepted that the word " KOROMANTIN" was attached to the oath, on the assumption that OSEI was killed close to a small village named AKROMANTIN, but this is not the Ashanti ver.ion. According to them, "Koromantin" was a separate and distinct oath established close on a hundred years later. • CHAPTER III OPOKU WARE-KWISSI OBODUM-OSEI KOJO- OSEI KWAMINA 1731-1799 ON the return of the army to COOMASSIE from AKIM, the ASHANTIS proceeded with the installation of OPOKU WARE. He was OSEl TUTU'S grand-nephew, son of the NVAKU KWISSlAMOA who had been given in marriage to EDU PENIN of AMOKUM by her uncle OSK!. The rival claimant to the stool, OKUKUADANI, a nephew of OSEI TUTU, was discarded by the ABREM- PON because his following was small. Moreover, OSEI TUTU had named OPOKU WARE as his successor. OPOKU was a weakling as an infant and subject to severe shaking fits. KOMFo ANOTCHWI declared that these fits meant that the child wanted to fight. He therefore forged a sword for him, which he called " M pomponsu, " which became the "Excalibur" of ASHANTI. Upon this sword all swore allegiance to , the new King, and to l ery King after him down to the last-PEREMPE. OPOKU'S father, EDU, died shortly after his mar- raige to NVAKU. According to native custom, she became the wife of his successor, EDU II., who also died before OPOKU'S birth. He first saw the light in EDU III. 's time. The latter, strangely enough, died soon after OPOKU was born. The rapid successive deaths of his mother's 25 EFFECTS OF THE VICTORY 27 as AHAFO. This tract of land became the game pre- serve of the Ashanti Kings, the New Forest of the conquerors. The disgrace of having had their capital plundered was considered too great to be commemorated, even in the shape of an Oath. Luckily for the Royal House, two of the Princesses had been spared by EBIRIM. One had been sent as a captiye to WASSA, which was then tributary to SEFWI. • The ASHANTIS, hearing of this, rescued her after the defeat of the SEFWIS, and so preserved the Royal strain. Her name was EKuA KRuKRu. On her return to COOMASSIE, the King greeted her with the words " EKu.\, efri iye" (soyez la bien venue). The compound word " EFIRIYE" thus became the general surname of the women of the blood-royal. Mention was made on p. I I of one BAFO, who fled from AMAKUM to TEKIMAN and founded NKoRANzA. The King of TEKIMAN, A]';IO YAO, wishing to keep on good terms with the powerful King at COOMASSIE, sent a present of lhree bags of gold-dust to OPOKU WARE through BAFO. BAFO thought he would like to keep this valuable present, so he substituted flints, lead, and powder, for the gold, and sent them in three parcels to the King in the name of AMO YAO. OPOKU WARE enquired the mr~ning of it. BAFO replied that AMO YAO wished to defy the King, whereupon the latter asked the reason of this sudden change of atti- tude. BAFO, who took care that no messages were interchanged except through himself, told AMO Y AO that OPOKU was preparing to subdue him, and that he (AMO YAO) should likewise prepare to resist the onslaught. AMO Y AO, now thoroughly frightened, asked BAFO to impart to him the secret of the strength THE GREAT WIZARD made to carry water in baskets, to plaster floors, and to beg for her food. OPOKU WARE, wishing to reward BAFO for his ser- vices, enquired what he would like. The deceitful old man answered he would accept nothing from the King, and that the King was welcome to the ruined TEKIMAN villages. Nevertheless, in the end, BAFO annexed several outlying villages, Mo included . Tekiman territory was incorporated in the Kingdom, and placed under the Adamankwa stool. About this time the wise and now ancient KOMFo ANOTCHWI, who had settled in AGUNA, declared he would discover the " Elixir vitre " and conquer death. Telling his people he would require seven whole days to accomplish his purpose, he adjured them not to wake him during that time; nor to wail nor make any noise; and, above all, not to fire guns, for if they did his spirit would surely depart, never to return. He thereupon retired to his sleeping chamber and fell into a trance. His nephew and heir, SUAN ENIM, before the seven days had elapsed, pretended to believe that the sage was already dead, and fired off guns in accordance with custom. ANOTCHWI, true to his prediction, did not return to life. So slipped away the spirit of the Great Wizard of ASHANTI; the man who so deftly steered the kingship t J safe harbourage; the choice soul that persistently foretold the white man's supremacy in the land. After the Tekiman war three years' peace ensued. The King then heard that the chief of the JA MANS, ABO KOBINA, had joined the Mahommedans at BONTUKU, had arrogated kingly power to himself, and was making a " golden stool" to rival his own. Where- upon OPOKU WARE sent messengers to demand the , 30 KWISSI OBODUM stool. They were met with a point-blank refusal. He sent a second time, warning ABO that he "would not leave him alone" until he had yielded up this symbol of greatness, to which he had no right. ABo killed the head-messenger, and mutilated and drove away the others. The King then called a council, and the whole of the ABREMPON declared for war. A large army marched north, defeated ABO, and sacked BONTuKu. But ABO succeeded in escaping. The ASHANTls pursued him across the KUMA Ri\'er, where he fell into the hands of the Mahommedans of KONG, who, wishing to keep in with ASHANTI, gave him up. He suffered grievously for his presumption, undergoing torture and death. His skull was brought back to COO MASSIE, and became one of a gruesome collection of such trophies of war. This was the last of OPOKU WARE'S campaigns He died a natural death a few years later, after a reign of eleven years. OPOKU WARE'S uncle, KWISSI OBODUM, was selected to succeed him. He was the son of NKETIA TIMABAMU, own sister to OSEI TUTu. Two descendants of OBIRI YEBOA through a col- lateral line, both called DAKUN, forcibly claimed the stool. They found no favour with the ABREMPON, and were "lost" in the struggle that ensued.· This meant death by strangulation, to avoid the spilling of Royal blood. . Several campaigns, notably that against DAHOMI, have been ascribed to OBODUM'S time, but the present- day ASHANTIS state that they occurred later. * Tbey contested for tbe stool against OBODVII, not O.OItU WARE, as stated by Reindorf, p. 6g. \ THE WIVES OF OBODUM 31 OBODUM was an elderly mediocrity, who left the business of governance to his chiefs and advisers. His only nephew, OSEI KOlO, seduced several of OBODUM'S wives, and only escaped death by the inter- vention of the ABREMPON. He was sent to live at EDUAMOA, a village close to Coomassie. One of OBODUM'S sons followed OSEI KOlO'S example, but he, not being the heir-apparent, underwent castration. But OBODUM by no means forgave OSEI KOlO. Knowing that the latter would succeed him, he dis- posed of all the Royal treasure on which he could lay hands. Some say that he buried it in the swamp sur- rounding COOMASSIE, others that he sent it to a dis- tance. Whatever he did with it, legend relates that the gold, although eagerly sought for by his successor, was never afterwards found. Shortly after this OBODUM lost his sight, so he abdicated in favour of his amorous nephew, to whom be left the majority of his wives and a depleted treasury. OBODlJM lived a[ AMPABAMI until his death. He was buried, not in tbe Royal mausoleum of BANTAMA, but at ACHERE~IADE in Coomassie. A description of the ceremonies performed on the installation of a new Sovereign may not prove out of place. When a new King had been selected by the ABREMPON, the stool was taken to a particular place outside the town by the head of the AKOMUS and there kept for twenty-four hours, during which the King- elect sat outside the palace. A procession was then formed, and the stool, together with all the State umbrellas, were marched round the town and back to the palace. Forty days were allowed for the outlying chiefs to THE QUEEN-MOTHER 33 The new King was then lowered on to the stool three times, and when finally seated took the sword " BOSOMURU" and made oath as follows: "I swear the Great Oath that I am a descendant of OSEI TUTU and OPOKU WARE. As you have given me the gun, the shield, and the sword belonging to my ancestors, I will give due respect to my elders and young men; beat and kill the enemies of my ances- , tors and all powers that may rise against me during my reign, and add their skulls to the OJIRA fetish with- out fail." The King then donned the great war garment (MATAKARl), took the gun and the sword, entered his litter (APAKAN), and was carried in procession round the town. A somewhat similar ceremony was re-enacted in the palace a few days later in the presence of all the out- lying chiefs, when they all swore allegiance to the new Sovereign, taking precedence in accordance with their positions in the national fighting formation. During the interregnum the Queen-Mother (who was invariably a close relation of the new Sovereign, gener- ally aunt or sister) represented the King on state occa- sions, even to wearing Royal garments and ornaments. If a strong personality, she wielded great influence, but took no part in the a I ual discussion of affairs at a council of chiefs. After the installation she sat on the King's left, a foot or two behind him. OSEI KOjo succeeded to the stool on KWlSSI OBODUM'S abdication in 175z. He appears to have made many fruitless attempts to recover the Royal treasure, but he left his uncle severely alone, owing, it is said, to a guilty conscience. . Shortly after OSEI 's accession news reached asRI CIVIL WAR 35 sheep, and 1,000 fowls was imposed on YENDI, one-tenth of which was given to KWAMIN PETE as a reward for his services. OSEI KOjo was next called npon to give the AKI MS and AKWAPIMS another taste of the Ashanti power. He invaded their territory and drove them before him, although the FANTlS, who had been bribed by him not to assist the rebels, treacherously did so. Owing to a dispute concerning the jurisdiction over certain northern villages, civil war now broke out between MAMPON and J UABEN. An engagement ensued, and the Chief of JUABEN was defeated. On investigation, the King decided in favour of ATAKORA of MAMPON, and AKU.\~IOA of JUABEN was deposed, but was reinstated when the King realized that AKUAMO.\'S successor, FETU, proved incompetent to rule his people. To quote Claridge: "A new King now came to the throne of Dahomi, and seeing the rapid extension of the Ashanti Empire and the steady growth of its power, seems to have been afraid another attempt might soon be made to avenge the defeat of Osei Kwisi. He therefore sent a friendly embassy to Kumassi to announce his accession, and bear presents and a complimentary message to the King of Ashanti. Thes( ambassadors were well enter- tained, and the comr.liment was soon after returned by the dispatch of a similar mission to the Court of ABOMI. According to Cruikshank, it was during Kudjo's reign tbat the first mention of Ashanti occurred in the reports of Cape Coast Castle on the 10th of July, 1765, and again in 1767 and 1772. The Council took into con- sideration the probability of hostilities arising between the Ashanti and Fantis, and in 1767 asked for men-of- war to be stationed on the coast until affairs became OSEI KWAMINA more settled. They feared that if the Ashantis proved victorious their settlements might be endangered, while, should the Fantis conquer, it was expected that the Company's trade would be ruined. "* OSE1 Ko]o was now old and infirm. He was anxious to revenge himself against the FANTlS, but before the Ashanti army could take the field OSEI died in 1781, after a reign of twenty-nine years. He is supposed to have instituted the " Koromantin Oath" on the death of two of his nieces from smallpox when they were at KOROMANTlN. The ASREMPON selected a boy named OSEI KWAMINA, grand-nephew of the deceased King, to suc- ceed him. But he was not enstooled for several years, probably ten or twelve, during which time the head of the ADENTIN, KWAMIN PETE, acted as Regent. There was no campaign during these years of tutelage. The oath supposed to have been 'worn by the boy on his accession, "that he would neIther enter his palace nor see his wives until he had avenged the insult offered to his predecessor by the A sins," t is pronounced by the ASHANTIS to be a pure myth, for it would have been impossible for a mere child to exercise any influence whatever over public affairs. Although the ASSINS, who lived immediately south of ASHANTI, may have been brought to book for their defection, viewed in the light of those turbulent days, fighting was on a small scale during this reign. In fact, the only expedition that tradition asserts as . having occurred in OSEI KWAMiNA's time was that against the DENKERAS, who, rather than face the danger, bought off the Ashanti army by yielding up the head of their King and 1,000 pereguns (£8,000). .. Claridgu_ vol i., p. 213. t Ibid., p. 223 . DEATH OF OSEI KWAMINA 37 OSEI KWAMINA was ens tooled on reaching years of puberty. He had evidently suffered restraint under KWAMIN PETE, for no sooner was he in power than he turned on his tutor and counsellor and demanded an account of the expenditure of the Royal treasure; nor was he satisfied until KWAMIN PETE had handed over to him four villages. These villages gave rise to the .. ETIPI M " stool. The King's leanings towards the Mahommedan religion were perceived by his chiefs with anxiety, and when they realized that OSEI, who had proceeded to JUABE:N for AKUAMOA'S funeral custom, had become infatuated with a Juaben Princess (named EJEI BEDu), that he remained on at J UABEN indefinitely, and that he neglected all affairs of state, their patience gave way. In 1799 they deposed him in favour of a younger brother, OPOKU FOFIE, who only reigned for forty to sixty days. OSEI KWAMINA is supposed to have committed suicide shortly after his deposition, and OPOKU FOFIE'S sudden death is ascribed to a visitation of his brother's ghost. Yet another brother succeeded to the throne, the youngest of the three, OSEI ASIBE KWAMINA, sur- named BONSU (a whale), who was destined to become one of the greatest Kir" of As HANTI. With his advent direct political relations between Great Britain and ASH ANTI may be said to have com- menced. Written records now become available, and from henceforth oral tradition is checked, assisted, or amplified by ascertained facts. 4 CHAPTER IV OSEI BONSU lBOO-IBU OS!!! TUTu KWAMINA ASIBE BONSU, to give him his full name generally known as OSEI BONsu-was enstooled in 1800. Owing to the conquests of the last century, the kingdom of ASHANTI had gradually ex- panded, and at his accession included JAMAN, BANDA, WENCHI, TEKIMAN, NKORANZA, and ATEBUBU. He also exercised control right up to YENDI in the north, and KWAHu, ASSIN, ADANSI, WASSA, DEN- KERA, and SEFWI to the south-east and we~t. It was by far the most powerful Native State in those parts, and friendly messages poured in from outlying tribes such as DAHoMI, YENDI, and KONG. But great trouble was brewing for the ASHANTIS. A small spark started a conflagration that only terminated with the century. Their first conflict with the British was close at hand-a conflict that grew as time went on, and ended, as it could only end, sooner or later, in the complete subjection of the weaker power. The trouble started with a dispute between the people of Ass IN. This. was a territory between the PRA River and the Coast. It was subject to ASH ANTI and was di\;ded into two principalities. The western was ruled over by two chiefs named OTIBU and KWEKu ApOTOI, the eastern by AMO ADAE. In 1805 one of ApOTOI'S subjects rifled a grave of one of AMO'S captains. AMO sought redress from ]8 • OUTBREAK OF HOSTILITIES 39 ApOTOI for this outrage in vain, and in consequence appealed to OSEI BONSU. The King summoned all three chiefs to appear before him in COO MASSIE. OTIBU excused himself on the score of old age, but ApOTOI and AMO obeyed the summons. After hearing both parties, BONSU gave judgment in favour of AMO and detained OPOTOI, who, however, managed to escape. AMO, unable to obtain compensation, took matters into his own hands and invaded Western ASSIN. After several fruitless attempts to reconcile the two parties, the King marched an army into ASSIN and completely routed OTIBU and ApOTOI'S forces. The two chiefs escaped and sought refuge at ESSIKUMA, which formed part of the growing Fanti Confederation. Another exciting factor was the former treachery of the FANTIS in OSEI KWAMINA's time. They had accepted sixty pereguns to allow the ASHANTIS to pass through FANTI, and had then attacked and killed 1,000 of them. OSEI BONSU asked for the surrender of the fugitives, who, fearing compliance, fled still farther to ABRA, the principal Fanti town. The King renewed his demand, but a council of F anti chiefs not only refused to surrender them, but openly defied the King and ill-treated his messengers. ApPIA DANKWA (Na .tahene), the Ashanti general, marched down on ABRA, defeated the FANTIS in two engagements, and captured their King, ATTA, whom he stupidly handed over to Chief AKUM of ESSIKUMA for safe keeping. The latter, of course, allowed him to escape. As the two fugitives were still at large, further negotiations occurred and more Ashanti messengers were put to death. OSEI BONSU, now thoroughly CHIEF' ""'.UII:'; FRI~[PON ADE:\T1N HE:\E. From a photograph. - SIEGE OF ANAMABO were occupied by the ASHANTIS, who had now been reinforced by the main army, with which was the King Lieutenant-Colonel Ellis's narrative of the struggle that ensued reads almost like an epic, and is well worth quoting in full. He writes: "Early on June 15th the Ashantis advanced to the attack on Anamabo, and every Fanti who could carry a musket took the field, while the old men, women, and children crowded into the fort, the gates of which, as soon as it was full, were closed and barricaded. For a time a continuous roar of musketry was heard all round the town, but the Anamabos were outnumbered, and the circle of fire gradually contracted as they were driven back . To intimidate the enemy, Mr. White ordered one or two guns to be fired over the town, but this did not produce the slightest effect, and by eleven 0' clock the Ashanti bullets were whistling all about the fort. " From all directions the Ashantis poured into the town, and the wretched Anamabos fled to the beach, hoping to be able to escape to sea in their canoes; but the enemy pursued too closely, and a terrible slaughter took place on the sands. The garrison of the fort did their best to check the pursuit. A 24-pounder that pointed to the west, along the seashore, swept down dozens of Ashantis with each discharge of grape, while a 3-pounder that flanked the eastern gate did great execution. But on this side the Ashantis pushed on over the heaps of dead, and actually seized and carried off the terrified and shrieking women who were standing close to the fort walls for protection. In the meantime others had been keeping up a very hot fire, by which White was shot in tbe mouth and left arm, and obliged to resign the command to Mr. Meredith, while one man was killed and an officer and two men wounded. OSEI BONSU , , The whole force of the Ashantis was now directed against the fort, which they imagined to contain a rich booty, and thousands of black warriors swarmed round it. The garrison consisted of twenty-nine men, includ- ing Mr. White, four officers of the Company (Messrs. H. Meredith, F. L. Swanzy, T. A. Smith, and Barnes), and four free mulattoes. Of the remaining twenty, several were servants and workmen; but all fought with desperation, for they knew that if the place were stormed they could hope for no mercy. The Ashantis pressed on, but the walls were too high to be scaled, and the two gates, one on the east and one on the west, too strong and too well barricaded to be forced. " Possessing neither ladders for scaling nor canJloJl for breaching, it is possible that the Ashantis might have been beaten off, but for one fatal defect in the construction of the fort. This was that the embrasures yawned to such an extent that the gunners were abso- lutely without cover; and, exposed to thousands of musket-shots, so many were wounded that at last the guns had to be abandoned, and the defence carried on by musketry alone. Shortly after noon the garrison was reduced by casualties to eight, of whom >four were officers, and as the fire of the defenders slackened the Ashantis strove to force the eastern gate. Twice they advanced to it, and twice had to retire, having lost heavily. The third time they brought fire, but the man who carried the firebrands was shot dead, and extinguished them by falling upon them. Thus the afternoon passed in an incessant struggle, until, at 6 p.m., when darkness commenced to fall, the Ashantis drew off. The last glimpse of daylight was used by • the garrison in repairing damages and making prepara- tion for a night attack. "Day dawned upon a homole scene of bloodshed and devastation. Eight thousand Fantis had perished, most of them in the vicinity of the fort; heaps of dead SIEGE OF ANAMABO 43 encumbered the beach in every direction, or were washed hither and thither in the surf, and the sands were red with blood. " For a mile along the shore to the east nothing was to be seen but flaming houses , or the black and charred ruins of those that had already been devoured by fire. Some two thousand refugees were in the fort, and to a rock a few yards from shore, and surrounded by the sea, two hundred panic-stricken wretches were cling- ing. These were all the survivors of the populous town of Anamabo. " Soon after daybreak the Ashantis recommenced the attack of the fort. They came coolly up in masses to the very muzzles of the guns, and a perfect hail- storm of lead flew about the defenders. On the eastern side the garrison had been able to contrive some pro- tection for the men working the guns, and two well- served 3-pounders that flanked the eastern gate swept away several of the foe at each discharge. The guns that flanked the western gate, however, were so exposed that it was found impossible to work them, and two of the officers, Messrs. Meredith and Swanzy, defended it with tr.uskets alone. " In keeping this gate clear they expended nearly three hundred rounds of ball-cartridges, and they fired till their shoulders were so bruised that they could no longer bear the recoil of their muskets. N at a round was wasted, and the enemy were so near and so crowded together tho· a ball frequently disabled two men. " So far the garrison had gallantly held their own, but surrender was inevitable unless they were speedily reinforced. Human endurance could not last much longer, and there were no provisions for the fugitives who crowded the courtyard, so that in another day famine would compel them to capitulate. Added to this, the bodies of the thousand slain on the previous day were already beginning to putrefy under the bum- NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE BRITISH 45 .. Colonel Torrane, delighted to find the King dis- posed to be friendly, sent him a considerable present, and invited him to Cape Coast Castle to settle their differences, an invitation which was declined. Even- tually Torrane, finding that the King would not come to him and that nothing could be definitely settled by his messengers, decided to go to Anamabo, and, in order to ensure a favourable reception, determined to surrender to the King the two Assin chiefs, Tchibbu and Kwamin Aputeh. The chiefs of Cape Coast were indignant at this breach of faith, and resolutely declared that they would never surrender those whom they had promised to protect; but Torrane sent an armed force unexpectedly to the houses occupied by the Assin chiefs, where Tchibbu was seized, not without resist- ance, while Aputeh beat off his assailants and escaped. The unfortunate Tchibbu was at once sent to the Ashanti camp, where he was put to death with the most exquisite tortures, and his jawbone was affixed as a trophy to the King's death-horn,''' The first meeting between Colonel Torrane and the Ashanti King took place on June 23rd. It was the first of many; but although a general understanding was temporarily arrived at, nothing was reduced to writing, and it is impossible to say what actually occurred. It is thought that Colonel Torrane (who created an extremely favourable ,mpression on the monarch) acknowledged that the whole of FANTI, CAPE COAST included, belonged to ASHANTI by right of conquest. He reserved judicial authority over the towns under the forts, but paid arrears of ground-rent for ANAMABO Fort and CAPE COAST Castle. The F anti refugees in ANAMABO Fort nearly proved a stumbling-block to the successful issue of the nego- • Ellis, "History of tbe Gold Coast," p. 113. TEMPORARY CESSATION 47 AKWAPIMS down to ADDA, on the Coast. He failed to capture KWAO ASAFOACHl, and contented himself with keeping Mr. Lendt, the Danish Commandant of that fort, captive until he was ransomed by his Government. Towards the end of the year OPOKU again tried to capture KWAO , and followed him as far as KROBO. His efforts met with no success, and, on being recalled, he returned to COOMASSIE. KWAO once more assumed an independent position in AKWAPIM . In the meantime ApPIA DANKWA with his army had fought his way down to WINNEBA, where he engaged and conquered a strong force of FANTIS. His objective was ELM INA, so as to assist the ELM INAS against the FANTIS; but his design was frustrated by ATTA, who vigorously attacked the ASHANTIS in order to prevent the junction of the two forces. ApPIA, whose original force of 4,000 was by this time considerably reduced, refused battle, and the force retreated in disorder. It would doubtless have been exterminated had not ATTA'S death put an end to the pursuit. The unsuccessful invasion of the ASHANTIS in lSI I stayed their ardour for the time being, but in 1814 OSEI BONSU, who had been practically hemmed in for three years, determined to crush i\JlIN.\ x (L.S.) " " BOITINNEE QUAMA x (L S.) "(Signed) THOMAS ED\\',IRD BOWDITCH (L.S.) " In the presence of "(Signed) \\'ILLIAM HUTCHINSON, Resident. u (Signed) H[~RY TEDLIE. Assistant-Surgeon. Deputed from "Th.. e mark of ApOKO( x the General " OnuMAT.\ x Assembly of .... . NABBRA x Caboceers and " ASH.%XTEE x Captains to swear " with the King. .. ( Lin~;tists to .. KABRA S.s EU!INA remained blockaded, for he considered that to be a breach of the armistice and suspected the sincerity of both English and allied chiefs. Major Ricketts endeavoured to induce the chiefs to raise the siege, but without success, and it was not until the conclusion of the year 1829 that it came to an end. As an outcome of all this unrest, the Home Govern- ment decided to abandon the GOLD COAST altogether; but on the urgent representations of the African mer- chants, a compromise was effected by which the GOLD COAST rema;ned technically a dependency of SIERRA 80 UQ,., while ita ot f ABI!\.\ :\11'.\1"1\..\" SISTER OF AKWESSI INU.\l\I.\. from ;:I. photograph. MACLEAN'S TREATY OF PEACE 81 of Ashantee and all and each of the parties aforesaid, to continue in all time coming. The above securities shall remain in Cape Coast Castle for the space of six years from this date . .. 2. I n order to prevent all quarrels in future which might lead to the infraction of this Treaty of Peace, we, the parties aforesaid, have agreed to the following rules and regulations for the better protection of lawful com- merce. " The paths shall be perfectly open and free to all persons engaged in lawful traffic; and persons molest- 109 them in any way whatever, or forcing them to pur- chase at any particular market, or influencing them by any unfair means whatever, shall be declared guilty of infringing this Treaty, and be liable to severest punishment. "Panyarring,* denouncing, and swearing on or by any person or thing whatever, are hereby strictly for- bidden, and all persons infringing this rule shall be ri!!,orously punished; and no master or chief shall be answerable for the crime of his servants, unless done by his orders or consent, or when under his control. " As the King of Ae:'antee has renounced all right or title of any tribute or homage from the Kings of Denk~ra, Assin, and others formerly his subjects, so, on the other hand, these parlies are strictly prohibited from insulting, by improper speaking or in any other way, their former master, such conduct being calculated to produce quarrels and w'r . " All palavers are to be decided in the manner men- tioned in the terms and conditions of peace already agreed to by the parties to this Treaty. " Signed in the Great Hall of Cape Coast Castle this 27th day of April, 1831, by the parties to this Treaty, .. The word or Panyarring" (pronounced" payaring") meant the seizure of persons, or their goods, in order to obtain payment for debts due by relations or compatriots of the seized. x x x x x x -.' ," OEF£AT OF JUABENS demanded his !,cad, but Y AO AKOTO refused to accede to this exorbitant, if not unusual, demand, and ordered BOATIN to come to COOMASSIE to settle the dispute. BOATIN (always inclined to claim equal rank with and independence from COOMASSIE) sent a defiant message in reply The King sent KWANTABlssA, the then ADENTINHENE, to JUABEN to endeavour to pacify the enraged chief. He was, however, not only refused admission to the town, but was insulted and stoned, and • BOATIN went so far as to curse the King in KWANTA- BISSA'S hearing. This affront could only be wiped out in blood, and the King attacked and utterly routed the JUABENS. They fled to KIBBI, where they remained for several years, in spite of repeated efforts on AKOTO'S part to induce them to return. BOATIN PENIN died at KIBBI, and was succeeded by KOFI BOATIN. OSEI YAO AROTO died towards the end of 1838, and was succeeded by his nephew, KWERu OUA . KWEKU DUA'S PEACEFUL POLICY 85 The JUABENS set out on their journey in 1839. KOFl BOATlN, however, died on the way, and his death delayed their journey. It was not until 1841 that the Juaben Queen-Mother, OHlMMA JUABEN SEWA, made her state entry into COOMASSIE, where she was most cordial! y received. The King placed ASAFu EJEl on the stool of J UABEN, and the town was speedily rebuilt. In grateful com- pliment the JUABENS surnamed KWEKu DUA "TI ETUWA " (= healer). K WEK U D UA soon dis pia yed statesmanlike qualities of no mean order. Much to the surprise of his people, he settled a quarrel with NKORANZA by skilJul diplomacy . He thereby earned the surname of AJ 1M AN (= peace- maker). by which title he was henceforward known. He showed his clemency by releasing TAM lA, ex- Queen-Mother of JAMAN, captured in the last Jaman war. He sent her back to BONTuKu. This kindly act was evidently both recognized and appreciated. for the JAMANS. in return, sent him a present of 400 ounces of gold. Freeman leturned to COOMASSlE in 1841, accompanied by another missionary named Brooking, and the two Ashanti princes. ANSA and INKwANTA- BISSA. Perhaps the fact of the two latter being first- cousins of the King ensured the missionaries a good reception. Certainly thp presents from the Queen of England and the Wesleyan Society which the mis- sionaries took with them facilitated matters. Among the presents was a carriage, sent by the Society. The transport of this through the thick bush and narrow paths gave much trouble, but, once in Coomassie. was much appreciated by the King. who used it on state occasions as a conveyance for his wives. The vehicle itself was kept in the so-called '. fort" of 7 REFUSAL OF ASSINS TO RETURN 87 1848, for the Ashanti capital, accompanied by Freeman and Captain Powell. He had an escort of a company of the 1st West India Regiment. Winniett was well received by the King, but since the ASHANTIS were unwilling to abandon their barbaric custom of human sacrifices, his mission proved unsuccessful. KWEKU DUA, taking advantage of the Governor's ~resence, endeavoured to enlist his co-operation to induce the ASSINS to return to ASHANTI. The Governor promised that, provided the ASSINS were willing to return, he would not place any obstacle in , the way of their departure from the Protectorate. True to his promise, immediately on his return to CAPE COAST he placed the project before the Assin chiefs. They preferred to remain under British protection . I This decision was conveyed to the King, and he was further informed that, since the ASSINS had decided to remain in the Protectorate, they would in future be ,considered independent of ASHANTI. About this time KWEKU DUA had trouble with his sister, EFuA SAPON, the Queen-Mother. Her son, OSEI KOlO, was supposed to be scheming-to oust KWEKU DUA and to obtain the stool for himself. One of OSEI KOlO's domestics informed the King that his master had made a fetis' to kill the King. A dispute arose between them, and the Queen- Mother tried to shield her son, but KWEKl' DUA deposed her and appointed her daughter, EFUA KOBI, as her successor. OS!I KOlO, who had occupied the ABAKUMAlUA stool (founded by KWISSI BonUM for the heir- apparent), was likewise removed and his stool given to KOBINA ENIN, eldest son of EFUA KOBI. 88 KWEKU DUA I. In 1852 KOjo OTIBU of ASSIN commenced plotting with COO MASSIE for the return to ASHANTI 01 his people, most of whom had been driven south of the PRA years before. The Ashanti King, who was only too willing to see them return to their own homes, readily took the bait offered by the wily OTIBU, and sent him 300 or more pereguns* to assist the movement. But news having reached the Governor of OTIBU'S negotiations, he caused his arrest and brought him to CAPR COAST, where he was tried by a tribunal composed of the Governor, the Judicial Assessors, and several Fanti chiefs. OTIBU was charged with three offences: (a) Sending a man as prisoner to Coomassie, know- ing he would be sacrificed; (b) Receiving a bribe from the King, and using it to induce his captains to accept Ashanti rule, and (c) Setting the authority of the Governor at defiance by detaining his soldier messenger. OTIBU was found guilty on all counts, and sentenced to be imprisoned for life. Another Assin chief named JEBI received a lighter sentence. OTIBU was released a few week9later on the petition of the allied chiefs. As a guarantee of his good behaviour, they handed over to the Governor as hostages the heirs to all important stools in ASSIN. No sooner was OTIBU reinstated than he recom- menced his intrigues, and appealed to the King to send a party of ASH ANTIS to DUNKwA, ostensibly to the funeral custom for the late King of DRNKIRA He stated that he would join the party on Its return journey and compel as many of his people as he could to do • The prosent-day value of • poregna equal. £8. SElztJRE OF ASHANTI TRADERS 89 likewise. To this the King stupidly agreed, and wrote to the Governor in March, 1853, of his intention to send his brother ACHIEMPON with a party to DUNKWA for a funeral custom. On account of the great unrest caused among the FANTlS by the advent of this party, ACHIEMPON and his people were stopped at FEsu, beyond the PRA, by Ensign Brownell. OTlBU, now thoroughly ftightened, fled to CAPE • COAST. JEBI was confronted with ACHIEMPON, and the whole plot was revealed. The F.\NTlS, as a protest to ACHIEMPON'S presence • among them, seized all the Ashanti traders on whom 'they could lay hands. This drastic measure had, natur- lally enough, the contrary effect to that anticipated, and prolonged ACHIEMPON'S visit, while he was being reinforced steadily from COOMASSIIl. He insisted on the release of the Ashanti traders and all their goods. Everything was now made ready for another invasion by the As HANTlS. Tl,e completion of these preparations induced the King to recall ACHIEMPON. The invasion was, however, averted, for in April OTIBU and JERI were beheaded at DUNKWA, in the presence of a large concourse of allied chiefs. The Governor alleged th1t KWEKU DUA had by this I invasion of ACHIEMPON broken the Treaty of 1831, and suggested a new one. The messenger returned to CAPE COAST in January, 1854, with the King's reply. He refused to sign a new Treaty- " because I consider that I have not violated any of the rules in the old Treaty since it was drawn up at Cape Coast Castle until the occurrence of the recent excite- ment, caused by the evil conduct of the Assins, in which - • SOURCES .OF ROYAL REVENUE 91 geographical position that aliens were only allowed into ASHANTI for trading purposes on special permission. Thus they remained the middlemen lor all trade between the countries to the north of ASHANTI and the coast. A large market was established at SALAGA, where the Mahommedan traders of the interior exchanged their cattle and sheep for kola nuts and Euro- pean goods. Although the King did not himself own any gold- mines, all nuggets exceeding a certain size were his by • law. The death duties exacted by him were extremely heavy. All the property of a deceased ABREMPON went to the King, who usually returned part of it to the new chief. The only exceptions to this rule were in connection with the stools of AOENTIN, MAMPON, NsuTA, KUMAwu, JUABIN, OFINSU, BEKWAI, KOKOFU, AOANSI, and EsuMEJA. On the death of a chief occupying one of the above stools, only a few gold ornaments went to the King, together with a male and a female servant. The King also derived his revenue from oath fees and fines; road taxes in kind, on cattle and sheep; and various trading ventures. KWESSI BOOUM is reported to have been the richest of all the Kings of ASHANTJ. All went well until ,d62, when an ASHANTI named JANIN fled to the coast for having failed to comply with the Ashanti law that all gold nuggets recove~ed should be sent to the King. Owing, presumably, to a guilty ' conscience, KWEKu JANIN refused to stand his trial in COOMASSIE, and took several of his people away with him. A runaway slave also joined him. In December, 1862, a formal demand was made for THE RETURN OF THE FUGITIVES 93 Coast Castle did not move from this agreement, but always filled the rules of the said poor George Maclean, except your time has destroyed the agreement. . . . But one of my slaves, named Quarquah, who was wit- ness to the said agreement, and who was the bearer of the certificate for me, is absent in the town, and I have sent messenger after him, but when he comes I will let him come with the book, that you may see your guiltiness. " Although no mention of extradition existed in the Treaty referred to-that of 1831-it may be safely accepted that the King was under that impression. Only ten years before, Cruikshank, who had been Ju diciJI Asse",or, wrote as follows: .. Another difficulty which our Gold Coast Govern- ment has to contend against is the disposal of runaway slaves from Ashantee. It was stipulated in our treaties with the King that his fugitive subjects should be re- <.Ielivered to him in the same way that Fantees flying into his dominions were to be restored to the Governor. This arrangement wa~ necessary to prevent malefactors escaping from punishment. But in many cases the runaway Ashantee seeks a refuge from the fate which is likely to overtake him at the murderous customs which are often taking place at Coomassie, and a natural repugnance is, of course, felt about surrendering him. . .. Under thesr rircumstances the Governor is obliged to mediate as he best can, and refuses to deliver up the runaway, except upon condition of suffi- cient security being given that his life will be spared .... The security for their safety is simply the King's great oath taken on his behalf by his messengers. There is no instance known of this oath, given under such cir- cumstances, being violated. ,,* • Cruiksbank, vol. il.l p. 2)6. HOSTILITIES AFTER REFUSAL 95 ASHANTlS on their way back with ammunition from ELMINA. No actual declaration of war had yet been made, but marauding bands of ASHANTlS crossed the PRA and did all the damage they could. In April, 1863, three armies invaded the Pro- tectorate. One of about 2,000 men entered W ASSA, with orders to hold the DENKERAS and W ASSAS in check; a second and stronger force advanced from PRAS U down into the centre of the Protectorate; while a third, the main body, under Awusu KOKO, entered AKIM and marched on EsslKuMA, where it surprised an allied camp and completely routed it. Major Cockrane, who had been sent to resist the invaders and lead the allies, fell back on ANAMABO . Ellis thus described what occurred: .. On May loth the Ashantis advanced to within a quarter of a mile of the camp of the allies, and a slight skirmish took place between them and the native scouts, in which several of the latter were killed. A general engagement was now confidently expected for the next day, and there was a reasonable prospect of victory, as ~he native contingent at BOBIKUMA numbered nearly twenty thousand men; but to the astonishment and indignation of the entire force, both Regular and native, Major Cockrane issued orders for the whole of the former and the greater , ortion of the Tatter to retire to the village of Adijuma ; and this retrograde movement was carried out on the day following, while the gallant Commander himself proceeded to the seacoast town of Mumford. On May 12th the remnant of the native contingent left at Bobikuma was attacked in force by the Ashantis at two o'clock in the afternoon, and by five o'clock the allied natives were completely routed, losing very heavily. The town of Bobikuma was COLLAPSE OF THE ALLIES 97 and treat it as such, the difficulties attending which would have been very great owing to past misunder- standings, and would have steadily increased as time went on and the power of the English grew and ex- tended; the other was to conquer it, and by a firm and just rule gradually eliminate what was objectionable, and foster and encourage what was good in it. There was no practicable middle COUri;e . * But the representations he made to the Home Government met with scant encouragement. The Governor, expecting that the ASHANTIS would resume warfare on the cessation of the rains, made all the preparations he could to resist them . In January, 1864, a camp was established at l\V.Nsu, and in February the whole of the troops in CAPE COAST were encamped at PRASU, where a strong stockade was con- structed. AnOther force was stationed in AKI M SUEDRU. The ASHANTIS, however, were firmly convinced that the British troops and allies would not dare cross the PRA River, so they aW:lited events in security. The climate and exposure soon began to tell on the forces of the allies; fever and dysentery broke out and played havoc among them, and eventually compelled them to withdraw. On receiving the news of the evacuation of the allied camps, the ASHANTIS openly exulted, and KWEKU DUA is supposed to have said that ., the white man may bring his cannon to the bush, but the bush is stronger than the cannon." It was alone due to the King's peaceable disposition that no invasion followed on this abortive attempt to overawe ASHANTJ. ... Claridge, vol I" p. J20. 98 KWEKU DUA 1. An enquiry was once more held on the whole affairs of the GOLD COAST. A select Committee of the House of Commons was appointed to consider a special report drawn up by Colonel ORO, R. E. As a result of its deliberations the GOLD COAST became again a depen- dency of SIERRA LEONE. Owing to the deplorable failure of the recent cam- I paign, British prestige had faUen to a very low ebb, and the belief that the British were useless at bush war- fare gradually gained ground. In consequence the ASHANTIS, who had certainly achieved a moral victory over the British, expected to dictate their own terms . George Blankson of ANAMABO was again sent to COOMASSIE at the end of 1865, and the King sent an embassy down to the Coast. Nothing was definitely settled as the outcome of these negotiations, but the Lieutenant-Governor, Lieutenant-Colonel Conran, thought fit to issue a proclamation in January, 1866, stating that the King of ASHANTI had sued for peace, and that peace had accordingly been declared. This action on his part only made matters worse, for on hearing of it the King was greatly indignant with Colonel Conran, and refused to take part in any fur- ther negotiations until the Governor had complied with his demand for JANIN'S surrender. Later in the year KWEKU DUA offered assistance to the AWUNAS (a Coast tribe), who had been at war with the British, and had been severely punished in March, 1866. With this object he sent an army early in 1867 against the KRI!.PIS, who were allies of the ACCRAS. In this way the AWUNAS were able to maintain their resISt- ance to the ACCRAS, and the ASHANTIS assisted them to pillage and fire towns in KROBO. DEATH OF KWEKU DUA 99 KWEKU DUA died in April, 1867, after a reign of twenty-nine years. He is talked of as having been the most peaceable and generous of the Ashanti monarchs, yet he had the misfortune to be involved in several campaigns, all of which he believed to have been caused by the perfidy of the British authorities. , • "~' -~ ~ " - EXCHANGE OF FORTS 101 did not swear that" My business shall be war" (as he is said to have done) is doubtful, but it is certain that after his accession, when returning thanks to the ASREMPON, he wore a cap covered with flints, the Ashanti emblem and presage of war. In March, 1867, a Treaty had been signed in London between the British and Dutch, whereby the "Sweet River" was declared to be the boundary between the two Powers on the GOLD COAST. This implied the exchange ofthe forts in ApOLLONIA, DIXCOVE, SEKONDI, and KOMENDA, for the Dutch settlements at MORI, KOROMANTlN, APAM and ACCRA. The affected tribes had to transfer their allegiance to another power. This arrangement suited some tribes, but not others, such as the DENKERAS and W ASSAS, who found themselves at the mercy of the ASHANTlS as a result of the exchange, the Dutch al- ways having remained on friendly terms with ASHANTI. The ASHANTlS were naturally delighted with the turn of affairs. The Treaty came into force on January 1st, 1868, hut was not put into operation without great opposition on the coast. It gave rise to the Fanti Confederation, which included nearly all the tribes except the ELMINAS. On this Rccount, ELM INA was attacked and invested by the FANTlS. KOFI y, yer and Kuhne, If Four Years in \.shanti/' p. '29. 104 KOFI KARl KARl inflicted severe losses on the ASHANTIS and intercepted their convoys of ammunition. Eou, ascribing thi. • calamity to the capture of the white men, decided to send hostages for the safety of the Europeans. These hostages were sent to the Governor at CAPE CO.\ST through KROBO. The alarming reports of Eou's position also induced the King to offer an exchange of prisoners. The Governor, thinking that the King alluded to the Europeans in his hands, caused the ASHANTlS in the Protectorate to be collected and sent to PRAS U under Major Brownell. But the Assin chiefs, unwilling to surrender the Ashanti prisoners, closed the roads just north of the PRA and caused a delay of seven months. In the meanwhile better news reached COOMASSI E of Eou's situation, so that when the exchange did actually occur in March, 187', the King onl}' yielded up some FANTIS, excusing himself for not sending the Europeans by saying that he had to await the return of Eou BAFFuo, who had captured them. The concerted attack on the Protectorate did not eventuate. The Dutch found themselves completely powerless with the means at their disposal to impose law and order in their possessions, and negotiations for the transfer of all their rights to the British were com- menced in November, 186g. These negotiations did not culminate until 1872, the chief difficulties to be ur- mounted being the presence of ACHIEMPON at ELMIN~ and the Ashanti claim to that town. The Dutch had paid rent to the Ashanti Kings for ELM INA Castle ever since the" Note" feU into OSEI TUTU'S hands in 16gg or 1700, and Elmina territory ASH ANTI CLAIM TO ELMINA 105 had, according to the ASHANTIS, ever since formed an integral part of the kingdom. In all negotiations, moreover, between the British and ASHANTIS, this claim, if not actually acknowledged, had been recognized. As late as 1868 the Elmina chiefs, in refusing an alliance with the FANTIS, had told Sir Arthur Kennedy that they wished to continue to pay tribute to ASHANTI. The presence of ACHIEMPON in ELM INA with his warriors was in itself an enlightening fact. But the Dutch, who were now only too anxious to withdraw from the coast, denied the existence of the Ashanti claim, or of " any treaty of official engagement between Elmina and Ashanti. "* The Dutch Governor admitted, however, that his Government paid twenty ounces of gold annually to the King of ASHANTI on an agreement entered into with the Chief of DENKERA to encourage trade, adding that " the King of Ashanti has no recognized claim upon the territory or people of Elmina." t In November, 1870, KOFI KARl KARl heard rumours of this transfer, and in a letter dated November 24th, 1870, wrote as follows to Mr. Ussher, the Adminis- trator : " I beg to bring before your Excellency's kind con- sideration regarding the Elmina, if it is included in the change. The forts o. that place have. from time immemorial paid annual tribute to my ancestors to the present time by right of arms, when we conquered Intim Gackidi, King of Denkera. Intim Gackidi hav- ing purchased goods to the amount of nine thousand pounds (£9,000) from the Dutch, the Dutch demanded • Parliamentary Papers: Cession of Dutch Settlements. t Ibid • • 106 KOFI KARl KARl of my father, Osei Tutu I., for the payment, who (Osei Tutu) paid in full the nine thousand pounds (£9,000), and the Dutch delivered the Elmina to him as his own, and from that time tribute has been paid to us to this present time. "* Later he again protested in these words: " From the ancient up to this time Elmina Ca,tle is mine, and living with them as friends, and they also paid yearly tribute to me, but as having understood that it going in exchange to be your Excellency' 5 pro- tection I do not understand." t Colonel Nagtglas, the Dutch Governor, mamtained his attitude of denial, and imprisoned ACHIEMPO:-l in April, 187 I, to induce him to return to COO~l.\SSlE, and in October the sale of munitions of war to A,hanti traders was prohibited. In May, 1871, the Dutch sent to COOM.\SSIE one Henry PLANGE, a native clerk in their employ, to obtain, if possible, a withdrawal of the King's claim to ELlIlINA. He there saw the European missionaries, besides a British Government Native Agent who was negotiating for their release. PLANGE left COO~tASSIE on Sep- tember 2nd, and on his return presented the Dutch Governor with the following document: "CERTIFICATE OF APOLOGY. .. I. These are to certify that the letter addressed to his Excellency H. T. Ussher, the Admini,trator of Her Britannic Majesty's Settlements on the Gold Coast, • ParliameDtary Papers, CessioD of Dutch SettlemeDIS. t Ibid. PLANGE'S CERTIFICATE OF APOLOGY 107 dated Coomassie, 24th Novembe., 1870, by me, Coffie Calcalli, King of Ashantee, reside at Coomassie king- dom, was totally misrepres.ented in the part of parties entrusted with the writing and the dictating. " 2. I therefore do solemnly declare, in the presence of your Excellency's Ambassador, Mr. H. Plange, profession, writer of the Government's office at st. George d'Elmina, and my Chiefs, that I only meant board, wage, or salary, and not tribute by right of arms from the Dutch Government. " 3. On account of circumstances relative to my ancestor, Osei Tutu the 1st, having conquered Intim Gackadi, the then King of Denkera, a friend or kind of commission agent of some transactions for His Nether- land Majesty's Government on the Gold Coast, the said Intim Gackadi's liahilities with the Dutch Govern- ment on the Gold Coast, to the amount of £9,000, my said ancestor was caused to make it good by the said Dutch Government, and in virtue of which the Custom pay-note of the said Intim Gackadi was transferred to my said ancestor, who enjoyed it in times immemorial, and became heritable to his heirs the Kings of Ashantee, who now hold the said Custom pay-note in possession to this present moment. "4. The said £9,000 was paid to ensure friendship and goodwill, or feeling, towards the Dutch Govern- ment on the Gold Coast Settlement in Elmina Fort, ea stle or Fort . .. 5· Tradition tells us that Ashanti and Elmina are relations, offspring 01 one mother; they are brethren; also they are not to have hostilities against each other by oath of allegiance . .. 6. In conclusion, I must acknowledge that the forementioned letter, dated Coomassie, 24th Novem- ber, 1870, about my communication to his Excellency H. T. Ussher, concerning Elmina Fort, is a vague, fo~, or nominal expression, the sentiments of 108 KOFI KARl KARl which I therefore must now write that the whole is a mistake . .• Signed in the presence of the Ambassador and the Chiefs, Coomassie, 19th August, 1871. hi, "(Signed) COFFIE CALCALLI X mark King of Ashantee. Reside at Coomassie Kingdom. " Chiefa- his "(Signed) INsuA x POKOO . mark , his BOOACHIE X TURTSIN. marl< his YOAR X NVCHWIE. mark "(Signed) H. PLANGE, Ambassador." A copy of the document walt at once sent by the Dutch authorities to the Administrator, Mr. Salmon, at CAPE COAST. I t satisfied the British authorities, and the Convention for the cession of the Dutch !tettlellients was ratified on February 17th, 1872. No doubt can now be entertained that the was a forgery, but there is good proof that LieutenaDt- Colonel Fergusson, the Dutch Governor, was no party to the fraud, for he at once acknowledged the receipt of the Certificate in a letter to KOFi KAlIl KAlIl, and asked him to Withdraw ACHIEMPON from ELMlNA. This letter arrived in COOMASSIE in December, and the missionaries read it to the King, who to understand the meaning of the contenjs. M-. Ramseyer and KUhne, moreover, who bad in • DUTCH POSSESSIONS TAKEN OVER 109 COOMASSIE throughout PLANGE'S visit, had never seen or heard of the "Certificate of Apology," although they were in the habit of reading and interpreting the King's correspondence to him. The first effect of the transfer of the Dutch settle- ments was to place the whole Coast under one Govern- ment. This modified the views of the ELMINAS, who realized that they could now claim the protection of the British flag in common with all their foes. Further, they were influenced by the report of the withdrawal of the Ashanti claim to their territory, and finally, when ACHI EMPON was removed by the Dutch to ASHANTI, they decided to accept their new rulers. Mr. Pope Hennessy formally took over the Dutch possessions in April, 1872, and the Dutch left the GOLD COAST for ever, after an occupation of 274 years. I n the meanwhile negotiations for the release of the European missionaries had been renewed with ASHANTI, but EDU BAFFUO, now in COO MASSIE, strongly resisted their surre"der. It was eventually decided to claim the exorbitant ransom "f I ,800 ounces of gold (about £6,500). Only two chiefs (those of MAMPON and ADANSI) were in favour of releasing the prisoners, warning the assembly that if they did not do so they must prepare for war. This was the very thing the chiefs wanted, although the King himself was against extreme measures. In September, 1872, the captive missionaries wrote to the Governor as follows: " The King has often declared again and again that he is the friend of your Excellency. that he truly wants peace, and as for his part he would send the white p~son~rs, but he seems to be entirely in the hands of hIS ChIefs; he says they want the money. and it is to be llO KOFI KARl KARl seen clearly that he has not power enough to resi,t them. We believe surely that they, on the pitch of their excitement and in their blindness, would force the King, by his great oath, to begin a new war. ,,* Mr. Pope Hennessy endeavoured by a policy of extreme generosity to gain his own ends. He sent valuable presents to the King, offered to double the annual payment made by the Dutch, released the Ashanti hostages (among whom was EDtJ B.IHI·O'S own son), and even went so far as to withdraw the prohibition of the sale of arms and ammunitions, thus giving the ASHtlNTlS every facility to prepare for war. Moreover, he must needs select the questionable PLANGE as his messenger-a person who was anything but a persolta gmta at the Ashanti court. PLANGE carried letters offering £ 1,000 in exchange for the European prisoners. These conciliatory tactics were doomed to failure. The Ashanti chiefs construed them as an indication of fear, with the result that it made them all the more determined to fight. PI -\. 'GI! wa contemptuously received, and ignored lor. e\'eral weeks. The King held a large meeting of the ASREMPON on September 2nd, 1872, to consider the subject. Great indignation was expressed at the Governor's offer, but KOFI KARl KARl induced the chiefs to decrease their claim to £2,000. PLANGE, when asked to give his opinion, declared that the Governor would not pay more than £1,000, whereupon a perfect uproar ensued. The following is an extract from PLANGE'S journal, taken from Brackenbury: * II Transfer of Dutcb Pos'SessioDs." part i., P. I S+ PLANGE'S JOURNAL III " King at Beckwy : If we do not accept the £! ,000, and not agree to let these white men free to go to the coast, what will come? "H. Plange: Nothing will come; but the friendly will not increase as before, because it will pain the Governor. " King at Duadin: Then war will come, but remem- ber that from time immemorial or from ancient time you never heard that the F antees declared war against Ashantees, but always Ashantees against the Fantees ; and how is it ? These white men we sell them for gold; if Governor agree the price, he can buy them; if not, we will keep them for curiosity. Another thing, if the Governor has not money to pay the amount we ask, let him give back the Assins, Ackims, and Dencirras, in the place of these white men, and we will give them up to him (Governor). but not any less money. " H . Plange : I am not sent to decide old matters which I don 't know; but this point I will not be scruple to answer you; the Assins are refugees, and Governor cannot give them to you as you wish; no, never. " King: Put this aside, and let we manage the money matter. Arthur (Plange), what you say about the money? "H. PlaILge: My master, the Governor, wrote a letter to his friend, while I am already here, sent in by Affilfa, request the King to pay that £ 1,000, even £soo-the Basel missionaries are able to pay, as I told you before; Governor offered this £1,000 to His Majesty for the purpose maintain peace; but for any money than the £I, 000 ? " King: Can't Governor pay any money more than the £I ,ooo? "H. Plange: As it was in the letter. "King at Fommanah: Governor is only pinching us with the £1,000 to hear some words from us, and that is all. Governor will hear is a war; and seeing I am the King of Fo mmanah, even I am the smallest 112 KOFI KARl KARl King, I know that the Governor will not able to come to me. " King's Mother : You think also that I am woman; it is so, but my right arm is strong enough to meet urulUmbered Fantees, whoever likes to declare war against the Ashantees. " A manquateah : If lice or louse are too much in the hair and troubles you, should better to shave the hair and get rest. " H. Plange : Have I spoke any bad words to cause you to anger? H ow you mean by these? " King: Governor wants really to have war with me but not for peace, reason why instead he has to pay the half of the amount 600 praquen (£4,860) . The Chief, Adu Boffu, asked only sent a letter to pay £I ,000. For fight affairs I am not afraid; if you like I can show you my magazine, to see so much quantity of ammuni- tion I have, that you may tell the Governor and the F antees. So far I know that the white man never agree with raining and sunshine as we ran bear. " H. Plange: I am not sent to make declaration of war, but I was sent as messenger of peace; and if you mean to declare war with the coast as you are hooting at it now, I dare say if it is so I will never cross the Prah before the roads will be shutted ; and not this I am going to write to my master about it. If I do, the matter will be spoiled . " AU the Chwfs : Do so, war we never afraid; if you boast us with war affairs we are not afraid, etc. " H. Plange: I beg the King of Mampon to speak with the King and chieves to be quiet, and I beg to know something to enable me to inform my master, aa the period of the affairs. " Adu Boffu's Families: After our opinions are not to be blamed the King on the coast, as the coast will talk bad against our King, so we let the comes to £4,000 . .. King: Governor messenger, Arthur (PIaoge), ~ CHIEFS DESIRE WAR 113 to write a letter to the Governor just now, and that, as for my side, I am willing to let these white men go to their country free, without ask any cent, but the chiefs sticks upon the said money, and I beg the chiefs are here present, that as I wish to have peace with the coast, the amount of £4,000 you said to be reduced as to come to the amount of £2,000. " King oj F ommanah: I beg the messenger Arthur not to write Governor about these affairs, that we may settle these affairs quietly. " King: Do not mention this, because it shows that you are afraid. I wish the messenger write the Governor so." In October the King sent OWUSU KUMA to CAPK COAST with a large retinue to deliver his claim for £2,000. KOFI KARl KARl, in his eagerness for peace, however, had given his messenger a second letter reducing his claim to £1,000. PLANGE, knowing this, contrived to inform the Administrator, Mr. Salmon, of this second letter, whereupon a firm attitude was adopted, and it was finally arranged to hand the money over to a Mr. Grant at CAPE COAST, to be held in trust for the King until the release of the missionaries. This was accordingly done, and the King informed of the result of the negotiations. But the unrest among the Ashanti chiefs was in- creasing. The accuml"l'ed effect of the refusal to surrender JANIN in the last reign and the recent loss of ELM INA was in itself sufficient to engender fierce resentment, but the deciding factor in favour of hos- tilities-the real cause of the war-was the extreme jealousy aroused among the ABREMPON by the success of Eou BAFFUO, Eou was a junior chief when he ventured on his K rppi campaign, but his successes had raised him to a "4 KOFl KARl KARl position of great importance. He was now a large slave-owner and had acquired great wealth. This was gall and wormwood to all his seniors in rank. B EN I M P.\, the CHIDOMHENE, and four of his elders, headed the war-party. They were spoiling for an opportunity to distinguish themselves, and argued that the chances of self-aggrandizement offered by success in the field far out weighed the hardships and disadvantages of war- fare. Their assurance of the British Government', dread of hostilities, moreover, acted as a welcome spur to their inclinations, and war became inevitable. I t was decided upon at a meeting held by the King on October 2 2nd. The chiefs swore to march to the Coast, and the King replied: "If you go, I go with you. " On November 8th PLANGE and the missionaries were sent to FOMENA (thirty-three miles south of COO- MASSIE, on the CAPE COAST road). Whether this was done to get them out of the way during mobilization, or whether the King really intended to release them and altered his mind on receipt of the news that the ransom would only be paid at CAPE COAST, is uncertain. The captives were detained at FOMENA until December 8th, and then brought back to COOMASSIE. The usual tactics of a simultaneous attack on three sides were again adopted. KOFI BENTUO (Chief of MARAWERE) was to march south-east with a small force of two or three thousand men, to hold the AKI MS in check, and give free move- ment to the central column; EDU BAFFUO, with four or five thousand men, was to overrun DENKERA and WASSA; while the main army, under A~IA,'KWA TJA of BANTAMA, of some 20,000 (with reserves), was to advance due south to the coast. INVASION OF THE PROTECTORATE "s Eou BAFFUO'S division marched first, and took the lIhr-;sv ; '''WANTA road, It consisted of all Eou's own people, called JIASIWA, belonging to AGOGo, JI'ICHI, and several more villages. He crossed the OFIN mto SEFWI, and went as far as WIOSO before he tllmed down into ApOLLONIA, where he had three engagement. and captured INSAMA. The main army followed a week bter, under AMANKWA TIA, and marched straight for the PRA, where the concentration was effected. This army con- sisted of all the COOMASSIES, the TEKIMANs (under the DOMAKWAI stool), the WENCH IS and MANSU NKW.INTAS (under ASAFO), the ASH.INTI AKIMS (under the OOUM stool), the OBOGllS (under the AN~NTAHENE), the BEREKUMS and DENYASIS (under B.~NTAMA). the AHAFOS (under ANKASE), AGUNA (under AOENTIN), and the NKORANZAS, WAMS, OFINSUS, KllMAwus, EJIsus, MAMPONS, JUABENS, BEKWAIS, KOKoFus, and AOANSIS-all in their own separate formations, in accordance with the established rule described on p. q. KOFI BENTUO left COOMASSIE with all the MARA- WERE people about forty days after the main army, and followed the EJlsu road, with the intention of guarding the AKIM frontier; but he was recalled, as the King heard that the DENKERAS had hidden their heirlooms in a forest called YINABA. ORO, close to IMBRAIM, and sent BENTUO to recover them. He failed in his mission, and returned to COOMASSIE on hearing of the defeat of A~I.\NKWA TIA. The main army commenced to cross the PRA in January, 1873. This is said to have occupied five days. Several Assin villages were burnt and plundered. The GO"crnment first received definite information of II6 KOFI KARl KARl the invasion on January 31st. Taken completely by surprise. the British authorities refused to believe the news until the ASHANTIS attacked a camp of hastily collected allies at YANKUMASI Ass IN on February 9th, and occupied that place. The allies fell back on YANKUMASI FANTI (about thirty-five miles), where a large camp was established. Although they made preparations to attack the invaders, the allies were surprised by the ASHANTIS on March 10th and completely routed, after a hard fight. The news of this battle caused the greatest dismay on the coast, as it left the ASHANTIS encamped within • thirty miles of CAPE COAST . Fortunately for the allies, AMANKWA TIA did not follow up his victory. This gave the allies (who had now been reinforced by an officer and 100 men of the West India Regiment) time to concentrate at DUNKWA, a village four miles south of the Ashanti camp. A pause ensued, as the allied chiefs could not be persuaded to attack, and AMANKWA T IA waited for reinforcements and ammunition. This delay enabled Eou BAFFuo (who had defeated the DENKERAS and WASSAS, and had been reinforced by the SEFWIS) to join the main army. The ASHANTIS attacked at their leisure on April 8th, but they were met with the resistance of desperation and neither side could claim a victory. On April 14th the ASHANTIS again attacked the allies, and a fierce battle, lasting from daylight to dark, was fought with- out definite result. The ASHANTIS were so disheartened that they prepared to retreat. But before their pre- parations were complete they heard that their enemies were in full flight on CAPE COAST. Had the ASHANTIS followed them up then and there, nothing could have opposed their march to the coast. They were, bow- ELJ\UNA'S REVOLT SUPPRESSED 117 ever, in a wretched plight themselves . Food was scarce and disease ravaged their ranks. Under these circumstances, AMANKWA TIA contented himself with formmg a large camp at DUNKwA, where his force remamed until the middle of May. They moved on JUKWA (fourteen miles south-west), where they attacked and routed a combined force of FANTlS and DENKER.IS on June 5th. The fugitives fled to CAPE COAST, and a general panic seized the whole country- side • Between [5,000 and 20,000 natives sought the pro- tection of the Castle guns. The Governor held a meet- ing of chiefs on June 6th, and tried to rally them, but without success. The ELMINAS rose in revolt, and were bombarded from the Castle on June 13th. They promptly retreated, but, having been reinforced by a party of some 3,000 ASHANTlS, returned to the attack. The steady volleys of the British troops, however, caused them to retreat, with the loss of about 200 dead. This action proved of great importance, as it caused the ELMINAS to reconsider their position and acknow- ledge the supremacy of the British Government; it con- vinced the ASHANTlS that the capture of the Castle was beyond their power; while it also made the Home authorities realize the seriousness of the Ashanti inva- sion and of the absolule necessity for the adoption of strong measures against such a formidable foe. But the plight of the ASHANTlS, although better than that of their enemies, was far from enviable. Small- pox and dysentery played havoc among their men; the rainy season was at its height; the camps were swampy and ill sanitary , and the indecision of AMANKW.\ TI \ caused great dissatisfaction. 9 118 KOFI KARl KARl KaFI KARl KARl would not recall them, howeycr To an appeal from his chiefs he replied: "You wished for war, and you have it, you swore you would not return till you could bring me the walls of Cape Coast, and now you want me to recall you because many Chiefs have fallen and you are suffering. I t was not I ; it was you who wished it.' '* Reinforcements consisting of 13 officers and 360 men of the 2nd West India Regiment arrived in July, and 170 officers and men of the Royal Marine Light Infantry and Artillery in August. With the exception of a few skirmishes, however, both sides remained inactive for several weeks. In the meantime Sir Garnet Wolseley had been appointed Civil Governor and Commander-in-Chief. He arrived with his staff of thirty-six specially-selected officers at CAPE COAST on October 2nd. The instructions he received were as follows : t "No.1. H Dow,sI1'i(; ~TREETt II loth Septembe,. 1873. " SIR , "Her Majesty's Government ha\'ing deter- mined, in consequence of the critical state of affairs on the Gold Coast caused by the Ashanti invasion, to unite the chief civil and military command in the settlement in the hands of an officer of high reputation and experi- ence, I have the honour to acquaint you that Her Maje5ty has been pleased to approve of your appoint- ment to administer the government of the Gold Coast Settlement, and I transmit to you herewith Her Majesty's commission as Administrator, , " 2. You will, as Administrator, correspond directly with this office, and not through the Go\'ernor-in-Chief • Ramseyer and Kuhne, p. 239. t Brackenbury, \'01. i., p. 129 rl "q. SIR G. WOLSELEY'S INSTRUCTIONS '19 of the West African Settlements, who wili be instructed during your tenure of office to abstain from all inter- ference in the affairs of the Gold Coast. " 3. The circumstances which have led to the present posItion of affairs on the Gold Coast appear to be bnefty as follows: .. 4 The King of Ashanti, as you will find on referring to the document dated 19th of August, 1871, which is printed at p. 34 of the correspondence pre- sented to Parliament on Gold Coast affairs in February, 1872, disclaimed the pretension put forward in his letter to Mr. Ussher, No. 24, of the 24th November, 1870, that Elmina was his by right; but in his letter to Colonel Harley of 20th of last March the King again asserted that the fort of Elmina and its dependencies are his, and it seems beyond a doubt that one of the main objects of his mission was the assertion of Ashanti supremacy over Elmina. "5. But independently of Elmina, it must be remembered that peace had never been formally re- established with the Ashanti kingdom since the war of 1864, and that a petty warfare had from time to time been carried on between the Ashantis and the border tribes. "6. [t has been asserted that Mr. Plange, the mes- senger sent by Mr. Hennessey to Coomassie, did not faithfully deliver the friendly messages with which he was instructed from the British authorities to the King, it is, however, a remarkable fact that almost up to the time of the news arrivinb of the invasion the Gold Coast Government was in apparently friendly communication both with the King of Ashanti and his ambassadors at Cape Coast, and that the Administrator was In daily expectation of hearing that the captive missionaries had been released, and that amicable relations had been permanently established with the Ashanti kingdom . "7 No indication had been given by the King of Ashanti that he had any serious ground of quarrel with J20 KOFI KARl KARl the British Government, whether as regards Elmina or any other matter ; and no opportunity was afforded to the Adminis trator to endeavour to remove peacefully any cause of complaint which the King might allege against the British Government or against the tribes in alliance with Her Majesty. "8. The statement in a letter from ~Ir. Salmon. then Acting Administrator. to Mr. Hennessey, dated 8th of November, 1872, that the Ashantis were at that time and had been purchasing very large quantities of ammunition, guns, gunpowder, and lead bars, seems to show that the invasion had been deliberately planned, and that it was not the result of a sudden outbreak of savage violence, on account of any supposed affront or neglect on the part of the British authorities. It is to be observed, moreover, that in the letter to Colonel Harley, to which I have referred above, the King of Ashanti by no means limits his demands to Elmina, but calls upon the Administrator to restore the Denkeras, Akims, and Assins to their former position as his sub- jects, in direct contravention of the Treaty of 1831, in which it is stated that ' the King of Ashanti has renounced all right or title to any tribute or homage from the Kings of Denkera, Assin, and others formerly his subjects.' "9. I need scarcely say that Her Majesty's Government cannot for a moment listen to such pre- posterous demands. nor can they allow the territories of the tribe in alliance with Her Majesty to be devastated. the inhabitants butchered or driven away into slavery, and all progress and commerce stopped on the Coast by hordes of bariJarians. " 10. At the same time, Her Majesty's Govern- ment have never had any desire to prevent the Ashantis from peaceful intercourse with the Coast; on the con- trary, they have been anxious in every way to foster and encourage such intercourse; and one of the ad\,antages which they anticipated from the possession of the fom elln.F' A'h:WESSI I:\UA~L\, HEAD LINGUIST. I '0 From a photograph. SIR G. WOLSELEY'S INSTRUCTIONS 121 at Elmina was that, through the friendly connection between the Elminas and the Ashantis, increased facili- ties would have been afforded for trade with the latter. " 1[. On your assuming the government} or as soon after as you may think ad"isable, you will address a communication to the King of Ashanti, summoning him to wIthdraw his forces from the territories of our allies within such a period as you may fix, and to make adequate reparation for the injuries and losses which he has inflicted upon our allies, and give securities for the maintenance of peace in future. I have in another dis- patch indi"ated to you generally the nature of the con- ditions whi 'h Her Majesty's Government would con- ,ider equitable " 12. You will intimate to him that active measures are in prcparation against him, and that if he refuses to comply with our demands, or delays to withdraw his forces within the time named, he may rest assured that means will not be wanting to compel h.im to do so, and to inAict ,uch a defeat upon him as will effectually detcr him from repeating his aggressions. " 1.1· Colonel Harley has been instructed to invite the principal kings and chiefs of the friendly tribes to meet you on your arrival at Cape Coast, and you will, of course, lose no time in endeavouring to collect and organize any native force which you may judge to be necessary for conducting any operations which may appear to you certain, or in a high degree likely, to be undertaken. "14· You should state to the native kings that the Queen, on learning the calamitous position in which her allies are placed by the invasion of their country by the Ashantis, and their inability, without further assistance, to r7pel the in,vaders, has sent out specially an officer of hIgh. authonty and experience, uniting the chief civil and mlhtary command, for the purpose of rendering them that assistance. 12~ KOFI KARl KARl 15. You should explain to them that while Her Majesty's Government are prepared to take such measures as may be found expedient on your advice to aid them in carrying on the war against the Ashantis, they expect the native tribes to use their utmost efforts to defend themselves, and to place their resources unreservedly at your disposal. .. 16. The native tribes undoubtedly made consider- able efforts at the beginning of the war, but since their last defeat they appear to have been unaLle to rouse themselves to even the most necessary exertions for their own protection. The reports received by Her Majesty's Government show that at Cape Coast the natives have not even taken steps to clear away the bush, which endangers the safety of the town, 'and that nothing has been done by them to obtain trustworthy information of the movements of the Ashantis. You will intimate plainly to the native kings that it is impos- sible to help those who are unwilling to help themsclres ; and that unless they unite together cordially in their own defence and show themselves prepared to make every sacrifice in their power to maintain themselves against the invader, they must not long look for aid to Her Majesty's GO\'ernment . .. 17. Her Majesty's Government are unable to give yeu more precise instructions as to the measures which should be taken in order to bring the war to a speedy and successful termination, without further information than they at present possess. Much will depend upon the amount of co-operation which you may be able to obtain from the friendly tribes, the position and force of the Ashantis, concerning which but imperfect intelli- gence has hitherto been received, and upon the opinion which you may form after examination of the state of affairs on the spot as to the practicability of an expedi- tion into the interior, and the number and composition of the force with which you might recommend that such an expedition should be undertaken. SIR G. WOLSELEY'S INSTRUCTIONS 123 .. It may be that you will find the forces at your dis- posal upon the Coast sufficient for the accomplishment of any object which you may think it proper to under- take. But if you should find it necessary to ask for any considerable reinforcement of European troops, I have to request that you will enter into full explanations as to the circumstances in which you propose to employ them, and the reasons which may lead you to believe that they can be employed without an unjusti- fiable exposure, and with a well-grounded anticipation of success. Cf 1 have, etc., .. KIMBERLEY." II NO.2. If DOWNING STREET, II loth September, 1873. "SIR • .. Her Majesty's Government wish to leave you a large discretion as to the terms which you may think it advisable to require from the King of Ashanti, but I may point out to you that the Treaty which was con- cluded with Ashanti in 183 I, and of which I enclose a copy for your information, seems to afford a reasonable basis for any fresh cvnvention . .. 2. I t would certainly be desirable to include in such a convention an explicit renewal by the King of Ashanti of the renunciation, contained in the Treaty of 183 I, of all claim to tribute or homage from the native kings who are in alliance with Her Majesty, and, fur- ther, a renunciation or his part to supremacy over Elmina, or over any of the tribes formerly connected with the Dutch, and to any tribute or homage from such tribes, as well as to any payment or acknowledg- ment in any shape by the British Government in respect of Elmina or any other of the British forts or posses- sions on the Coast . .. 3· The King should also, for his own interest no less than with a view to the general benefit of the 124 KOFI KARl KARl country, engage to keep the paths open through his dominions, to promote lawful commerce to and through the Ashanti country, and to protect all peaceful traders passing through his dominions to the coast; and it might be expedient that a stipulation should be made that a resident British Consul or Agent should be received at the Ashanti capital if Her Majesty should think fit at any time to appoint one. "4. You will, of course, be careful to avoid as far as possible anything which may endanger the lives of the European missionaries and their familie. who have so long been held in captivity at Coomassie, without any fault of their own so far as Her Majesty's Government are aware, and you will make every effort to secure their safe release. " S. You will also endeavour to procure the sur- render of all the prisoners taken by the Ashantis from the tribes in alliance with Her Majesty. "6. It is a usual practice with the native tribes to demand hostages for the faithful performance of treaties of peace. This was done tn ,831. when two hostages of high rank were delivered over to the British Govern- ment by the King of Ashanti. If you should find it advisable to make a similar demand on the present occasion, you will bear in mind that the hostages shonld be men of high rank and position in Ashanti. " 7. It would be reasonable to exact from the King the payment of such an indemnity as may be within his means, which are said to be considerable. for the expense of the war and the injuries inflicted on Her Majesty's allies. "8. Lastly, the opportunity should not be lost for putting an end .. if possible. to the human sacrifires and the slave-hunting which, with other barbarities. prevail in the Ashanti kingdom. " J have. etc., " KIMBERLEY." SIR G WOLSELEY'S MEASURES 125 On arrival, Sir Garnet found only 600 or 700 men of the 2nd West India Regiment, and these were scat- tered along the coast, so that he could only depend on about 300 for actual service in the field. He at once took steps to raise a native force, and detailed officers to recruit in GAMBIA, SIERRA LEONE, and LAGOS. He held a big meeting of chiefs at CAPE COAST, and promised them assistance if they would combine against the common enemy. Ten pounds a month were promised to the chiefs for every thousand men they put in the field. He under- took to supply them with arms, ammunition, and a cer- tain amount of rations, besides paying each man I!d. a day . The chiefs promised to do their best, provided that they were led by English officers, but they showed no eagerness to fight. The ASHANTIS, who were encamped at MAMPON and EFUTU, kept in close touch with ELM INA and the surrounding villages, whence they drew large supplies of smoked fish and foodstuffs. Sir Gamet determined to drive them out of the vil- loges, but owing to the small number of troops at his disposal, he could only hope to do so by surprising them. Troops were secretly moved from CAPE COAST to ELM INA by night, and a column marched out early on the morning of Octobe 4th, under Colonel Wood, \' C. (90th Regiment)'. This column drove the Ashanb outposts out of ESSAMAN and destroyed several small villages which had harboured the enemy. But although this small ~xpedition made a good impression, the chiefs could not mduce their men to mobilize. The recruiting missions had, moreover, proved un- • KOFI KARl KARl successful, and Sir Garnet was compelled to demand a large force of European troops with which to conduct the campaign. He also addressed a letter to KOFI KARl K\RI in which he demanded the withdrawal of all the Ashanti forces in the Protectorate, the immediate surrender of all prisoners, and guarantees for the payment of com- pensation. He concluded by writing: " If you, in good faith, consent to these conditions I shall be ready to treat with you in a friendly spirit, and to consider any reasonable proposals you may make. But if within twenty days I have not received from you an assurance of your readiness to comply with Her Majesty's wishes, or if you have not, within the date already mentioned, withdrawn all your forces within your own territory beyond the Pra River, having given such guarantees as may satisfy me for the fulfilment of the above-mentioned terms, I hereby warn you to expect the full punishment which your deeds have merited. Rest well assured that power will not be wanting to that end. I can scarcely believe that you do not know how unequal would be the struggle which you invite. 1/* Although three copies of this letter were dispatched, none ever reached the King. Two were intercepted by AMANKWA TIA-the third was lost. AMANKWA TIA, without forwarding the letter to the King, took upon himself to reply as follows: ... Parliamentary Papers; AsbaDU \rar. AMANKWA TIA'S REPLY 127 "To His Excellency's Governor-in-Chief of Her Majesty's Fort. If MAMPON, n October 20111, 1873. " SIR • .. I have received those two letters which you sent to me in order to send them to the King of Ashantee . For what purpose I came here is that: Assin, Dankra, Akyem, Wassaw. Those four nations belong to the King of Ashantee, and they refused to serve the King, and they escaped away unto you. If the King sends his servants to or to buy something at Cape Coast they catch them and plundered their good to. And tho,e nations ordered the King of Ashantee that he may come and fight with them. Therefore I said that they are not a friends with the King. On account of that I shall come down here to catch those four chieves who ordered the King of Ashantee to come to fight with them. ,. And they fought with me six times, and I drove them away, and they escaped to be under you. But the King did not send me into Cape Coast, and when you deliver Assin, Dar,kra, Akyem, and Wassaw unto me, I shall bring unto the King there is no any quarrel with you • I send my love to you. t. I am your, "(Signed) AIIIANKIVA TIA. "* But in spite of the boastful tone of the reply, the ASH\NTIS had had enough fighting for the time being, and AMANKWA TIA decided to retire towards the PRA. As soon as he received news of the retreat, Sir Garnet determined to follow them un and keep them on the move. . ., Parliamentary Papers: Asbanti vVar. 128 KOFI KARl KARl On October 26th he pushed on to ABRAK~~IP.I, hoping to outflank the ASHANTIS, while orders were given to Colonel Festing to advance from DU!,;KwA. This column surprised an Ashanti camp at ISKABIO on the 27th, under cover of a thunder-storm, The ASHANTIS rallied and fought hard for a time, but even- tually gave way before the West India troops Next day Sir Garnet advanced on ASI!';rHI, only to find the enemy camp deserted. But he was unable to follow up the retreating detachments owing to the pusillanimity of his native levies. Strong reconnais- sances were made on November 3rd. Colonel Festing again came in contact with the ASH~NTIS at ISKABIO. He was compelled to fall back before their fire, but not until he had inflicted severe losses on the enemy. On November 5th the Ashanti main body attacked ABRAKAMPA from the west. But the bush had been cleared all round the village, and they could make no headway against the galling fire of superior weapons. Nevertheless, they continued the engagement up to midnight. Next morning they resumed their attack from ADAMADI, AMANKw~ TIA's camp. Experience had taught them not to expose themselves in the open, and they contented themseh'es with firing into the vil- lage from the bush. Their weapons, however, were completely outranged, and they inflicted little loss on the garrison, while they suffered heavily • 'ext day (November 7th) it was learnt that the ASH I'iTiS had retreated. . The Ashanti camp at ADUIADI lVas rushed and AM.~NKW.I Tl.\'s rear-guard surpri;,ed; but although every sign of a precipitate Right was vi ible, the officers could not induce the native levies to follow up their advantage. CLEVER RETREAT OF THE ASHANTIS 129 AMANKWA TIA first fell back on AINSA, intending to retreat up the PRASU road from DUNKwA ; but find- ing not only the latter place strongly occupied by Colonel F esting, but strong posts established as far north as MANSU, he cut his way through the thick bush for days, and actually succeeded in reaching N S UTA on the 24th before being harassed. On the 26th Colonel Wood advanced on NSUTA, and found camp-fires still burning in the recently evacuated Ashanti camp. He learnt that the enemy were at Fosu, and followed them up with a trained force of about 300 men. There the ASHANTIS fought a rear- guard action under the personal leadership of the old general, ASA~IOA NKwANTA, who had been detailed for the purpose by A~IANKWA TIA, and drove back their pursuers. This action enabled the main body to reach the PRA, which was precipitately crossed, not, hvwever, without considerable loss of life, owing to lack of canoes. Although the As HANTIS had been in fuU flight since their last effort at ABRAKAMPA, the retreat had been conducted ;n a masterly manner, and Colonel Brackenbury's comment on it was that "the army of a civilized nation need not have been ashamed of a retreat conducted with such skill and such success. 11* ASAMOA NKWANTA became known henceforth as SRAFO KRA (he who sa ed the warrior's soul). The remnants of the Ashanti army crossed the PRA on the last day of November. Captain Butler, with a detachment of the 2nd West India Regiment, reached PRASU on December 10th. When the Ashanti camp at MAMPON was visited it was found to have been nearly a mile square: * Brackenbury, vol. 1., p. 302. 130 KOFI KARl KARl "covered with huts; but the enormous number of graves and the skeletons, skulls, and bones that lay around on every side, bore eloquent testimony to the truth of the reports that had been received of the number of men who had died from wounds, disease, and starvation." * The news of AMANKWA TIA'S reverses caused great dismay in COOMASSIE. A council of the ASANTE KOToKo (KoToKo=porcupine, the animal emblem of the kingdom; ASANTE KOTOKO was the name given to any important gathering of chiefs) was held at MENHIA (a village outside COOMASSIE where the King kept his store of gun- powder) on October 27th. The chiefs clamoured [or the recall of the army, but KOFI KARl KARl was annoyed with them for losing heart, and pointed out that war had been their wish, not his. He had spent a large sum on the campaign, which they must agree to refund before he would order AMANKWA TIA home. To this they consented, whereupon instructions to return were sent to the general-not, however, before he had begun his retreat. Another letter from Sir Garnet reached COO MASSIE on November 20th, similar to those he had sent pre- viously and which had been intercepted. This induced the Queen-Mother to make a complete volle face. She had been eager for war a year ago. Hor words now were: " From old times it has been seen that God fight, for Ashanti if the war is a just one This one is unjust The Europeans begged for the imprisoned white men. They were told to await until Eou BAFFUO returned. + Claridge, vol. ii., p. 79. RETURN OF DEFEATED ARMY - 131 EDU BAFFUO came back; then they said they wanted money. The money was offered and even weighed. How can this war be justified? Taking all intO' con- sideration, I strongly advise that the white men should be sent back at once, and God can help us.' ,* In reply, the King told Sir Garnet that he had not sent his army against the white men nor to attack the forts. He had declared war against the King of DENKERA on hearing from Plange that ELMINA had been given to him, but now that news of K WEK U FRAM's death had reached him he had recalled his army. He, however, complained of the attack on his army at Fosu, while it was in the act of withdrawing from the Protectorate. The Ashanti army, beaten, wearied, and disheart- ened, reached COOMASSIE at the end of December. Several of the leading men-namely, YAO ACHIRE of JUABEN, KRAPA of ANKASE, ESUBUANTIN of WAM, ADOM of PAMPASO, and ADO of BOAMAN, lost their lives in this last venture, in addition to hundreds of minor chiefs . Indeed, of all the splendid army which had set forth, less than one-half returned . ... Ramseyer and Kuhne, p. 247 . • CHAPTER VIII THE FALL OF COO MASSIE, 1874 SIR GARNET could now make his preparations for an invasion of ASHANTI without molestation. His plan was to attack with several columns which would cross the PRA at different places and then com-erge on COOMASS IE. Captain Glover, with his I busas and native allies, was to attack from the east, Captain Butler, with a force of AKIMS, from the south-east through AKlM; the main body would advance from PRASU; and Captain Dalrymple, with his DENKERAS and WASSAS, would attack through DE"'KER.~, to the west of the main column . Before this could be accom- plished camps had to be prepared for European troops, roads made, and transport organized. Sir Gamet arranged for a simultaneous advance on January 15th, 1874. The European troops commenced to arrive in December-the 2nd Battalion of the Rifle Brigade and some Royal Engineers on the 22nd, the 2Jrd Royal Welsh Fusiliers on the 12th, and the 42nd Highlanders on the 17th. The 1st West India Regiment from Jamaica arrh'ed on the 27th. Sir Gamet now had at his disposal over 4,000 Euro- pean troops and two battalions of West I ndia Regi- ments, besides some 200 officers. :'Ilost of these . troops he concentrated at PR.ASt;. where he him- self arrived on January 2nd. Ashanti mes enger, bearing the two letters from KO!'l KARl KARl already alluded to, met him there. I twas ob,;ous that the 13' SIR GARNET WARNS THE KING 133 - King had been kept in ignorance of the real state of affairs, so Sir Gamet sent a letter recapitulating recent events, and adding: .. When AMANKwA TIA attacked ABRAKAMPA there were only fifty white men there; yet, after two days' fighting, he was forced to retreat in confusion with great loss; and many of your war-drums, chiefs' chairs, and other military trophies, besides much baggage, were captured by my troops. As regards the attack upon your retreating army at FAISOO, it was made only by a small party of my undrilled black troops, who were ordered to fall back as soon as they found where your army was; yet it caused the whole of the Ashanti army to retreat in the utmost haste and confusion, leav- ing their dead and dying everywhere along the path. . .. I wish to impress upon your Majesty that hitherto your soldiers have only had to fight against black men, helped by a few Englishmen. If, however, you should now be so ill-advised as to continue this war, your troops will have to meet an army of white soldiers. These white troops are now on their march from Cape Coast for the purpose of invading your territory, to enforce compliance with my just demands, which I shall presently lay before you. . .. This war has already entailed many defeats upon your enemies; you have lost thousands of men in battle and from want and disease. "I am well aware of all these facts_ You are sur- rounded by hostile tribe< who long for your destruction. Be warned in time, and do not listen to the advice of evil counsellors, who for their own purposes might urge you to continue a hopeless struggle against an army of white men, a struggle that can only lead to the destruction of your military power, and that must cer- tainly bring great misery on your people and danger to your Majesty's dynasty."* ... B'rackenbury. vol. iL, p. 48. 10 134 THE FALL OF COOMASSIE The peace terms offered were: (I) The immediate release of all prisoners; (2) The payment of an indemnity of 50,000 ounce" of gold; and (3) The conclusion of a new treaty of peace, to he signed in Coomassie, after the delivery of hostages for the safety of the General and his escort. The messengers returned on January 6th, and the General's letter caused great con.ternation in COO- MASSIE. Even the date of the letter (January 2nd) was ominous, for on that day a great fetish-tree planted by ANOTCHWI fell to the ground: (it was a WAWA, not a KUMA tree, as has been stated). KOFI KARl KARl now realized, for the first time, the alarming state of affairs, and he endeavoured to tem- porize by releasing the missionary KUhne and sending him to the General to intercede for him . He again asked Sir Garnet to halt his army " for fear of meeting some of my captains as to cause any fighting." Kiihne reached PRASU on January 12th . But however much startled the King and chiefs were, they were too aCClls- tomed to enemy concentrations at PR.~S U to believe in an actual invasion of their country. The idea was so preposterous that they were quite confident skilful diplomacy would yet save the situation. Yet the unbelievable happened; their last hopes of staying the invasion were shattered by the report of KOBINA OBIN, Chief of AOANSI, announcing that thl' enemy had crossed the PRA and was advancing rapidly. He endeavoured to shame the Coomassie chiefs into action by adding that if they had no powder with which to withstand the invaders, be at all events had som('. His efforts were successful. A oouncil wu hastily DEMAND FOR HOSTAGES 135 summoned on January 17th, and when the situation was realized all became bustle and activity. The old leader, ASA~IOA NKWANTA, was at once dispatched to FOMENA to help the ADANSIS. The warriors were quickly mobilized and placed under the supreme command of KOBINA JUMMO, the MAMPON- HEN!!. This appointment so disgusted AMANKWA TIA that he and several of the chiefs who had fought with him swore they would go to the front, but that they would not return. • On that very day Major Russell occupied and forti- fied the crest of the MOINSI HILL, overlooking KWISSA and FOMENA. Hitherto only slight skirmishes with scouts had taken place. The General and Staff crossed the PRA on January 20th, and marched direct to MOINSI with the main column. On the 23rd the remaining European captives arrived, accompanied by two Ashanti messengers, bearing a letter from the King begging the General not to advance any farther, and promising, if given time, to make AMANKW,\ TIA pay the indemnity, adding that his general had exceeded his instructions in attack- ing ELMINA. Sir Garnet in his reply insisted on the immediate release of all Fanti prisoners, payment of half the indemnity, and delivc y of the following hostages: MENSA, the heir-apparent; EFUA KOBI, the Queen- Mother; and the heirs to the stools of JUABEN, MAM- PON, KOKOFU, and BEKWAI. Further, he promised that if the King agreed to these terms he would arrive in COOMASSIE with only an escort of Sao men to sign the Treaty; if not, he would advance on COOMASSIIt with his whole force. 136 THE FALL OF COO~IASSIE On the 29th a letter was received from the King begging for delay, but he made no mention of the terms offered, probably because it was impossible for him to comply with the second and third requests. He could not then and there lay his hands on any sum like 50,000 ounces of gold, nor was it conceivable that he would yield the hostages named, even had he had the power to compel them to go. The first brush between the forces occurred at BUBORASI on the 29th. Colonel I\fcLeod attacked and surprised the ADANSIS, and nearly captured ASAMOA NKWANTA himself. The ADANSIS having faUen back, nothing opposed the invaders until they reached AMoAFuL (close to BEKWAI), where it was known the ASHANTIS had con- centrated and were preparing to offer stout resistance. Sir Gamet, so as to avoid being outflanked, advanced in four columns, forming a large open square. The general advance began at daybreak on January 31st. The advance-guard, under Brigadier-General Sir Archibald Alison, Bart., C.B., came into touch with the ASHANTIS at EVINASI and drove them back on to their main position, a well-chosen site beyond the village. The attacking troops were met with a terrific fire, and no headway could be made until the guns were brought up. The Hallsa Artillery shook the ASHANTIS, and a charge of the Black Watch drove them from their position, but they soon rallied and fought desper- ately. The guns were brought up again. and another charge followed. At noon a final charge of the Black • Watch secured the village of AMOAFUL, after four hours' fierce fighting. The columns to the right and left. under Colonels Wood and ~lcLeod respectively. had cut and fought THE RUSH ON COO MASSIE 137 their way through the bush, and subsequently joined the main force at AMOAFUL. The fight was over by two 0' clock in the afternoon. The ASHANTIS lost heavily. AMANKWA TIA was killed, besides APIACHAMI and many minor chiefs. The town of BEKWAI was destroyed by the Naval Brigade that same afternoon. An attack was made on FOMENA by the ASHANTIS without success. The lines of communication were continually harassed, but these spasmodic attacks did relatively small damage. • The main body continued the advance on February 2nd, and reached AVIMAMU. On the 3rd the final advance on COOMASSIE commenced. The King again begged Sir Garnet to advance no farther. Sir Garnet replied that he would wait all day on the banks of the OOA River for the arrival of the Queen-Mother and MENSA, but if they did not come he would march straight on COOMASSIE. Compliance with this order being out of the question, KOFI KARl KARl determined on one last effort to defend his capital. The English advance was resumed the next morning. The OOA River was crossed, a bridge having been built on the night of the 3rd in a heavy thunder-storm. The ASHANTIS contested every inch of the way, but ground was steadily gained by a repetition of the former tactics of bringing up the guns, followed by short rushes. OOASU (se' Ii miles from COOMASSIE) was reached about 9 a.m. by the advance-guard. The ASHANTIS attacked on both flanks, but were driven back by rifle-fire. The main body joined up a few hours later, and Sir Garnet determined to rush the capital. The orders were to break through the enemy's lines coille que coule. What followed is best described by Sir Archibald Alison: 138 THE FALL OF COOMASSIE . " On first debouching from the village a tremendou. l fire was opened on the head of the column from a well-planned and strong ambuscade, six men being knocked over in an instant. But the flank companies worked steadily through the bush, the lead- ing compa,ny in the path sprang forward with a cheer; the pipes struck up, and the ambuscade was at once carried. Then followed one of the finest spectacles I have ever seen in war. Without stop Or stay the 42nd rushed on, cheering, their officers to the front; ambus- cade after ambuscade was successfully carried, village after village won in succession, till the whole Ashantis broke and fled in the wildest disorder down the pathway on their front to Coomassie . The ground was covered with traces of their flight. Umbrellas and war-chairs of their chiefs, drums, muskets, killed and wounded, covered the whole way, and the bush on each side was trampled as if a t'Jrrent had flowed through it. No pause took place until a village about four miles from Coomassie was reached, when the absolute exhaustion of the men rendered a short halt nece"ary. So swift and unbroken was the advance of the 42nd that neither Rait's guns nor the Rifle Brigade in support were ever brought into action. "* KWEKu POKU, the head linguist, OWUSU ANSA of AOUMASAN, and ABOA]1 of KONN..I, were killed during this engagement. KOFI KARl KARl was at SOKOBEN (two miles off) throughout the fight. When he realized that all was lost he fled to AKOBUA, close to AKROPONG. The Black Watch entered COOlllASSIE at 5.30 p.m. Sir Gamet arrived three-quarters of an hour later. The town was full o( armed men, hanging about in groups, but no attempt at resistance was offered. The King had fled, and the people were thoroughly cowed. + Brackenbury, vol. ii., p. 215- " t • " •t , , , , : ~ . . II , I k- , :.l,. .-.iC f fil -1, JI -~-_ l' I!t.J , " I -- ) J .~... ~-~, r -I I ' .I ' -:; I --" - r . ~ •-,( > - ' j ~- I -.# •••" •- -" -r.- ,...0;: J- >• #-=. - I I -< ~ -~ ' . ~- SIR GARNET'S LETTER TO THE KING '39 Sir Garnet at once addressed the following letter to KOFI KARl KARl: " KING , "You have deceived me, but I have kepl my promise to you. " I am at Coomassie, and my only wish is to make a lasting peace with you. I have shown you the power of England, and now I will be merciful. "As you do not wish to give up your mother and Prince Mensah, send me some other hostage of rank, and I will make peace with you to-morrowan the terms originally agreed upon. " If either your Majesty, or your Royal mother, or Prince Mensah, will come to see me to-morrow early, I will treat you with all the honour due to your Royal dignity, and allow you to return in safety. If You can trust my word.lJ* tI I am, etc., "(Signed) G. J. WOLSELEY, "Major-General and Administrator, " Gold Coast. liTo HIS MAJESTY COFFEE KAI..KULLY, "King of Ashanti, .. Coomassie." I t was too late to place guards over the exits of the town, and even if it had not been, the troops were exhausted and unfit for further duty. All night long streams of people left with their valuables, and COOMASSIE was deoerted by morning. The palace was then occupied, and in spite of all the property that had been removed during the night, many articles of value were found. Among these was the ancient crown of DENKERA taken from NTIM JAKARI by OSEI TUTU in '700 . • Brackenbury, voL ii., p. :n8. 140 THE FALL OF COOMASSIE The King sent messengers to say he would arrive in the course of the morning, but whether he distrusted the General, or whether he had some ulterior motive, he neither appeared nor sent hostages. Sir Garnet, who was anxious that his European troops should return to the coast with all possible speed, ordered the town to be destroyed. The Engineers worked all night, and the fuses were lit at 8 a .m . of the morning of February 5th, after the invading army had marched out. The whole town was soon one blaze of fire. and a few hours later nothing remained of COO'l\SSIE but a heap of smouldering ruins . Captain Glover entered COOMASSIE on February 12th with about 5,000 men, having marched from the east through OBOGU and KONGo. The JUABENS had intended to resist his progress, but on hearing of the destruction of COOMASSIE, ASAFU EJEI of JUABEN tendered his submission and allowed Captain Glover's party to pa" unmolested. Sir Garnet reached FOMENA on the loth He h.lt.! told some Ashanti messengers that if the King sent 5,000 ounces of gold as a proof of his sincerity he would enter into negotiations to draw up a Treaty of Peace. On the 12th more envoys arrived with 1,040 ounces in nuggets, gold-dust, and ornaments. declaring that the King had found it impossible to collect more. They were given the following draft Treaty to take back with them to the King: .. TREATY 01' PEACE between MAJOR-GE:'iERAL ir GARNET JOSEPH WOLSELEY, C.B., KCM.G., acting on behalf of HER l\!\JESTY VICTORIA, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and S.\IBEE ENQUIE, acting on behalf of His :\lajesty KOFER K.\LKALLI, King of Ashantee. DRAFT TREATY OF .PEACE 141 " ARTI CLI! I. , , There shall be hereafter perpetual peace between the Queen of England and her allies on the Coast on the one part, and the King of Ashantee and all hIs people on the other part. " ARTI CLE II. " The King of Ashantee promises to pay tbe sum of 50 ,000 ounces of approved gold as indemnity for the expenses be has occasioned to Her Majesty the Queen of England by the late war; and undertakes to pay 1,000 ounces of gold forthwith, and the remainder by such instalments as Her Majesty's Government may from time to time demand. "ARTICLE III. "The King of Ashantee, on tbe part of himself and his successors, renounces all right or title to any tribute or homage from the Kings of Denkera, Assin, Akim , Adansi, and the other allies of Her Majesty formerly subject to the King of Ashantee. "ARTICLE IV. "The King, on the part of himself and of his heirs and successors, does hereby further renounce for ever all pretensions of supremacy over Elmina, or over any of the tribes formerly connected with the Dutch Government, and to any tribute or homage from such tribes, as well as to an) payment or acknowledgment of any kind by the British Government in respect of Elmina or any other of the British forts and possessions on the Coast. "ARTICLE V. " The King will at once withdraw all his troops from Apol!onia and its vicinity, and from the neighbourhood of Dlxcoye, Sekondee, and the adjoining coast-line. 142 THE FALL OF COOMASSIE "ARTICLE VI. " There shall be freedom of trade between Ashantee and Her Majesty's forts on the Coast, all persons being at liberty to carry their merchandise from the Coast to Coomassie, or from that place to any of Her Majesty's possessions on the Coast. "ARTICLE VII. "The King of Ashantee guarantees that the road from Coomassie to the River Prah shall always be kept open and free from bush to a width of IS feet. "ARTICLE VII I. "As Her Majesty's subjects and the people of Ashantee are henceforth to be friends for ever, the King, in order to prove the sincerity of his friendship for Queen Victoria, promises to use his best endeavours to check the practice of human sacrifice, with a view to hereafter putting an end to it altogether, as the prac- tice is repugnant to the feeling of all Christian nations. "ARTICLE IX. "One copy of this Treaty shall be signed by the King of Ashantee and sent to the Administrator of Her Majesty's Government at Cape Coast within fourteen days from this date. " ARTICLE X. "This Treaty shall be known as the Treaty of FOMMANAH. " Dated at Fommanah this 13th day of February, 1874."* • Brackenbury. vol. ii.I p. l6g. RATIFICATION OF THE TREATY 143 The independence 01 AOANSI had been expressly asked for by KOBINA OBIN, Chief of AOANSI, who begged to be allowed to migrate into the PROTEC- TORATE and live under the protection of the British . He professed mistrust of COO MASSIE, although he had in reality been one of the chief instigators of the war of resistance . Sir Garnet left FOMENA on February 14th and arrived at CAPE COAST on the 19th, where he received a tremendous ovation . All the European troops were embarked by the end of the month, and the General himself sailed on March 4th, after this short and bril- liant campaign. KOFI KARl KARl sent an important embassy, com- posed of one of his sons, KOFI INTIM (a mere youth), and representatives of all the important chiefs, to over- take him, but they only arrived at CAPE COAST on March.1 ~th, after the General had sailed . They were received by Colonel Maxwell in the Castle hall, and produced the draft Treaty, to which two crosses had been affixed by the King. They complained of the large amount of indemnity claimed, stating that the King had understood the sum to be 5,000 bendas (10,000 ounces), and not 50,000 ounces. They were told that the latter was the stipu- lated amount, and that it could not be altered. After conferring for 'h ee days, the envoys returned to express their readiness to ratify the Treaty. It was signed by KOFI INTIM and nineteen representatives on behalf of the King, and by Colonel Maxwell on behalf of Her Majesty. The ASHANTIS asked for the con- tinuation of the payment of the annual stipend augmented by Mr. Pope Hennessey; for the return of the AOANsls; for the return of KWAHu, ASHANTI- 144 THE FALL OF COOMASSIE AKl~l, and ]UABEN, hostages then in AKlM ; for lati- tude in the matter of total abolition of human sacrifices (as it would be impossible for the King to impose such a measure, however willing he might be to do so) ; and for KOFl INTlM to be sent home and educated in England. These requests were referred to the Secretary of State, who replied that the stipend should cease; that the return of the AOANSlS was a m~tter that only con- cerned themselves (the AOANSlS), and the Government would not interfere; and that all hostages in AKIM willing to return to ASHANTl might do so. The desired sanction for a continuance of human sacrifices was, of course, withheld, but the last reque t was granted. KOFl INTlM was educated at the Surrey County School and given an appointment in Trinidad, and, later on, in the GOLD COAST. with an allowance of £120 a year. Three days after Sir Gamet's departure from COOMASSlE, KOFI K\Rl KARl took up his abode at MENHlA, where he was joined by the principal Coomassie chiefs. Internal affairs were in a hopeless condition. ]UABEN, KWAHU, SEFWl, ATEDCDl', KRATCHl, SALAGA, ]AMAN. BANDA, and all the northern tribes, broke away from the kingdom and asserted their inde- pendence; even the tribes such as l\fAMPoN, AGUNA. NSUTA, BEKwAl. and KOKOFU, refused obedience and openly defied the King. The disruption of the kingdom was to all intents and purposes complete. ASAFU EJEl of ]UADEN, who was overlord of KRATCHl, went to the length of encouraging the killing of all Coomassie traders on the VOLTA and throughout the BRONG country. He had refused to join the main BANKRUPT CONDITION OF THE COURT 145 army when ordered to do so by KOFI KARl KARl, saying he would guard the eastern road, and when he heard of the destruction of COO MASSIE he cut himself adrift from the court altogether. The King, moreover, bore ASAFU EjEI a grudge • for some impertinent messages he had received from the celebrated DENTE fetish of KRATCHI (through ASAFU EjEI) ; but as he did not wish to lose the allegiance of JUABEN, he appealed to the Governor for an officer to mediate between himself and ASAFU EjEI. After some hesitation on the Governor's part, he deputed Captain Lees for the mission. The latter arrived in COOMASSlE on July 23rd. He succeeded in restoring peace between the parties, but only on condi- tion of the recognized independence of ]UABEN. The power of COOMASSIE had indeed fallen to the dust. KOFI KARl KARl was by nature a spendthrift. One of his favourite amusements was to watch his wives scramble for gold nuggets that he scattered among them. The large sums he had to pay as indemnity further aggravated matters, and he now found himself a bankrupt, so he determined, as a last resort, to " borrow" wealth from the tombs of his ancestors. He most unwisely caused several of the coffins of the Royal mausoleum at BANTAMA to be broken open and stripped of their gold ornaments, without the know- ledge or consent of the BREMPON. EFUA KOSI, the Queen-Mother, recognized some of her mother's (EFUA SAPON) trinkets, which she knew to have been buried with her, adorning one of KOFI KARl KARl'S wives. She accused the King of rifling his grand- mother's tomb, and openly denounced him to the ABREMPON, who, scandalized at the sacrilege, deter- mined to depose him. On hearing of this, KOFI KARl 146 THE FALL OF COOMASSIE KARl sat himself on the golden stool with a loaded gun and a keg of gunpowder, surrounded by his AHINK\\'\. He threatened to shoot any chief who came near him and to bum tne golden stool. At the end of five day~, however, the ABREMPON induced him to abdicate by fair promises. They told him he would be allowed to take away as many wives and as much property as he liked, provided that he yielded up the golden stool. He agreed to these terms, but no sooner had he estab- lished himself at KW.\WUNNA (close to EOUAOIN) than he was surrounded and deprived of all his belongings. He then removed to TABIRl, close to AKROPONG, where we shall leave him for the present. He was deposed in August or September, ,874 . • CHAPTER IX MENSA BONSU AND KWEKU DUA II. 1874-1883 OSEI MENSA, known as MENSA BONSU, .ucceeded his brother towards the end of 1874. His enstoolment was a melancholy affair, as only representatives of the big chiefs attended the ceremony. His first care was to rebuild COOMASSIE. Heinduced all the chiefs and their subjects to help him to repair the palace and their own houses. The services of the women were enlisted. Every chief woman, with all her female attendants, devoted three months to the making of .. swish," of which material the men were to build the walls of the compounds. The palace is said to have been rebuilt in a year-all but the stone fort, which they could not re-erect for want of cement. The stones were all removed to KWESE (the site of the present Roman Catholic mis- sion-station), within present COOMASSIE town limits, to the east of the SUBIN Stream, where they remained until 1896. They were then utilized for the construc- tion of the present fort The rebuilding of the whole town occupied about three years. MENSA'S ambition was to restore the ascendancy of COO MASSIE over the outlying tribes, and to revive the former strength of the kingdom. The independence claimed by ADANSI and J UABEN was a bitter blow to the Royal House. MENSA endeavoured by intrigue to regain JU~BEN, but ASAFU EJEI (JUABENHENE) would '47 148 MENSA BONSU AND KWEKU DUA II. have no more of COOMASSIE, and in revenge for MENSA'S intrigues seized all the Coomassie traders who fell into his hands. MENSA naturally complained of this conduct to Governor STRACHAN, demanding redress from the JUABENS for closing the roads and payment of their share of the war indemnity. But the Governor elected not to interfere in the quarrel. This decision, coupled with some insulting messages which he had received from E)EI, gave MENSA an opportunity to test the feelings of the outlying chiefs, such as those of BEKWAI, KOKOFU, ~lAMPON, OFINSU, I'sun, and K UMAWU. This naturally placed them all in a dilemma, and they were compelled either to return to their old allegiance, or to form an alliance with J UABEN. They all joined MENSA. Monsieur Bonnat (formerly a prisoner in COOMAS- SIE) now arrived on a trading venture. The King sent him to JUABEN to induce ASAPU E)EI to waive his claim to independence, but so hostile were the JUABENS that, although Bonnat escaped with his life, his escort of some sixty COOMASStES were all massacred. This action rendered civil war inevitable. In October, 1875, MENSA attacked JUABEN with two armies under Ko)o AHIN (ESUMANKWAHENE). AHIN was surprised at ASEREMAso and driven back. BENTU (MARAWEREHENE) was sent to AHIN'S assist- ance. In the meanwhile, KOBINA EWlJA (BANTAMA- HENE) attacked the JUABENS and drove them in front of him until, on November 3rd, the JUABENS, having run short of ammunition, broke and fled. The Governor sent Dr. Gouldsbury to mediate between the parties, but the fight was over before he arrived. Hun- dreds of J UABENS fell into the hands of the COO- MASSIES. These were sent as captives into French JUAB EN FUGITIVES 149 territory, through SEFWI, to be sold there in exchange for arms and ammunition. ASAFU EJ EI, hearing this, begged the King of SEFWI to retain the JUABENS and hold them in pawn until he was able to redeem them. The King of SEFWI consented. He retained them, and eventually allowed them to return to J UABEN. The fugitive JUABENS settled north of ACCRA, and founded NEW JUABEN, which is nowcalledKoFORIDUA. MENSA BONSU now found himself in a much stronger position. The recent hostilities had given him back several provinces, besides some] uaben towns, such as ASOKORI and EFFIDUASI. Further, he was delighted at the non-intervention of the Governmen't in these tribal matters. This he ascribed to weakness, and he allowed Captain Baker, (when that officer arrived at COO MASSIE to receive a further instalment of the indemnity), to be publicly insulted. " Thus, within less than two years after the burning 01 Kumasie the Ashantis had, thanks to the Govern- ment's policy of non-intervention, recovered the whole of their lost territory except KWAHU and ADANSI, and escaped the payment of the greater part of the indemnity. "* KWAHU was never regained by ASHANTI. The ADANSIS themselves were divided into two factions, the rivalry between which would have resulted in war had not Captain Maloney succeeded in effecting a reconciliation. The chief of ADANSI, INKANsA BEREMPON, whom the reconciled parties placed on the stool, was not a success, and for many years the country remained in an tmsettled condition . • Ellis, U History of the Gold Coast," p. 358. I! 1$0 ~lENSA BONSU AND KWEKU DUA II. The ASHANTlS, having realized the value of breech- loading rifles, obtained all they could from ASSINI and the VOLTA. i\[ENSA formed a corps of HAUSAS, who, with the help of a German named l\eilson, acted as musketry and drill instructors. In 1878, the embargo on the importation of arms having been removed by the British Government, as many as 300 Snider rifles were imported by the ASH INTIS in one batch. Prince ANSA now joined King :\lE:-ISA at Coo- MASSIE. He and a semi-educated clerk named H UYEDECOOPER proved born intriguers With their knowledge of writing, they forged documents in support of fictitious claims, and induced MENSA to act upon these forgeries. Thus the whole of JAMAN was claimed by MENSA, on the pretence that the Queen of England had given him the country. The JAMANS, supported by the SEFWIS, sent mes- sengers to the Coast to ascertain the truth of this state- ment. On discovering the fraud, the messengers asked that a European officer should return with them to verify their reply. This request was granted, and Mr. Smith left CAPE COAST in !\lay for WIOSO and BON- TUKU. He arrived at the latter place on July 34th. l'vIr. Smith offered the J IMANS British protection if they desired it, but owing to a disagreement between AJIMAN, the King, and his chiefs, the negotiations feU through. MENSA, likewise, stro,'e to regain the allegil\llce of the ADANsIs by means of bribes and promises. INKANSA reported matters to the Governor, who sent Captain Hay, the Acting Colonial Secretary, to FOMENA with a letter of protest addressed to MENSA, calling upon him to observe the third clause of the MENSA'S UNPOPULARITY 151 Treaty of FOMENA. MENSA recalled his envoys, and lor the time being desisted from further intrigues. About this time it was noticed that the ASHANTIS were purchasmg large quantit ies of salt. As the ASHANTIS depended on the Coast towns for their salt- supply, exaggerated purchases by them of this com- modity indicated hostilities. Alarming rumours were spread on the Coast in consequence. There can be little doubt that an invasion of ADANSI was advocated by the war-party under the leadership of KOBINA EWUA. The King and Queen-Mother opposed this war-party, as they were anxious to keep on good terms with the Government, but MENSA'S opposition lowered him in the eyes of the big chiefs, and his conciliatory policy proved the commencement of his unpopularity. By degrees the war-party fell away from the court and instigated KOFI KARl KARl to make another bid for the throne. BEKWAI and KOKoFu supported the rebels and rendered MENSA'S position all the more precarious. ,\t the beginning 01 ,88, one Awusu TASIMANDI, a laman prince, fled from COOMASSIE and claimed British protection. According to his own statement, he had been wrongfully accused of theft by the King, and, fearing the King's justice, had effected his escape. He asked to be sent to J MAN under escort. The Governor refused his request, but informed him he was I at hberty to go where he willed. The ASHANTIS, fearulg that Awusu would return to BONTlJKU under the protection of the British, were most anxious to recapture him, and messengers arrived at CAPE COAST from the King the day following Awusu's arrival, bearing the golden axe, to demand h,s return and that of an Assin trader named AMANKRA , are lito ;IfiateI : PREPARATIONS FOR HOSTILITIES 153 that they had met the returning embassy with the golden axe one day from COO MASSIE. Two missionaries in COO MASSIE (Messrs. Buck and Huppenbauser) reported on February 18th that the King was averse to war, and that they had seen no signs of preparation for it in ASHANTJ. A third embassy reached CAPE COAST on February 17th, under the linguist BEND!, who declared that the King had no quarrel with the AsslNs, and that he had not sent any threatening message; that he intended to abide by the Treaty of FOMENA, and disclaimed any intention of attacking the protected tribes. He formally denied that the golden axe bore any threaten- ing meaning. The former messengers, ENGWI and BUSUMURU, then solemnly declared that they had never spoken the words ascribed to them . The new Governor, Sir Samuel Rowe, landed at ELMINA on March 4th, but he ignored the Ashanti messengers and hastened military preparations. The messengers strongly resented this treatment, and returned home to report matters to the King. Jl!ENSA had great difficulty to restrain his ASREMPON, who wanted to avenge the contemptuous treatment of their envoys. His wish to avert war was ably seconded by the Queen-Mother, and he determined to make another appeal, this time to the traders of CAPE COAST. This embassy consisted of OSEI BRUNI, YAO AWUA, KIVAMIN NS\.I, and DATANO. They reached CAPE COAST on March loth, and asked for permission to submit their message before delivering it to the traders. They were received by the Governor on the 16th, and told that, although they might meet the traders, (54 ;\rE SA BONSU AND KWEKU DUA II, their negotiations would not affect his reply to the King. On the 18th they delivered the following meS'age to the traders: .. The King has sent us to come to Prince Ansa and say, 'Let our family differences be at an end.' He sent us to Prince ANSA for him to take us to the mer- chants of Cape Coast Castle, for them to help the King and say to the Go\'ernor that if he the King had done anything wrong in the matter of the message with the axe, that he the King asked that Governor would pardon his mistake." * They declared that the King desired peace, and asked for a European officer to verify the fact that no preparations for war were being made in ASIIANTJ. The traders, however, refused to interfere in the matter, and the Governor dismissed the messengers with a warning that the difference with the King had not yet been cleared up. In the meanwhile military preparations in the Pro- tectorate went on apace, and a large concentration of troops was effected at PRAS U, where the Governor himself proceeded on April 13th. The ASHA)"JS were confident that the British were about to attack them, and yet MENSA, humiliated and insulted as he had been, made one last effort by sending BO.\TCHI TI!IITIN, the husband of the Queen-Mother, to sue for peace, The Governor now realized that the King's protesta- tions were genuine, and that the ASH \. 'TIS had not , prepared to invade the Protectorate, sO he returned t I ELM INA, and there received the ambas>ador on April 29th, who made humble submission .. to the great .. Ellis.. U Land of FetIsh," p. 149. AMBASSADOR'S SPEECH 155 Queen of England," and voluntarily offered 2,000 ounces of gold as a proof of the King's friendship. He added: "The axe belongs to the fetish; it is a sign of the fetish. I n the time of Governor Maclean there was a dispute concerning a man; the axe was sent, and the end was peace. Under Colonel Torrane a difference arose, and the axe was again sent. The matter was settled amicably. To two other Governors the axe was sent, and the end was peace. I n the present case the axe was sent as belonging to the fetish to obtain our desires peaceably. It is, in • fact, a sign of an extraordinary embassy. There are those who have said the axe means war; so the King has heard. It was not so. It is not so. Take no heed of this; the King of Ashanti only wishes for peace.' '* He ended his speech with the following words: " I now lay before your Excellency something which I think will prove to you that the King, my master, is really in earnest in saying that he wishes for peace. This axe . . . is one of the most treasured emblems of sovereignty in my country. In sending this axe for ever away from our country, we are sending away that which is associated with all the greatest glories of the Ashanti kingdom. But as this axe has been the cause of such serious troubles between the Ashanti kingdom and the Queen of England, the King begs her most Gracious Majesty to, ,ept it, feeling sure that while it is in Her Majesty's possession she will not allow it to be treated with disrespect, and hoping that it will be to her a proof of the earnestness with which the King of Ashanti desires the cultivation of friendly intercourse with Her Majesty's Government. "t * Ellis, II Land of Fetish,') p. 30B. t Parliamentary Paper: Threatened Asbanti Invasion, [881, p. J 52. 156 MENSA BONSU AND KWEKU DUA II. Thus ended a protracted misunderstanding, with the surrender of an emblem of great sentimental but I¥I intrinsic value, and the greater humiliation of King MENSA. Awusu, the original cause of aD the committed suicide at ELM INA"o n July 17th, 1881. BOACHI TINTIN asked that a European ollicershould return with him to COOMASSII!, and Captain Lonoclale was sent up in October, 1881. bearing gifts to the King and Queen-Mother, which he delivered on November 12th at a large meeting. Captain Lonsdale had also been ordered to visit SALAGA and other market tow liS, but he was detained in COOMASSIE for several weeks, as the ASHANTIS were particularly anxious that he should not open up roads. They foresaw that if the trade roads were opened, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to refuse to the up-country and Coast traders equal rights with them- selves to trade, and once these rights were granted they would be deprived of the profits as .. middJenKIl .. between the Coast and the north. Captain LMocI.1e arrived at SALAGA on Christmas Day. He fOlN • wretchedly smaD market, for the trade bad -. diverted to KINTAMPO. He next visited KRATCHl. and so returned to the Coast through KUPI. In 1882 trouble broke out between JAMAIf ... BANDA, and the Ashanti chiefs seized this to endeavour to regain the aDegiance of theae S. ..... MENSA appealed to the Governor against JAMAIf __ rages, and Captain Lonoclale ..,&1 again ! 111 to COOMASSIE and BONTUKU. He precled _ .... parties to leave the of the quamI tD ... Government. MENSA'S 8IIbUijuive If. ,..- .... these negotiations, however, accentueted .. gIIIIIIiii unpopularity. MENSA bad found tbIaajIIIIMIt DESTOOLMENT OF MENSA 157 his reign in an exceedingly difficult position. The victim of circumstances, he strove his best to keep on friendly terms with the British Government, while pretending to sympathize with the warlike aspirations of his chiefs. The policies were incompatible, and he therefore fell between the two . In private life he was cruel, rapacious, and licentious. Had he been a conqueror, these detestable traits might have been forgotten, but his subjects, when they viewed his pusillanimous conduct of public affairs, would not condone his private tyran- nous acts. Little by little a strong party arose in opposition to him, and advocated the recall of KOFI KARl KARL About the middle of 1882, EWUA, Chief of BANTAMA, with his brother AWUKUMA, returned to COOMASSIE from the Jaman frontier to discover that one of AWUKUMA'S wives had proved unfaithful with the King. Whether this was true or whether it was only a pretext for a break with the court party remains open to doubt, but MENSA, scenting a conspiracy, caused the arrest of the two brothers. AWUKUMA and several of the King's AHINKWAS were put to death, but EwuA was rescued by night and escaped to ACHUMA. This high-handed and unjustifiable act so exasper- ated the ABREMPON that in February, 1883, they rose in rebellion, seized the golden stool and regalia, and banished MENSA to S .. uWA, thence to ABRADI, and thence to APAMPREM. Now followed a long period of unrest, due to dissen- sion among the chiefs on the question of a successor to MENSA. Owing to the critical internal affairs of the kingdom, Captain Barrow was sent up to COOMASSIE with Assistant-Inspector Kirby and an escort of fifty HAuSAs. He arrived on April ~6th, 1883, and was • 158 MENSA BONSU ANO KWEKU OUA II well received by ASAFO BOACHI and AWlJSU KOKo, the chiefs in charge of the town. lIe found three claimants to the stool: MENSA, with a very small following; ex-King KOFI KIRI KARl, supporteu by the MAMPONS, NSUTAS, AGUNAS, KOKOFUS, and NKORANZAS ; and young KWEKU OUA, the nominee of the Coomassie ABREMPON, son of Y.\ CII!.I, KOFI KARl KARl'S sister All Captain Barrow's efforts to bring the chiefs together proved fruitless, anu heretumed to the Coast in May. MENS.I'S chance was negligible; KOFI KARl KARl was strongly supported by Prince ANSA, and would have doubtless regained the stool on Captain Barrow's departure had he not been defeated in a fight by a party of COOMASSIES at BRE~I'\N. This defeat broke up his following, most of the chiefs of which were killed or committed suicide. KOFI KARl KARl himself succeeded in escaping. He was e\'en- tually captured at BECHIM in a pitiable condition, and kept a close prisoner by KWEKU OUA'S party I n the meantime the Coomassie chiefs sent mes- sengers to the Governor imploring his aid to restore order and to place KIVEKU OUA on the stool. They hoped that the Governor would accede to their request and send an officer to witness the enstoolment, but in spite of repeated applications no one was sent, and the Coomassie chiefs, losing patience, publicly enstoolell him as KWEKu OUA II. on April 27th, 1884. Unfortunately, the young King, who might have welded the disunited tribes into a compact kingdom. succumbed to smallpox on June loth. after a bri .. f reign of forty-four days. This left KOFI KARl K.~RI without a rival. The chiefs who opposed his reinstatement, however, were too powerful for him. He was secretly put to death on INTERNAL CONFUSION '59 the 24th of the same month, eight days after his arrival in the capital. These two sudden deaths threw Ashanti into utter confusion. The power of COO MASSIE was openly defied by every chief who thought himself sufficiently powerful to hold his own. Internecine feuds raged throughout the country. To add to the general anarchy, the MANsu NKWANTAs rebelled and won a victory over the Coo MASSIES , which deprived the latter of all semblance of central authority. COOMASSIE was once more deserted and fell into ruins. All the roads were closed, and trade was rendered impossible. In fact, the disruption of the once-powerful Ashanti Confederation appeared imminent, when YA CHIA (now Queen-Mother) made a despairing appeal to all the tribes to elect a new King and save the kingdom. Most of the chiefs responded eagerly, stipulating that the election and enstoolment should be witnessed and approved by a British officer. The ACHUMAS, how- e\'er, obstructed matters because the COOMASSIES had not helped them against the MANsu NKwANTAs. YA CHIA sent the linguist BUATIN to the Governor, stating that she proposed to enstool her sister's son KWESSI KWISSI, and begged for an officer to be sent up. This embassy read· J ACCRA on October ,6th, J 884, but owing to a series of untoward circumstances no officer was available for two years. During this time constant appeals were made to the Government by the .\SHANTIS for a British representative. The ADANSIS (who had never carried out their threat to migrate into the Protectorate, out nevertheless claimed British protection under the Treaty of 160 MENSA BONSU AND KWEKU DUA II. FOMENA), seeing the AsHANTls powerless, caused great trouble, murdering, kidnapping. and robbing people who passed through their territory Early in 1886, 150 Ashanti traders were murdered for the sake of their goods. The BEKWAls, who were the prinripal sufferers, retaliated, and killed over sixty Adansi traders returning from JAMAN. KARl KARl, chief of BEKWAI, raised an anny to drive the AOANsIs away. A collision between the parties occurred at AKROKERI between the Adansi main army and the vanguard of the BEKW.\I~ The latter were compelled to fall hack . Elated by this success, INKANSA. the Adansi chief, sent to Mr. Firminger (who had heen sent by th" Government at INKANsA's request) to say he would not brook his interference. He eventuaUy. however. agreed to his mediation. M r. Firminger, who had been staying at PRAs U, visited FOMENA on April 5th, ;:Ind BEKWAI a few days later. The BEKWAIS had received so much provocation that they refused to cease hostilities; moreover, they had been reinforced by the COOMASSIEs. Conse- quently, Mr. Finninger found his efforts to secure peace between the parties futile, and returned to the Coast. On April 23rd, 1886, the AOANsIs, D.~OIAsls, and PAMPAS US, were about to fall on BEKWAI itself. when INKANsA learnt of the defection of the DAOIASIS. This so alanned him that he and all his warno!' took to flight, and practically the whole of the AOA!,;SI tribe crossed the PRA on June 13th and follov.;ng days Over 12,000 people are supposed to have sought refuge in the Protectorate. The BEKWAIS burnt FOMENA and every Adan!; village. They then sent a message to the Governor to say that in future they (the BEKWAIs) would keep the A STATE SWORD AN ASHANTI STOOL BR ON ZE WEIGHTS T O W EIGH GOLD DUST " hom I' ·n·and-mk drawings b)' Lady Fuller. RIVAL CLAIMANTS 161 road open to the PRA, and that the Ashanti chiefs were about to assemble in COOMASSIE to elect a new King. The Ashanti messengers sent by YA CH IA in 1884 . were still waiting on the Coast for an officer to return with them. At last, in August, 1886, !\Ir. Badger, a native inter- preter, was sent to COOMASSIE with excuses for the delay, and to enquire whether the Queen-Mother and principal chiefs were still of the same opinion. If so, the Governor promised to send a European officer • within two months. Mr. Badger was well received. He found that KWESSI KWIssI had died in the meantime, and that there were two claimants for the vacant stool. These were AJIMAN PEREMPE and YAO ACHEREBOANDA- the former a son of YA CH IA and brother of the late KWEKU DUA II. ; the latfer a cousin of YA CHIA and son of her aunt, YA FRE. -,' PEREMPE had the support of his mother, the chiefs of JUABEN and BEKWAI, and most of the Coomassie chiefs, while ACHEREBOANDA' S principal supporters were SAMAN ACHIEMPON of SEUWA ; his own mother, YA FRE; AKWESSI SECHERE of MAMPoN; and OSEI ESIBE of KOKOFU. The principal reason of this sup- port was that EFUA KOBI'S sons had proved such a failure that it was thought advisable to give YA FRE'S progeny a chance. Y 0 JENFI, Chief of BEKWAI, was entrusted to collect the votes of all the chiefs and inform the Governor of the decision of the majority. In November he reported that all his efforts to arrange for the election were being frustrated by SAMAN ACHIEMPON. The two parties met for a conference at BEKWAI in January, 1887 . They failed to come to terms , PEREl\IPE'S ENSTOOLMENT 163 re-espoused his cause and prepared to resume hostilities against the £EKWAIS. In January, 1888, the chiefs invited Mr. Barnett to enstool the new King , saying that, although they had " drunk fetish" three months previously, nothing had been done. The delay was caused by ESIBE'S obstinacy. He insisted, in spite of Mr. Barnett 's remonstrances, on holding out against the overwhelm- ing majority in favour of PEREMPE. Owing to the death of KWESSI KWlSSI, (the heir- apparent), both the "Golden" and "Edum" stools were vacant. In March the Coomassie chiefs, headed by Ewu.\ of BANTA~IA, tired of the senseless delay, urged Mf. Barnett to come to COO MASSIE to witness PEREMPE'S enstoolment. He arrived on March 15th, and was accorded a hearty welcome . Unfortunately, Mr. Barnett had received imperative orders to return to the Coast by April ,oth. The cere- mony of enstoolment had been fixed by the fetish priests for the 17th of the same month. On hearing that Mr. Barnett must leave by the end of March, they advanced the date of the ceremony by a whole month. The chiefs of MAMPoN and KOKOFU, suspicious of their reception in the capital, declared themselves unable to attend in time, although their representatives were present. CHAPTER X KWEKU DUA III l8BS-1896 AJIMAN PEREMPE was enstooled on the heir-apparent ', stool (ABAKuMEJA) in the presence of l>1r. Barnett, at midnight of March 26th, [888. At the instigation of the chiefs, although he did not occupy the palace, he assumed the Royal prerogatives and the name of KWEKU DUA III. He has always been known by his nickname PEREMPE (anglice stout). The question of appointing a British Resident in COOMASSIE had been strongly advocated by the mer- chants on the Coast. They pointed out that the destruction of the Ashanti power by the expedition of 1874 had removed the central authority, and that the responsibility to maintain law and order had devolved upon the British Government. This was not the Governor's view, however, who opposed the appoint- ment mainly on the score of expense. It would appear that be failed to appreciate the difficulties surrounding a modern Ashanti monarch. No sooner had Mr. Bar- nett left than the young heir's troubles began. KOKOFU broke out into open rebellion. He com- menced raiding Bekwai villages and plundering traders. In May, ESIBE of KOKOFU was reinforced by the ADANSIS and DADIASIS from the Protectorate, and attacked the BEKWAIS. E\\'UA of B.\NTAMA set out forthwith to the rescue of his allie~, the BEKWAIS. but '--I arrived too late to help them. He was betrayed by a BEKWAI, captured at KASI by the KOKOFUS, and promptly put to death by ESIBE. The advance of the KOKOFUS was met by a combined force of Coo- MASSIES, JUABENS, and BI!KWAIS, which completely defeated and drove them across the PRA. PEREMPE recaUed his army from that river, and at once reported . what had occurred to the Governor, asking him not to aUow the fugitives to use the Protectorate as a base for raids on ASHANTI. AKWI!SSI SECHERE of MAMPON, afraid of his recep- tion in COOMASSII!, continued to intrigue on behalf of ACHI!REBOANDA, and won over the NSUTAS to his side. He attacked EJISU, but was beaten back. PERI!MPE'S party marched against and defeated the MAMPONS at BIPOSU, and pursued them as far as EJURA. The survivors fled to ATEBUBU. About the same time, AJIMAN of JAMAN appealed for British protection, and an expedition under In- spector Lethbridge was sent up. Owing to internal dissension in JAMAN, nothing could be done. Mr. Badger, on a supposed appeal for protection from the Chief of NSUTA. arrived at ATEBUBU in January, 1889, but the chief disclaimed having made any such appeal, and this expedition was likewise fruitless. It will be noted that the Government policy of non- Intervention in Ashanti affairs, "0 long adhered to by tbe Coast authorities, had now been definitely aban- doned, but the interference was all directed against, instea4 of in support of, the central power. This ren- dered PEUMPI!'S task aU the more difficult, and gradu- Illy diacouraged and embittered him and the court patty Indeed, PEUMP!!, who was only a youth of sixteen, 12 166 KWEKU DUA III. was beset by the gra"est difficulties from the very outset of his reign . He had, perforce, to act upon the advice of YA CH 1.\, the Queen-~[other, and the Coomassie chiefs, and was little more than a puppet in their hands. AKWESSI SECIIERE of l\h~IPON, now at AT1!BUBU. invited AKWESSI OPOKU. Chief of !'>KOR NZA, to join him against COO~l\SSIf. The latter rei\! ed, but his people Ill,isted that SECHERF.·S im italian should Le accepted, whereupon OPOKU committed ui ide by blowing himself up . On hearing o[ his death, SECHERE claimed OPOKU'S head. This reque t 10 t him the friendship of the NKOR.\NZAS, who, under their new chief, IFf A, beat off a Mampon army and openly espoused PEREMPE'S cause. In reward for his loyalty, IFFA claimed all the privileges alt.~ched to the stool of MAMPON. These consisted of the right to cover drums with leopard skins; of wearing gold sandal and cap; of covering the chiefs' drinking ('abba h with gold; of possessing a stool studded with silver; and of wearing ., particular emblem (ABOBF.1') over the State umbrella. PEREMPE granted IFF.\ only the privilege of wearing gold sandals. His refusal of the other requests 50 annoyed the 1': KORANZAS that they immediately declared a war of independence. In September, 1889, SECHERE of MAMPON, finding his position unsafe at ATEBuBu. sent messengers to ACCRA asking for an officer to conduct him and such MAMPO:-lS' as were willing to migrate with him down to the Protectorate. He was told III reply that he mIght enter the Protectorate via the VOLT River route and was promised land on which to settle. This reply was embodied in a letter to PEREMPE, askmg him to rdram from persecuting tnbes which had seceded hom the Confederation, and telling him that the ADANSIS would PEREMPE'S LETTER be allowed to return to ASHANTI provided that he guar- anteed they would not be molested. Mr. Badger returned to ACCRA in January, 1890, bearing with him the following letter containing the King's answer: U COOMASSIE1 "December 27th, 1889. " GOVERNOR, "Your letter by your officer, Mr. Badger, came safel y to hand; as you stated in the closing of your letter that Mr. Badger should not be detained no longer than a week, I take the little time to reply to you. "1. I am very sorry indeed to say that it is not my single wish that the British Government should allow the King of M ampon to come to the Protectorate; and even those that have come already, I am earnestly praying for their safe return. "2. It is truly through the kind aid of the British Government that I ascended to the stool of my ancestors. Those of my subjects who wilfully had opposed to my being placed on the stool took up arms against me, but were unsuccessful; they had to fly to you, which candidly and truly speaking should have been asked to return, for they had no respect for Her :'>Iajesty's Government, for they knew it was through their King's assistance I am on the stool. "3. Your true and firm friendship you stated in your letter with me I am sorry to say it wants wanting, for I believe that when two persons are keeping friend- ship each of them seel the interest and welfare of the other, but it is not the case here. I thought that my subjects that had come to you came to solicit your intercession for their safe return, for I believe that when a friend's boyar servant offends his lord, he runs to his lord's friend to ask pardon for him, so when there is any punishment whatever, through the intercession of the other friend, the offended servant is pardoned, and then he returns to resume his former duties; this is real FORWARDED TO S. OF S. 169 " Wishing you a merry Christmas and a prosperous and blessed N ew Year. I' I remain, etc., My "QUACOE DUAH III., x mark. " King of Ashanti. II HIS Excellency, F. M. HODGSON, II Acting Governor." In considering the tone of this letter it must be borne in mind that the clerk who wrote it was a man of "indifferent education" ; and in proof that no dis- courtesy was intended, it may be mentioned that the King sent a copy of it to the Secretary of State under cover of the following: If A SHANTI COOM ASSIE, .. December 27th, 1889' "My LORD, "It is my greatest pleasure that I take the liberty of writing you; as I believe I am the first King of Ashanti that ever have send a letter to England, and trust Her Majesty's Government will give me all assist- ance and good advice for the well government of my Ashanti kingdom . .. I find that the friendship existing between Her Majesty's Government and my kingdom of Ashanti, ever since the time of ~ly ancestors, is still now the same. "I believe if there is any grievance in me, Her Majesty's Government is able to remove sam~, there- fore I send the accompanying copy of a letter to the Governor administering the Gold Coast Government, for your kind perusal, and I trust Her Majesty's Government will assist me in this important matter, as have been always done. DRAFT TREATY and to refer all disputes to the arbitration. The fourth provided that all .tes arising amongst themselves should be settled ill limBar manner, and that the Governor's decision JhOuIti be final and binding. The fifth secured to all British sugjects free access to all parts of Ashanti, the riibt to build houses and hold property there in accord- anee iith the laws of the Gold Coast Colony, and to carry on any trade that might be approved by the Govelllor or his deputy; it also stipulated that the authorities in Ashanti should not confer similar rights on other persons without the Governor's consent. By tIJe sixth, the Ashantis were to undertake to keep their roadJ in gOod order and encourage trade generally, and not to enter into any agreement or treaty with any other Power without the Governor's permission. The seveutb contained an undertaking on the part of the Goverlillient that it would not interfere with the cus- tollWl collection of revenue by the King and chiefs, nor with their administration of the country as did not • ! against the dictates of humanity.' The cooferred on the Government the right to pomt a Resident. ~ Ashanti or to send a ~ravelling iam>i, _at to lllllt the country at any tune, who the King with advice for the promotion of and trade; and the ninth reserved to the Government the ri~ht to refuse to ratify the a year from Its date. but it was to come fcilrce immediately on its execution ..... Hull lemained in COOMASSIE from April 13nd without receiving a definite reply. messengers overtook him bearing It ~eferred to several side-issues. Treaty wa$ concerned the voL ii., p. 354. SIR FRANCIS SCOTT'S EXPEDITION 173 PERE.MPE had made no arrangements to attack ATEBeBU or any other place. Sir Francis arrived at ATEBUBU in December. This show of force resulted in several of the tribes, notably the J UABENS, AGOGOS, and NKORANZAS, appealing for British protection against COO MASSIE, and the Coast traders again petitioned for the inclusion of ASHANTl within the British zone. This was considered to be an inadvisable step to take at the time, owing to the prob- able armed resistance of the COOMASSIES. Sir Francis Scott was, however, confident that were he allowed to • march south on COOMASSIE the whole country would accept British supremacy without fighting. In January, 1894, the Secretary of State suggested that PEREMPE be asked to receive a British Resident at COOMASSIE in return for stipends to himself and his principal chiefs, on condition that the King was not to wage war on tribes living beyond fixed boundaries. This proposal was made to the King by Mr. Vroom in March, but although he waited in COO MASSIE until April, PEREMPE and his chiefs could not decide on a definite reply. Shortly after the return of the army to COO MASSIE flom the expedition against the NKORANZAS and Mos, a day was fixed for the funeral custom of AJIMAN KOFI KWEKU DUA II., as PEREMPE could not be properly enstooled until due respect had been paid to the spirit of his deceased brother. The custom lasted nine days, during which a rigid fast from all food was maintained. Some fifty slaves are supposed to have been sacrificed at the time. They were mostly Nkoranza captives. The fortieth day after the termination of these funeral obsequies was the day fixed for PEREMPE'S accession to the golden stool. It took place on June 11th, 1894. 174 KWEKV DVA III. The chiefs of BEKWAI, OFINSU, AGUN , Ejlsu, KUMAWU, and OSUUNCHK, the new Chief of MAMPON, attended in person. JUABEN sent a repre- sentative. After the ceremony the political situation was dis- cussed. It was an extremely difficult one for the Ashanti chiefs to face. They were naturally unwilling to lose their independence, while at the same time they wished to avoid assuming a defiant attitude which they felt would create a rupture with the . Govern- ment. On ANSA'S suggestion, it was decided to levy a poll tax of ten shillings a head to defray the cost of an embassy to England. This ANS.\ was the son of Prince ANSA, the adviser of OSEI :'I-IKNS , who had been educated in England and had since died at CAPK COAST. The adoption of ANSA'S advice proved fatal to the Ashanti monarchy. The embassy determined upon consisted of A SA himself; his brother ALBERT ATT\ ANSA; KWM I BOATIN. Chief of ANK.\SI; KWEKU FKKUO, a Coo- massi!! linguist; KWAKU NKRAMh, a SAFOHIN, KOBINA BONA, a court crier; AjlKMPON DABAN, a sword-bearer; and KODjO TUFUO, a gun-bearer The mission arrived in CAPK COAiiT on December loth, 1894, and was received by the Governor two days later, when the linguist explained that the Kmg intended to deal directly with the Secretary of State, pleading that' it was useless to continue negotJaUons with the Colonial authorities, adding : , • The King is very anxious that perpetual peace be effected in Ashanti. His Majesty thinks that if he keeps writing to your ExceUency that will not S WKKNING 175 matters for good. Therefore he has deputed them to Her Majesty the Queen, so that every matter may be entirely settled. Mere letters will not settle matters, so His Majesty has sent them to go and see the Queen, so that peace may be perpetually effected in Ashanti.' '* The Governor naturally protested against the implied discourtesy, and next day produced a telegram from the Secretary of State warning the embassy that the Queen would only communicate with the King of ASHANTI through the Governor of the GOLD COAST, and that the mission would not be received in England. The Ashanti envoys replied that, as they had been ordered to proceed to England, they would carry out their instructions. The negotiations that followed are lhus described by Claridge: "Their decision was communicated by cable to thc Secretary of State, who sent instructions that the ambassadors should be forbidden to proceed to Eng- land, and a note to this effect was accordingly sent to them. " This was addressed to ' Mr. ] ohn Ossoo Ansa .. lI!essengers from the King of Kumasi,' and Ansa refused to receive it because he was not addressed as , Prince.' It was once morc sent, with an intimation that it contained a message for them from the Home Go\'ernment ; but he still refused it unless the King was described as 'King of Ashanti,' instead of King of Kumasi only, and, I.ee the messengers declined to attend at the Castle, it was again sent down to them, and they were told that the King would not be recog- nized as King of Ashanti until he had replied to Mr. Hodgson's letter, though it is difficult to understand how it could be maintained that the mere writing of a • Parliamentary Paper: Further Correspondence relating to Affairs in Ashanti, 1896, p. 4. KWEKU DUA III. letter could alter the limits of his kingdom Captam Stewart and Mr. Vroom were the bearers of the letter on this occasion, and were told to open and read it to the Ashantis if Ansa still refused it; but he now accepted it, after some hesitation, saying that he did so under protest. " At another meeting held at Government House, Cape Coast, on the 15th, Ansa read a paper protesting against the Governor's action in having refused to acknowledge the King of Ashanti, but only as that of Kumasi, and in having stated that he and his hrother had been dismissed from the Government. en·ire. " It was with the full concurrence of the Secretary of State that the Governor had not only declined to admit that Prempi was anything more than King of Kuma". but also refused to acknowledge Ansa and his com- panions as ambassadors or anything more than special messengers. This decision was based on the grounds that the King was not a 'chief of sufficient Importance to be allowed to send ambassadors to the Queen, and that he was reasonably su,pected of allo\\ing humaJl sacrifices. t "* The Secretary of State ordered that a European officer should proceed to COOMASSIE, accompanied by Mr. Vroom, to inform the King that his messengers had been stopped, and to ask for a categorical reply to the letter handed to him by l\Ir. "room in l\larch. Cap tain Donald Stewart was sent to COO.I\SSIE with Mr Vroom for this purpose in December, 1894 I\Ir. j. S Erbynn accompanied them as interpreter. Captam Stewart was instructed to explain to the Kmg all 'hat ha<:l occurred. He was to lay stress that the only wa he could communicate \\;th the Home authorities was through the Governor . - • Claridge, \01. iI., p. 387. • FAILURE OF STEWART'S MISSION 177 TheyenteredCoOMASSll!On JanuarY3rd,I895. The Goveiilor's letter was read to the King and Coomassie chiefs on the 8th. The meeting was adjourned until the J 5th for the attendance of the provincial chiefs. It was not, bowever, until the alSt, after continued pre- varication, that a meeting was held. Captain Stewart again read the Governor's letter. Then the cbiefs asked for the letter itself. Captain Stewart ex- plained that, since it contained private instructions to himself as weB as the message to them, he could not wlllply with this request. His refusal produced an uproar, and Captain Stewart and Mr. Vroom, after endeavouring in vain to make their voices heard above the tumult, retired from the meeting. Soon after messengers came to them from the King. They bore his answer. It was brief but decided. The only reply he could give the Governor was the one he had already sent by his special envoys, who had been instructed to carry it to the Queen of England. Captain Stewart and Mr. Vroom left COOMASSII! the next day Uanuary 22nd). While at FUMsu on the 25th, one of the tIausa escort was shot. There is good rea80n to suppose that the shot was intended for Mr. Vroom. murderer was handed over by the Chief of EsAMAN. TIle Ashanti envoys sailed on March 28th. On tbeft.. arrival in E'~d the members communicated t!Je Ollice, on the grQunds that AsHANTI eat State, but both the Foreign and refused tJrem audience. ,sir) WiI1iam Maxwen assumed the gover- GOLD COAST on April 7tb, 1895. He to send the King an ultimatum to aabehachiolated the Treaty of FOMINA ANSA'S CREDENTIALS 179 (SEAL) .. To THE MOST GRACIOUS AND ILLUSTRIOUS SOVEREIGN, VICTORIA, QUEEN OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND . .. Kweku Dua Ill., King of Ashanti, wishes health and prosperity . .. We pray your Most Gracious Majesty to know that we have appointed our trusty and well-beloved grandson, Prince John Ossoo Ansah, son of the late Prince Ansah, of Ashanti, on our behalf to lay before your Majesty divers matters affecting the estate of our kingdom and the well-being of ('ur subjects, with full power for the said Prince Ansah as our ambassador- extraordinary and minister-plenipotentiary to negotiate and conclude all such treaties relating to the furtherance of trade and all matters therewith connected as your Majesty shall be pleased to entertain . .. We therefore pray that your Majesty will be pleased to receive the said Prince Ansah on our behalf, and to accord to him your Majesty's most royal favour. .. Given at our rourt at Kumasi this 18th day of September, 1894. My "KWAKU DUA III., X mark. .. King of Ashanti. "* This at once woke the suspicion of the Colonial Office, as no mention had been made before of any such document. The wording of it was, moreover, excep- tional, and no witnesses attested PEREMPE'S mark. On his return to the Coast in December, ANSA himself admitted that the document was a forgery; that he had .. Parliamentary Paper, 1896, p. 122. , , A)DIA .-\CIII:"\\'.\, DAU(,;;HTER OF EX-f..:I:-:G PERE)IPE. From a pht)to~raph . • ~----------------------------------- c GOVERNOR ENTERS COOMASSJE 181 (PEREMPE) would be required to make his submission to him. On the 18th the Governor arrived, and he arranged to meet the King on the 20th. Meanwhile a cordon of Hausa soldiers was drawn round the , palace. The meeting was arranged for 6 a.m . (an unusually early hour for ASHANTIS to make their appearance in state). After being personally summoned by Captain Stewart, the King and Queen-Mother, with their atten- dants, arrived after 7 a.m., and took their seats opposite the Governor. A cordon of soldiers encircled • them. The Governor in his speech said that the arrival of the British force was due to the King's neglect to answer the ultimatum and to the non-fulfilment of the terms of the Treaty of FOMENA. He went on to say that, although the indemnity had not been paid, it was manifestly unjust to expect PEREMPE to pay the whole of it, as the Government now only recognized him as King of COOMASSIE and not of ASHANTI. He con- cluded by saying that the Government had no wish to depose him provided that he made his submission and paid an indemnity of 5,000 ounces of gold. After much hesitation, PEREMPE and his mother walked across the square, prostrated themselves, and embraced the feet of the Governor, Sir Francis Scott, and Colonel Kempster. " The scene was a Inost striking one. The heavy masses of foliage, that solid square of red coats and glistening bayonets, the artillery drawn up ready for any emergency, the black bodies of the native levies, resting on their long guns in the background, while inside the square the Ashantis sat as if turned to stone, as mother and son, whose word was a matter of life and death, and whose slightest word constituted a command which all '3 KWEKU DVA III. obeyed, were thus forced to humble themselve in the sight of the assembled thousands.' ,. When PEREMPE regained his place, he exclaimed: " I now claim the protection of the Queen of England." The Governor reminded him that the payment of the indemnity was yet to be made. The King offered 680 ounces down, the balance to be paid by instal- ments, saying he could not afford more. The Governor scouted the idea of such a small amount, and as PEREMPI! reiterated his inability to pay more, the Governor said: "The King, the Queen-Mother, the King's father, his two uncles, his brother, the two war chiefs, and the Kings of MAMPoN, EJlsu, and OFINSU, will be taken as prisoners to the Coast. They will be treated with due respect." The scene that followed is thus described by Claridge: " This was an utterly unexpected demand, and the Ashantis for a few moments sat as though paralvzed. Then the chiefs jumJl.ed up and earnestly beo;ed that their King should not be taken from them, while Freku, pointing to the Ansas, who were II by looking half amused and half nonplussed at the RsuIt of their handiwork, an£rily asked what was to be cIoDe to them, since they liad bee n the cause of aU the trouble. The Governor answered that wCJQld be arrested and taken to the Coast to stand triaJ au a charge of forgery. 11Iey were at once while several officers and warrant oftic:en, who hall been detaile'd for the duty. drew the., swords and round the King and chiefs The Wen! • removed to a house near by aJKI the AnIu to the Hallsas' ~-room in a state of ......... rage. and astomshment. • po '77· PALACE SEARCHED "Meanwhile, the cordon had not been withdrawn from the palace, and two companies of the West Yorks were now marched down to seize it. Every door was closed and barred; but the hum of many voices could be heard withIn, so, while one company strengthened the cordon, the other burst open a small door and forced its way in. The men found themselves in a large empty courtyard; but, on breaking down another inner door, they entered a smaller court in which were a number of Ashantis. They offered no resistance, and were quietly disarmed and placed under an escort outside while the palace was searched. A number of articles were collected, including several rings, trinkets, and gold-mounted swords; but very little of real value was found, for the golden stool and other regalia had been removed and concealed elsewhere long before the arrival of the troops. "* BANTAMA was then surrounded, and the Royal mausoleum broken into, but the skeletons of former Kings and whatever treasure might have been buried with them had all been removed. A row of empty brass coffins was all that was found inside. The celebrated KUMA fetish-tree of COOMASSIE, that had named the town, was blown up by the Sappers. The European troops left for the Coast on January 22nd with the prisoners, who v,ere all carried in ham- mocks (PEREMPE in his litter). The Governor and r aptain Stewart followed with the HAusAs and West Indians a few days later. Separate treaties were made with AGUNA, OFINSU, EJISU, NSUTA, MAMPON, KmlAwu, BOMPATA, BEKWAI, ABoDoM, and KOKOFU. Major Piggott (21st Lancers) was appointed first • Claridge. vol. ii., p. olP .... KWEKU DUA III. Resident of COO~IASSIE, and assumed hi, dutie. in February. By the irony of fate, the last King of .\SIlA~Tl was imprisoned in ELM INA Castle, for which his forbears had received regular payment of ground-rent for a period of nearly two hundred years . The political prisoners were exiled to SIERRI\ LF.ll. 'F. in January, 1897, and eventually sent to the SEY- CHELLES !SL,\NDS, where the survivors (among whom is PEREMPE) still reside. , CHAPTER XI THE LAST RISING 1896-1901 THE sudden and unexpected deportation of their monarch appeared to daze the ASHANTIS. They became listless and supine. COOMAssIE was practically deserted for several years by the mass of the people. The town was placed in charge of OPOKU MENSA (OBl;\BASsA), NENCHWI (a linguist). and EFIRFA of ACHUMA, and the Resident interfered with them as little as possible. The activities of the Government were more or less confined to the erection of a FORT, on a site dominating the town, which took over two years to build. In June, 18g6, Mr. and Mrs. Ramseyer, of the Basel Mission, arrived from ABETIFI to found a mis- sion-station in COOMASSIE. In July Lieutenant-Colonel Piggott visited ATEBUBU and KINTAMPO, where rumours reached him of Samori's raids i~ the north. He left for Europe in October, after ha\~g been relieved by Captain (later Sir) Donald Stewart, who was appointed Resident. The staff at Captam Stewart's disposal did not admit of the inception of a properly-organized adminis- tration. He contented himself with breaking the'power of the COO MASSIE chiefs over the outlying tribes, keep- ing the trade roads open, and travelling through the country as much as possible, which, to all appearance, maintained a peaceful and placid attitude. ~ r8j \ THE LAST RISING But the ASHANTIS could not forgive the aDd deportation of their King, and these years of seeming contentedness were in reality devoted by them to brooding over their supposed wrongs and to seCiet preparations for rebellion on the first opportune occasI•O n. Governor Maxwell visited COO MASSIE again in 1897. He then realized that the country was still unsettled, and that British rule had only been accepted under compulsion. In 18gB and 1fl99 small intertn"bal out- breaks occurred at BEREKUM and AGUNA. An aII- pervading spirit of dissatisfaction was gradually spread- ing throughout the country, but more especially among the COOMASSIES and their immediate foUowers, like the ACHUMAS. They had to provide transport for the Government and labour to keep the roads open and clear. \\'hen they failed to do so heavy fines imposed. This they strongly resented. Rumours of general dissatisfaction were 10 rife towards the end of I fl99 that the Acting Captain Davidson Houston, deemed it to assemble the Coomassie and Achuma chiefS to loyalty to the Government. In December a lame EJlsu boy, named EsUMI," to the authorities in ACCRA and oftered to di". die secret hiding-place of the golden stool. Hia ., was sufficiently plausible to engage die of the Governor, Sir Frederic Hodgson, who determiaed that a search should be made for the stool. The was entrusted to Captain PriftIIa Secretary to the Governor and a the Hausa Constabulary. On the iwt ... " guide, although disguised and protected, escaping, but was reocalA ... ed. TIle viIIap GOVERNOR VISITS COO MASSIE 187 was reached by the party on February 5th, 1900, and the search commenced. The boy evinced such terror that all attempts to discover the stool proved fruitless, although there is little doubt that it was hidden in that locality. The quest had to be abandoned, and Cap- tain Armitage and his escort returned to ACCRA. The ASHANTIS did not then know the object of Captain Armitage's mission, nor did they hear of it until he had left ASHANTI. News reached them from the Ashanti traders on the Coast that the Governor was coming to search for it in person. Then the chiefs" drank fetish "* at YAO Eou KOFI'S house (the Anantahene), not to deliver the golden stool whatever happened. The Governor's contemplated visit to COO MASSIE took place in March, 1900. He was accompanied by Lady Hodgson, Captain Armitage, Dr. Chalmers, and Mr. Wilkinson, Acting Director of Public Works. COOMASSlE was entered on the 25th, and the Governor received an apparently hearty welcome. In the after- noon of Wednesday the 28th a meeting of chiefs was held in Iront of the fort. The Governor, in his address, announced definitely that neither PERE~IPE nor ACHERE- BOANO.\ would be allowed to return to ASHANTI ; that the powers of the King Paramount would be vested in the Resident, acting as the Queen's representative, and that he claimed the right to call out ~he people for peaceful purpose;, such as road-construction or transport work. He reminded the chiefs that the war • To II drink fetish" means to partake of a liquid which has been poured out and has H washed" some particular stool. The liquid is supposed to be impregnated with part of the mystical power of that stool. Thus the partaking thereof imposes all the obligations of a sacred oath. The more important the stool used, the more binding is the draugbt. 188 THE LAST RISING indemnity, as laid down in the Treaty of FOMENA, had not been satisfied, and demanded that an annual sum of 2,000 pereguns (£160,000) should be paid by them. He apportioned this amount among the various tribes as follows: The COOMASSIES would pay 125 pereguns; the M,IMPONS, ADANSIS, BEKWAIS, NKORANZAS, and MANSU NKWANTAS, 150 each; the NSl:'TAS, KOKO- FUS, and AGUNAS, 110 each; the ].IMINS, 100; the ]UABENS, TEKIMANs , BECHIMS, NKWANTAS, \V.I~IS, and BOMPATAS, 75 each; the Orl,'sus, E]ISl'S, KUMAWUS, WENCHIS, ABoDo~ls, AII,\ros, and OBOGUS,35each; and theAGOGOS 20. Ten percent. of these amounts was to be returned to the collecting chiefs for their trouble. The Governor ended his speech with an allusion to the golden stool in these words • " What must I do to the man, whoever he is, who has failed to give to the Queen, who is the paramount power in this country, the stool to whirh she is entitled? Where is the golden stool ~ Why am I not sitting on the golden stool at this moment? I am the representative of the paramount power; why have you relegated me to this chair? Why did YOll not take the opportunity of my coming to K um~ i to bring the golden stool and give it to me to sit upon) However, you may be quite sure that, 31thollgh the Government has not yet received the golden stool at your hands, it will rule over you with the same impar- tiality and with the same firmness as if you had pro- d uce d I· t. "* . The meeting then broke up quietly. This speech shattered all the hopes the ASH.\NTlS possessed of PEREMPE'S return. They had made up ... Official record.;. - REBELLION DECIDED UPON 189 their minds that the Government would reinstate him after a few years' salutary exile after, as they put it, PEREMPE'S "ear had been twisted." The loss of their monarch for all time had been undreamt of by them. Added to this unpalatable revelation, the demand for the golden stool , although quite logical to us, appeared to them in the light of an unwarrantable interference with their most sacred traditions. They regarded it with reverential awe. It was symbolic not only of their departed glory, but also of the spirits of the dead Kings, from OSEI TUTU to KWEKU DUA. The stool formed part of the OjlRA fetish, and could not be entirely divested of its religious attributes. Naturally, such spiritual significance as was attached to this emblem of power was extremely difficult for anyone not versed in the ways of "animistic" com- munities to realize. But although disappointment at PERE~IPE'S con- tinued exile, and the annoyance caused by the demand for the golden stool were contributory causes, it was the order to pay the war indemnity which proved the deciding factor in favour of rebellion. That same night a secret meeting was held in OPOKU MENSA'S compound, whereat all the chiefs present " drank fetish" to submit no longer to British rule. KOFI FOFIE (alias KoFl.~) of NKWANSAN, ANTOA MENSA, and KWAMIN EFRIFA, OSEI KOjo KRUNI and Eou JENFI, were the moving spirits of resistance. Messengers were at once dispatched to all the outlying tribes inviting them to join theCOOMASSIES in rebellion , and the Queen-Mother of EjISU, YA ASANTIWA, was asked to head the movement. She gladly accepted the responsibility, as she was still smarting on account of the deportation of her grandson, AFRANI. How- COLUMN SURROUNDED 191 hole the walls , but not to fire in return unless the vil- lage was rushed. The ASHANTIS fired spasmodically during the rest of the day and well into the night, until dispersed by a heavy tornado. It was obvious that the detachment would have to fight its way back to COOMASSIE. At break of day the column started off- Captain Armitage in charge of the advance-guard, Captain Leggett in charge of the rear-guard. No sooner was the advance-guard out of the village than it was met with a volley from the bush on either side of the road at close range. This disorganized the carriers, who fled in all directions. The steady fire of the HAusAs, however, silenced the ASHANTlS, and the column pushed on as rapidly as possible under continu.11 fire. It surprised and dispersed a large party of ASH.\NTIS on the banks of the OFIN River. The loss of their leaders, KOFI ENCHWI and YAO OPON, who were among the slain, together with the suddenness of the attack, disorganized the ASHANTlS, and the column was able to reach ACHIASHI, fourteen miles (rom the starting-point. The coluIlU1 was now in desperate straits. Food was unprocurable, ammuni- tion was fast failing, and the men were exhausted. At noon Captain Armitage called a hall. A clearing was made in a plantation by the side of the road. Here the column encamped for a much-needed rest. The night was spent in a sm"ll circular stockade made up of plaintain stems, surflJunded by a cordon of sentries. No water was available, and the sufferings of the wounded were acute. At dawn Captain Leggett was ordered to push his way through to COOMASSIE at all costs with a few men for reinforcements , food , and ammunition. During the night, however, the ASHAi'iTIS had retired, and the whole party reached • THE LAST RISING COOMASSlE the same day without having been again attacked. Both officers and nineteen men had h~cn wounded on this fruitle~s quest, beside. one man killed and several carriers wounded and mi~sing. Meanwhile the COOMASSIES, EJISUS, OFIr>St'S, and ACHUMAS, were arming, and two of the native committee, NENCHWI and EFIRF.\. were known to have joined the rebels. After hearing of the fight on the R\LJ road, the chiefs of l\f.\MPO'l, II'HIEN. and KUMAWU came at once to the Governor to declare their loyalty. Telegrams were sent to ACCRA and the northern territories for all the a"ailable Constabulary to march on COOMASSIE, and reinforcements were ordered to the GOLD COAST by the Secretary of State from SIERRA LEONE, LAGOS, and NORTHERN NIGERIA. Pending the arrival of the troops, the situation could only be dealt with by negotiation. The Governor sent for the loyal chiefs in COOMASSIE and OPOKt! MENSA. He promised that no attempt should be made to collect the war indemnity, and that the young men, who had been led astray by their chiefs, would be leniently dealt with if they agreed to lay down their arms. The latter demanded the return of PEREMPE ; liherty to buy and sell slaves; immunity from GO"crnment labour; and the banishment of all strangers and traders from COOMASSIE. To the!e requests the Governor replied that h.e had already made known his final deci- sion with regard to PERnIPE; that sla"ery had been abolished in ASHANTI in \8g6; that the ASHA. TIS would still be expected to find labour for communal works, but that the regulations would be altered so as to minimize any hardship that might be entailed; and COOMASSIE INVESTED 193 that as far as traders were concerned, COOMASSIE being part of the British Empire, all would be free to live and trade in peace. This decided refusal of all their demands ended negotiations. On April 18th Cap- tain Davidson Houston and Mr. Wilkinson, accom- panied by Messrs. Daw and Leslie Gordon of the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation, left COOMASSIE, and were allowed to travel down the CAPE COAST road unmolested. Captain Armitage undertook the duties of Acting Resident. On the same day Captain Middlemist, Acting Inspector-General, arrived from ACCRA with 100 rank and file, without having met with any opposition. A series of small sorties was decided upon to drive the ASHANTIS away from the close proximity of COOMASSIE. On the 21st Captains Marshall and Leggett went to EssEM and AMoKuM, but did not come into touch with the enemy. On the 22nd Cap- tains Middlemist and Marshall burnt KAS I and ADEABABA and captured twenty ASHANTlS. On the 23rd, Captains Marshall and Bishop, accompanied by Dr. Hay, took out a column intended for KWAMAN, but YAO AWUA led them along the EJISU road to KWAMU. They were recalled as soon as the mistake was disco\·ered, since the ASHANTlS were known to be in force on that road. Unfortunately, the warning reached Captain Mar.hall too late to prevent his column from falling Illto an ambush at FUMESUA, where all three European officers were wounded, native officer AKERE and 4 men killed, and 55 men wounded. The rebels then cut the telegraph-wires and drew closer round COOMASSIE. By April 25th the town was compll'lely invested. All the Europeans (including • 194 THE liAST RISING Mr. and Mri. Ramseyer, Mr. and Mrs Naasis, Messrs. Weller, David, and refuge in the fort. The Basel Mission buildings tain Armitage and some loyal ASHANTIS .. practicable, but they had gradually to faD blCk shelter of the fort machine-guns. The attacked the Hausa Zongo and set it 011 fire. civilian HAusAs fled to the fort. At duB the .. thrown open and the prisoners W!Ie TIle hospital and officers' quarters were ... the siege of the fort commenced in contained all the Europeans vad the ..... with the exception of the sentries 011 duty JI8IIed-" the thousands of refugees who bad soagbt 1be .... of the fort guns. The following graphic enS1Jed is quoted from Capblin Montanaro's book: ARRIVAL OF LAGOS COLUMN 195 Hari Zenoah, who had grown grey in the Government service, praising here, reprimanding there, while keep- ing up the spirits of his men. Every now and then, amid a whirlwind of spark~, some thatch roof would fall in, converting the four ' swish' walls of the house into a white-hot furnace. Away across the swamp glowed the embers of the burned civilian Hausa town, occasionally lighting up the Wesleyan Mission build- ings, as yet untouched by the Ashantis. Behind all towered the blank wall of forest which surrounds Kumasi, from which were borne tne triumphant shouts of the rebels, who had at last caged the white man within the narrow limits of his fort walls. It was a night never to be forgotten. "* On the 29th the ASHANTlS loopholed the houses close to the fort. They were driven out by rifle and machine-gun fire. Nevertheless, they kept up inter- mittent firing from sheltered places; whenever they exposed themselves they met with severe punishment. A flank movement led by Captain Armitage on that day finally drove the enemy back to BANTAMA. The same evening the Lagos Column of 250 men, under Captain AplOn, C.M.G., with Captains Coch- rane and Read, Lieutenant Ralph, and Dr. Macfar- lane, arrived. It had been attacked at ASAGO the previous day, and again on the 29th, and gallantly fought its way through, but the casualty list was heavy and the expenditure of ammunition had been so great that the arrival of the,t reinforcements failed to relieve the situation. On May 2nd the. stockade near the Wesleyan Mis- sion-house on the Kintampo road was attacked. This caused the ASHANTIS to burn the mission-house and abandon their position for one farther up that road . ... Armitage and Montanaro, p. 3'2. , THE LAST RISING On the 6th Captain Middlemist died of injunes received. Food was daily becoming scarcer. Fortunately, the water-supply, 400 yards from the fort, was not tampered with by the enemy, but the question of feed- ing the garrison, not to mention the thousands of refugees, became every moment more difficult. On the 9th and 10th forays were made to obtain native pro- duce, but both attempts failed. On the I I th the loyal chiefs endeavoured to reopen negotiation_ with the rebels, and BODU'S camp on the Mampon road was visited by special envoys. At first the rebels would not abate their terms, but they convene(l a meeting of representatives at which .. fetish was drunk," and an armistice was declared on May 13th. A certain amount of food waS' allowed to be brought to the besieged, and results were anxiously awaited by them when, on the I5th, guns were suddenly heard, and in marched the Northern Territories Column under Major Morris, D.S.O. This officer had made a record journey south, as he had been warned of an ASHANTI rising by Mr. Rainsford, District Commis- sioner at KINTAMPO. Mr. Rainsford had received the news of the insurrection from Captain Parmeter, who had been attacked at SECHEREDOMASI on his way down to COOMASSIE, and who, after a wellnigh miraculous escape, had returned to NKORANZA. Major Morris's column consisted of five European military offi~ers, two medical officers, one nati"e officer, and 230 Hausa rank and file. The column left KINTAMPO (after a 238-mile march from GAMBAG.~) on May 9th. !\KORANZ,\ was reached on the IIth. Major Morris there found two factions' the Queen- Mother's party, stanchly loyal to the GO\'ernment, but - EUROPEANS BESIEGED 197 in a minority; and the chiefs' party on the verge of rebellion. The timely advent of Major Morris and the admIrable behaviour of the Queen-Mother (EFUA DAPA) decided matters, and the tribe remained loyal. The column was thrice attacked on the road to COOMASSI£. This arrival brought the number of besieged Europeans to 29, besides 750 of all ranks and several thousand refugees. The Europeans were: His Excellency Sir Frederic Hodgson, K.C.M.G., Governor; Lady Hodgson; Major Morris, D.S.O., commanding the troops; Captain Marshall, West Kent Regiment; Captain Digan, Connaught Rangers; Captain Armitage, Travelling Commissioner, Acting Resident; Captain Parmeter, Inspector, Gold Coast Con- stabulary ; Captain Bishop, Assistant-Inspector, Gold Coast Constabulary; Captain Berthon, Royal Munster Fusiliers, Assis- tant-Inspect"r, Gold Coast Constabulary; Captain Aplin, C.M.G., Inspector-General, Lagos Constabulary; Captain Cochrane, Assistant-Inspector, Lagos Constabulary; Captain Read, Assistant-Inspector, Lagos Con- stabulary ; Mr. Ralph, AS>lstant-Inspector, Lagos Con- stabulary ; Dr. Garland, Senior Assistant Colonial Surgeon, Gold Coast; Dr. Chalmers, Acting Chief Medical Officer, Gold Coast; Dr Tw~edy . Assistant Colonial Surgeon, Gold Coast; I THE LAST RISING Dr. Graham, Assistant Colonial Surgeon, Gold Coast; Dr. Hay, Assistant Colonial Surgeon, Gold Coast; Dr. Macfarlane, Assistant Colonial Surgeon, Lagos; Mr. Branch, Clerk-in-Charge, Telegraph Depart- ment, Gold Coast; Rev. F. Ramseyer, Basel Mission; Mrs. Ramseyer, Basel Mission; Mr. Yost, Basel Mission; Mrs. Yost, Basel Mission; Mr. Weller, Basel Mission, Mrs. Naasis, Basel Mission; Mr. David, Ashanti Company; Mr. Grundy, Ashanti Company; and (already dead) Captain Middlemist, Acting Inspector-General, Gold Coast Constabulary. The unexpected arrival of Major Morris's column had the effect of ending the armistice. The ASHANTIS refused to believe that it was not a premeditated move on the part of the besieged Governor, and negotiations were terminated. Owing to shortage of food, the garrison was rationed. The European allowance was 1 pound of tinned meat and one biscuit per day; the H~usAs received ~ pound of meat and a biscuit and a half; the carriers! pound of meat and half a biscuit. But hard pressed as the garrison was, their condition was nothing in comparison to that of the refugees, who were literally starving. '"" On April 20th the stockades on the MAMPOS and ACCRA roads were attacked by Captains Marshall and - GOVERNOR'S ESCAPE '99 Armitage in an endeavour to obtain food, but both parties were met with heavy fire, and owing to scarcity of ammunition, had to return without having achieved their object. On the 21st OPOKU MENSA, who had been detained in the fort, died of pneumonia. On the 25th Captain Cochrane attacked and cap- tured the NTlMlDE stockade. Although ENCHI EJEI, Chief of NKAwE, fled, his men rallied and compelled the column to retire. Unsuccessful sorties were again made on the 26th and 29th, but the ASHANTls were on the alert and repulsed these attacks. Captain Maguire was mortally wounded on the 29th. Ammunition was now so scarce that a period of inaction became inevit- able. The plight of the garrison and refugees grew daily more pitiable. Already bearing the pangs of approaching stan'ation, they had now to contend with disease. The mortality in June was estimated at 10 per cent. per day. Matters became desperate . Rations had been reduced to a minimum. Yet even with this reduction , supplies would hold out only for a short time. Moved by these circumstances, the Governor decided to try and break through the enemy cordon, and leave a garrison of only three officers and 'So HAUSAS in the fort. I t was ingeniously rpported that the column would march down the CAPE l..OAST road, but at dawn of the 23rd a break was made to the west, down the PATASI road. The few ASHANTIS at this stockade "ere taken by surprise. They attacked the column, but the stockade was rushed and captured by Captain Armi- tage, and the whole column moved forward as quickly as possible, knowing that the ASHANTls on the adjoin- 200 THE LAST RISING ing roads would follow and try and cut them off as soon as they realized that they had been tricked The column was fired upon throughout the day by small bodies of ASHANTls. At dark TER.\BUM, a small village, was reached, with the loss of over a hundred soldiers and carriers. Captain Leggett wa< ~ri ously wounded. Most of the loads had been aban- doned, and only one camp-bed remained. This wa, set aside for Lady Hodgson. The Europeans had lost all their equipment, and possessed only the clothes they were wearing. The first night was one of misery. It is thus described by Captain Armitage: " Our loads layout in utter confusion where they had been dumped down by the carriers, who came struggling in like drunken men. The Governor and Lady Hodgson sat upon boxes waiting for the tent which never came, and finally sought shelter in the wretched hut I had kept for them. The crush was so great that two huts filled with wounded collapsed from the pressure on the walls from without, and the occu- pants were with difficulty rescued. Fires had been lit everywhere, and from them arose suffocating volumes of smoke, as the damp wood spluttered and cracked. The many trampling feet had churned the grollnd into a sea of mud over ankle deep. And upon thi, steaming mass of humanity the torrential rain fell silently, pitilessly, as though determined to extinguiloh the wretched fires around which squatted shivering groups of natives .... • Next day the column marched for ten hours and halted at HIAKOSI l\hNSU NKWA:-ITA territory, whose chief, KWACHI NKETlA, had remained stanchly loyal throughout, was entered on the third day, and Armit~e anJ ,Ionranaro, p. 102. - I .' , < go • , \ ' , u : \ , I, I .' t '•• ;. ". " ~ :j ~- • ~ . , , ;.; u ~ ·1 ~ "-' l! '1 i" w , 'I' ,, I " , "< "\t- ~ ~ \ > '8 " TROOPS FROM NIGERIA 201 the hazardous enterprise had been safely accom- plished. Eo UBI A was reached on the 28th, Captain Mar- shall died that night of his wounds, Captain Leggett died twenty-four hours later at TAKORASL The OFIN River was crossed on the 30th, and the column was now split up into three detachments for the march to the Coast. The Governor and Lady Hodgson arrived at CAPE COAST on July 10th, Besides the two officers, I 23 rank and file had been killed, 16 died of wounds, 37 were wounded , and 39 missing- a total casualty-list of one-fifth of the armed force, The casualties among the carriers and refugees had heen even heavier, When the ASHANTIS realized that the Governor and his party had slipped through tlieir cordon by the PATASI road, AKWESI Boou (YA ASANTIWA'S repre- sentative) detailed ANTOA MENSA with a large force to follow him up, Fortunately, the stubborn resistance of the rear- guard induced MENSA to content himself with the seizure of all the abandoned loads, In the meantime [,400 troops had been ordered to the GOLO COAST under the command of Colonel (now General Sir James) Willcocks, C,M,G" D,S,O, Captains Hall and Haslewood arrived at FOMENA on May 20th with the advance-guard, KWEKU INKANSA, Chief of AOANSI, made protestations of loyalty, but on the 24th two European miners, Messrs, Jones and Cookson, were attacked at DOMPOASI, and Captain Slater and his force of 25 men were suddenly fired upon by the AOANSIS north of KWISSA, The other miners were also captured and killed, Colonel Willcocks landed at CAPE COAST on 20~ THE LAST RISING May 26th. He found COOMASSIE and, indeed, all the north entirely cut of! . After organizing transport, he sent Lieutenant-Colonel Carter, C. M.G., with 200 men of the Southern Nigerian Battalion to join Colonel Wilkinson, Inspector-General of the Gold Coast Con- stabulary, at KWIssA, and followed himself on June 5th for PRASU with I I officers and 280 rank and file. Lieutenant-Colonel Carter's column was attacked at DOMPOASI, and compelled to retire on KWISSA. The ADANSIS had built a strong ,tockade a quarter of a mile in length, 6 feet high, and 6 feet thick, which gave them ample protection against rifle and shell fire. Captain Meliss was hurried forward from PRASU with reinforcements. Another column under Captain Wilson, on its way from BEKWAI to KWISSA, was also attacked at DOMPOASI, but succeeded in fighting through and joining up with Lieutenant-Colonel Carter's force at FUMSU, of which Colonel Wilkinson was in command, as Colonel Carter had been wounded and invalided home. News of the Governor's escape was now received. On June 12th a letter from the Governor reached Colonel Willcocks, explaining that the besieged gar- rison in COOMASSIE could hold out on reduced ration, until July 11th. Colonel Willcocks ordered Colonel Wilkinson to move on to BEKWAI. This town was reached via OBUASI without incident. Colonel Bur- roughs's force, which was to join Colonel Wilkinson 's, , marched by the main road, rushed the DOMPOASI stockade by night, completely surprised the ADANSIS. destroyed a considerable part of the stockade, and reached BEKWAI on July 1st. Colonel Burroughs determined to attack KOKOFU. The KOKoFus were fully prepared, however, and • MESSAGE FROM COOMASSIE 203 fought with great coolness and skill. After three hours' hard fighting the attacking column had to fall back on ESUMEJA, the chief of which had remained loyal. Colonel Willcocks had now collected sufficient men and stores to enable him to advance on COOMASSIE. He left PRASU on July 1st with all his available force, and reached BEKWAI on the 9th, without having met with any resistance. On the 10th the first news from COOMASSIE for weeks past was received. A half- starved Hausa soldier crawled into ESUMEJA and produced a soiled piece of paper on which was written the following message: "From O.C. Kumasi to O.C . Troops Esumeja. His Excellency and main troops left for Cape Coast seventeen days ago. Relief most urgently wanted here . Remaining small garrison diminishing, disease, etc. Reduced rations for only few days' more. F. E. Bishop, Captain, G .C.C." The messenger was promoted on the spot and given a well-desen'ed pecuniary reward. Six star shells w~re fired at ESUMEJA that night, but they were not seen at COOMASSIE. A demonstration in force was made against KOKOFU in order to deceive the ASHANTlS. It led them to suppose that this was the main attack, and they appealed to COOMASSIE for help. The relieving force marched out of BEKWAI at dawn on July 13th. It consisted of 60 Europeans and 1,000 rank and file, with two 7s-millimetre guns, four 7-pounders, and six maxims. The rain was so heavy that it took nineteen and a half hours to coyer the fifteen miles to PEKI. The march was resumed at 8 a.m. on the 14th. ---------------- , THE LAST RISING TREDE, a Coomassie village, was rushed, captured, and destroyed. The column halted at NKWANTA (five miles from COOMASSIE) for the night, and fought its way into COOMASSIE on the 15th, the day on which Colonel Willcocks had promised it should be relieved. The ASHANTIS offered a vigorous resistance at the last stockade, but it was successfully rushed and the town entered at 6 p.m. What had occurred in the besieged fort was thus described by Captain Bishop to Reuter', representa- tive : " When the column marched out of Kumasi on the morning of Saturday, June Z 3rd, we were assured that authentic information had been received that the relief force was at Esumeja, and that we should be relieved in five days at the very latest Left alone, our first task was to take stock of our food-supply, and then to tell off the men to their various positions in the bastions and so forth, warning them that they were on no account to leave the guns, but always to sleep beside them. " Every man had one hundred and twenty l\Iartini- Metford cartridges, with a reserve of fifty per man. Major Morris had scarcely left Kumasi when we saw a band of Ashantis coming towards the fort from the Bantama stockade. I suppose they thought the fort was evacuated, but the fire from two maxIms 51)0n convinced them that such was not the case, and after firing a random volley they retired. "It will be remembered that the friendly population, coast people; traders, and so forth, had fixed up shelters all round the fort und"r fire of our guns. These, to the number of some thousands, extend. .d for a considerable distance, and were now abandoned. all of the people, with the exreption of about one hun- dred and fifty, having gone away with the Governor's • BISHOP'S ACCOUNT column. These empty shelters formed a pestilential area, the stench from which was such that, despite the heat, we were compelled to keep the windows of the fort shut. Moreover, they now formed a fine cover for the Ashantis, and we had to set to work to destroy them . .• The grass structures had been so sodden by the tropical rains that it was not until June 27th we were able to bum out this plague-spot . .. Apart from the stench, the presence of hundreds of vultures afforded only too sure evidence of what some of these huts contained, but to make certain that there were not half-dead people a personal inspection of the shelters was necessary. So Ralph and I, each with a handkerchief tied over our faces, and half a dozen men visited the huts. We found decaying remains on all sides. and many bodies which had been torn to pieces by the vultures. In one hut we found a wretched starving woman who had been living for three days with her dead child beside her .. In the meantime starvation was doing its work in the fort. The day after the Governor's column left, three of the men died, and almost daily one or more succumbed. The gates of the fort were never opened except for a few minutes at early morning and again at dusk, when the dead were carried out and buried in the adjoining trench, no one being strong enough to dig graves. For the first five days we were not unduly anxious, bllt when no relief came as promised, and we remembered thet 'Ve had been told that a force was only sixteen mile. off, our spirits fell, and after ten days we gave up all hope. Neither of us thought we should survive, but we kept up an appearance of cheerfulness for the sake of our men, who bore their sufferings with the greatest fortitude. I regard the conduct of the native troops as marvellous; they main- tained perfect discipline and never complained. Our first business every morning was to serve out the 206 THE LAST RISING rations to the men, who came up to the table one by one. Some were too weak to do this, and lay about on the ground. " All were worn to skin and bone, but there were a few who, to relieve their hunger, had been eating poisonous herbs, which caysed great swellings over the body. At last the ratIons consisted of a cup of linseed meal and a block of tinned meat about two inches square. Occasionally some native women would come outside the fort and offer, at ridiculous prices, certain articles of food. The~e were greedily purchased, and many would have readily given three limes the price asked. A piece of cocoa yam usually costing the fraction of a penny realized fifteen shillings, and bananas fetched eighteen pence each. r paid fifteen shillings for a tiny pineapple. But even these high-priced luxuries were extremely rare, and the value of money can be judged when I tell you I used to pay the Hausa troops three shillings in lieu of half a biscuit. By this means we saved a few biscuits, and the Hausas were able to purchase leaves, etc . , for food. A large quantity of our scanty store of biscuits had beef! so badly packed that they were full of weevils and grubs, while others were thickly coated with mildew. "Every two or three days our anxieties were increased by reports that the loyal Bekwais and Nkwantas had joined the Ashantis, and were encamped two days' march from the town. We were also told that the Governor's column had been cut up, and that the Ashantis had a white man's head in their camp. Now, to make matters worse, smallpox broke out in the fort, and we had to remove the cases to a hut under 'the fort walls. Every day Dr. Hay, although extremely ill, clambered over the wall to visit these cases, and in doing so again contracted fever. As a last resource I tried to get some message through to Bekwai. Going to the treasury, r took out a bag containing a hundred pounds, and offered it to the first • ACCOUNT CONTINUED ~07 man who would deliver a message at Esumeja, sixteen miles off. Two Lagos men volunteered, but returned without success. Several times the Ashantis came out from their stockades, once to burn the Basel Mis- sion Chapel, which we tried ineffectually to save; and once to destroy the Wesleyan Church, which, being in a hollow, was out of our line of fire . At night small bands prowled about near the fort and round the small- pox hospital, which we had to remove. "On July 14th the usual native stories were told of distant firing, but these reports, which, by their con- stant repetition, had at first caused us to hope, only made us more despondent. On the evening of that day the native officer said he was sure he had heard a 7-pounder, and we fired three double shells as a signal, but there was no reply, and we felt sure that the sup- posed 7-pounder was only an Ashanti Dane gun. Next morning when I was in the bastion I distinctly heard three volleys fired in the direction of the Cape Coast road. Even then we were not quite sure of their origin, but we felt more hopeful. The men were quite apathetic, being too weak to care much for anything. At 4.30 in the afternoon we heard terrific firing, which removed any doubts we had, and after opening a pint bottle of champagne one of our few remaining medical comforts-we mounted the lookout, field- glasses in hand. I t was very pathetic that even with relief at hand some of the men were just at the point of death. At 4.45, amid the din of the ever-approach- ing firing, we heard rinf!ing British cheers, and a shell passed over the top of lae fort, which was in the direct line of fire. We then saw shells bursting in all direc- tions about 400 yards off, and we fired a maxim to show that we were alive. Then, to our intense relief, we heard a distant bugle sound the' Halt,' and at six o'clock on Sunday evening, July 'sth, we saw the h~ads of the advance-guards emerge from the bush, wIth a fox-terrier trotting gaily in front. Instantly 208 THE LAST RISING the two buglers on the verandah sounded the 'Wel- come,' blowing it over and over again in their excite- ment. A few minutes later a group of while helmch told us of the arrival of the staff, and we rushed out of the fort, cheering to the best of our ability. The meeting with our rescuers was of a most affecting character. Colonel Willcocks and his officers plainly showed what they had gone through. The whole of the force was halted in front of the fort, and three cheers for the Queen and the waving of caps and helmets formed an evening scene that none of us will e\'er forget. " Captain Bishop was given the D.S.O. ; Mr. Ralph a direct Commission in the Royal Fusilier. , and Dr. Hay tire C.M.G., as rewards for the trymg and anxious time they had endured. The relieving column set to work to clean up thr surroundings of the fort next day, the conditions of which were indescribably filthy. Skeletons and corpses in every stage of decomposition had to be removed and burnt and the ground cleaned generally. On the 17th the relie! expedition commenced its return journey to BEKWAI. As many of the relieved garrison as were able to travel accompanied it. Cap- tain Eden, two officers, one doctor, two British non- commissioned officers, and 175 men. were left to hold the fort. Brilliantly as this first part of the campaign had been conducted, the more arduous task of dispersing the rebels and pacifying the country had to be ccom- plished. The enemy south of COO~IASSIE was first dealt with. KOKOFU was attacked in force by Lieu- tenant-Colonel (now Major-General) Morland on July 22nd. Major Meliss with the advance-guard rushed • \ DESTRUCTION OF STOCKADES 209 the stockade, and in spite of desperate resistance occupied the town of KOKoFu, which was burnt. KWISSA was then reoccupied, and the ADANSI war- camp taken by storm and destroyed on the 29th. The AD.\NSIS lost heavily and were utterly routed. Owing to rumours of the fort being again besieged, the Commandant sent Colonel Burroughs to COO- MASSIE with 750 men via PEKI, with orders to reinforce the garrison, destroy stockades, and return to BEKWAI by August 12th. This force entered COOMASSIE on August 5th, having met with no organized opposition. On the 6th the stockade on the NTIMlDE road, out- side BANTAMA, was captured by Major Meliss's column after a stubborn resistance. Major Cobbe, with two companies, carried the stockade on the KINTAMPO road the same day. The stockade on the ACCRA road was the next to I,all, as the result of a night attack led by Colonel Burroughs in person, when the enemy suffered Lake BOSUMTWI was visited by columns under Hanstock and Wilkinson, but, to expectation, they met with no resistance. rC,olonel Brake succeeded in surprising and routing a [bo(ly of rebels at JACHI. The country south of COOMASSIl! having thus been cleared of the enemy, T-1 p adquarters were moved up and established in that town on August 3 I sl. Meanwhile an attack on E]ISU was conducted by Colonel Brake. The stockade was carried after severe fighting, and the town captured and destroyed. It was now learnt that Captain Benson, who was command of the AKIM levies and marching on COOMASSIE from the south-east, had been repulsed at 210 THE LAST RISING BOANKRA, and that, deserted by his le\"ies, he had shot himself at OOUMASI . On receipt of the news, Major Reeve was sent on a punitive expedition in that district. He was absent ten days, during which he saw nothing of the enemy. The remaining stockades surrounaing COOM\SSIE were gradually destroyed, the sanitary condition of the town was improved, and a market, at fixed price,;, established. The Ashanti army had gradually scattered . A small concentration was effected at jACH I under l\I.IR ,I- WERE OPOKU (OBUABilSSA). This was the force that was surprised and routed by Colonel Brake. OPOKtl was killed while trying to rally his men Flags of truce now began to come In Eou jENFI, the AOENTIHENE, and ANTOA MENSA were the first to surrender, and others soon followed their lead. On September 16th Sir James Willcocks held a review of the 1,7 So troops in COOMASSIE, which much impressed the ASHANTIS. The northern portion of the country now received attention. A column of 500 men under Major Hol- ford marched to KINTAMPO and back without opposi- tion. Major Holford received the unconditional surrender of KWEKU INKANSA of AOANSI and several other chiefs . A strong column left for OFINSU on September 21st under Major Montanaro . A force of ASHANTIS . was met at OOASASI, but after some fighting a bayonet charge dislodged the enemy, who Red in confusion. At OFINSU several chiefs surrendered, among whom was 'the Ofinsu leader, ENcHwl News was received that KOKI FOFIE, EFIRFA, and KWAMIN ASARE, had concentrated a force of about - --P1NA:C STA:NDc- 211 5,000 rebels ten miles out of COO MASSIE on the BERE- KUM road. The Commandant marched out to meet this army on the 29th with a force of 1,200 men . Captain Donald Stewart, who had returned from England, accom- panied him as political officer. Rain fell in torrents all that day, and the column halted at ADADA for the night. Next morning the enemy was met in force at ABOAsU. An engagement at once ensued. Only after repeated charges and fierce hand-to-hand fighting did the AsHANTIs give way, and then only to retreat slowly up the hill towards the village. They eventually broke and fled when enflanking companies threatened their rear. IsANsU was then occupied. A flying column reached FUFU the next day, which was found deserted. The whole force re-entered COOMAssIE on October 3rd. It was now announced to the AsHANTIs that only those who were proved guilty of murder would be punished, and that they would all be treated as belligerents and not as rebels. This induced many to surrender. But as several of the fugitive chiefs had taken refuge in the north-western portion of AsHANTI- among whom was the redoubtable KOBINA CHERI of ODUMASI-columns were sent early in November under Majors Montanaro and Browne to try and effect their capture. An advanced depot was formed at BECHIM , where the chiefs of BECHIM, KWANTA, and TEKIMAN sur- rendered. ODUMAsI was reached on the 11th. Here a garrison of 300 men was left, while the main column ! ~~~:;~dleo~ to BEREKUM, where the loyal chief, KOBINA , accorded the troops a hearty welcome. Cap- I,am Hobart, who had been at W AM throughout the marched in from there with his detachment of • 212 THE LAST RISING Gold Coast Constabulary, and reported that all the Western tribes were loyal. PONG YAO, Chief of W AM, was given permission to send a thousand men into the AHAFO forest in search of the Ashanti fugitives. Major Browne at OOUMASI succeeded in discovering KOBINA CHERI'S hiding-place, and surrounded and captured him at the hamlet of SUNYANI. The column returned to COOMASSIE on November 23rd, with 3 I captured chiefs and goo Dane guns KOBINA CHERI was tried by a Military Commission, sentenced to death, and hanged on the 25th at the market-place in the presence of the whole garrison and populace. His courage never failed him, and he dicd defiant to the end. He was the chief-designate of BANTAMA, and commanded a great deal of influence. The war being over, Sir James WiUcocks left COO MASSIE on December 3rd. All the principal leaders of the insurrection were accounted for in due course, including YA ASA1>;TlwA, KOKI FOFIE, KOjo KRUM, and EFIRFA. Boou escaped to French territory and died there. According to the ASHANTIS, their losses, from first to last, amounted to about 1,000 men. With the new year commenced a difficult period of reconstruction. The Resident, Captain Donald Stewart, reported in January, 19o1, that the whole of ASHANTI was perfectly quiet, and that the people were returning to. their villages. But several of the stools had been rendered vacant, either by the death or dis- missal of former occupants. The more important were those of AOANS I, KOKOFU, NsuTA, BECHIM, NKWANIA, ABODUM, EJlsu, OFINSU, ACHl'MA, I\KAWE, and the sa • LIGHT PUNISHMENTS 213 Coom""ie sections-i.e., KORENTlN, AKOMU, AnENTlN, CHIDOM, lIASI, and OVOKO. These stools were all given to loyalists, among whom K\\'\MI~ BOACHI of AGUNA, YAO AWUA of EJISU, and KW·\MIN TUA of COOMASSIE, were pre-eminent. In l\larch, Igor, Major (now Sir Matthew) Nathan, C.M. G., R. E., the new Governor, visited COOMASSIE. Fifteen leaders and originators of the insurrection were deported to the SEVCHELLES ISLANDS, and 3 I more removed to EUIlNA Castle; the old war indemnity was reimposed, but discontinued a few years later; and the use of Dane guns was limited to a few licensed hunters . These were practically the only punishments meted out to the ASHANTlS, while presents amounting to over £3,000 were apportioned out among thf> loyal chiefs . Owing to constant rumours of a secret combination between the lUABENS, MAMPONS, KUMAwus, and NsuTAs, the Resident visited these places in August, J I gog, with a strong column, consisting of 5 European officers and 400 rank and file. He found the rumours to be quite groundless, and was heartily welcomed wherever he went. A company of the West African Frontier Force was left permanently at MAMPON. One had already been stationed at KWISSA town and another at OnuMAsI in the western district. Captain Donald Stewart proceeded to England in October, leaving Capta;" \rmitage, C.M.G., D.S.O., in charge. '5 DEVELOPKEJlT OF UNDERBRl'f1SH ON issued Crown, and ADMINISTRATION ORDINANCE 015 approval of the Governor, to make, amend, and revoke rules with respect to- Appeals from native tribunals. Prisons. The making and maintenance of roads. The maintenance of telegraph-lines. The regulation of towns, villages, and streets, and the abatement of nuisances in or about towns or villages. The conservation of forests and the collection of forest products. Cemeteries. Ferries. The prevention of accidents in hunting. The regulations of the celebration of native customs. Rest -houses and mile-marks. Landmarks and boundaries. ]\Jarkets. The fouling of streams or wells. Spirit licences as provided by Section 26, and such rules as may provide for the issue of sub- licences and for fees. The introduction into Ashanti of goods and mer- chandise under Section 25 The regulation of traffic and the carriage of goods on the River Volta. The regulation of caravans, including measures for their safety and the imposition of tolls; and The acquisition of I, • for public purposes. The civil staff entrusted to inaugurate the new regime only consisted of Captain Donald Stewart, Chief Commissioner; Lieutenant Henderson, R. N. ; Captains Armitage and Davidson Houston, District Commis- sioners; and Captain Pamplin Green, Cantonment Magistrate . • 216 DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY Valuable assistance was rendered to tile tion by the military officers in charge of the at KWIssA, MAMPoN, and ODUMASI (the a sub-station at SIKASSIKO), but little couIdbe further the development of the country with tbiI quate stafl and the limited funds at the the Chief Commissioner. Indeed, the fact serious disturbances whatever oc:cuned in the years reflects credit on the handful of cemed. The four provinces of ASHANTI includecl the follow- ing divisions : . The Cefltral. - COOMASSIE, AouNA. MAMPON, NSUTA, KUMAWU, OBOGU. The SOlIthena. - BEKwAI, AIwl$I, NKWANTA, KOKOFU, and (later) DANJIASI The Westem.-BEREKuM, WAN, AB.uo WENCHI, and TEKIMAN. The Norlhena.-NKORANZA, AIU08U and (later) BANDA and Mo. The officious, Wljust, and often duel in the past, of the Coomassie chiefs aftairs of the outlying tribes perennial dissatisfaction, the Administration was to break oft the two. The ..... forbidden to obtrude in matten that 4id their proper The among than was iWte sense of reliefa nd In fact, it a hmd ' of the COOMASSIE COUNCIL 217 inaugurated by Captain Stewart, proved the founda- tion-stone on which the edifice of contentedness was erected. As a palliative of this decrease in power, a council of Coomassie chiefs was instituted in August, 1905, consisting of the former ABREMPON, to advise the Chief Commissioner on matters connected with Coomassie territory only, and to secure to them official prestige and position. The original Council consisted of- Name. Rank. Osei Mampon · .. ·. . Korentinhene Kwamin Frimpon • •• · .. Adentinhene Kweku Ware ... • •• • •• Antoahene ;' K watchi Kofi .. · .. · .. Akomuhene Kobina Toto ... · .. Edumhene Kwamin Dapa • •• Oyokohene Akwessi Busumpra • •• · .. Denchemonasuhene ..; Akwessi Adabo Chidomhene Akwessi I nuama ·. . · .. Domakwahene Kofi Senchere · .. Domanasihene Kobina Kokofu · . Jiasihene Kwamin Tua ... • • • Jiasiwahene Kobina Sec here • •• • •• Fantahene Kobina Safo ... ·. . • •• Nantahene K wamin K wissi • •• • •• Ankobiahene The following were added in later years- Kobina Esuboantin · .. J iasiwahene Kweku Dua • •• · .. · .. Etipimhene Enin Bejua • •• • •• · .. Amokumhene Akwessi J ewu ... · .. Tonwasihene , • •• Kobina Kofuo ·. . · .. Nkawehene ~ Yao Boatin • •• • • • · .. Bremanhene The council is now limited to twenty-one members. exclusive of the Chief Commissioner, who acts as - 218 DEVELOPMENT OF TfIZ A ~[J::.I:..I[NG OJ- CHJEFS. Frum a photog-raph. \"lEW OF MODER:\' COf'l)/.\SSIE . From a photograph. 220 DEVELOPMENT OF THE CC PAWNING. I. That pawns would cease to be the offspring of a pawn would no longer be a pawn). 2. That debts on "pawns" could no lou&W ... recovered in courts 1)f law. A few years sufficed to suppress both instItutioIIlor ever. The rapid development oi the COUQby dwmg last decade necessitated a gradual of political staff, until the present 'hN1IIlY was found sufficient. Besides the Chief three Provincial Commjs~rs and a Police trate, six District Commissioners, aad District Commissioners, assist in the the Dependency. This m~ pnwidee .. the of officers proceeding to Europe the leave conditions of the West African four new administrative the Central Province (EJvIA aDd J ABO IIId two hi the Western Province (WllNeHI and GOASO The close touch and collBtapt and natives have mutual regard and respect. Nor that this has in real and land disputes cases, owiilg to the ing Litigant. their to the realize. out stlid the partie. Appeals lie de"isions to the Chief to the of the GoLD • ABIREWA FETISH 221 last procedure is rarely resorted to. By wise decree, lawyers cannot plead in the Dependency, for such a litigious people would fight to the bitter end and ruin themselves in payment of exorbitant fees. One of the secrets of their present contented state may be ascribed to this rule. On the other hand, crime IS small among them. Only forty-nine serious cases were recorded in 1918. The penalties which may be inflicted by the Commissioners vary according to rank-from a maximum of six months' imprisonment allowed to District Commissioners, to one year in the case of Provincial Commissioners, and finally to five years in the Chief Commissioner's Court. All sen- tences exceeding five years must be confirmed by the Governor-. Up to 19'9 the Chief Commissioner heard all important criminal cases, but in that year a Circuit Judge was appointed to relieve him of these duties. To revert to political matters, the peace of the country was threatened in '907 by the sudden appear- ance of a new cult known by the name of the .. ABIREWA ,. (old ,voman) fetish. It migrated from the French Ivory Coast and spread with astonishing rapidity throughout ASHANTI. The" ABIREWA" was supposed to be accompanied by a male companion called "l\IANGURO," who acted as her executioner. Those who drank "AB1R~WA " considered themselves immune from evil influences and assured of good health and prosperity so long as certain laws were not trans- gressed. But the secret of success lay in tlte powers arrogated to themselves by the priests of the cult, w.ho alleged that with the aid of the fetish they could dIscover .. witches." Witchcraft has always played an all-Important part in the lives of these natives, • EDUCATION 223 The creed of the country, in fact, approaches to pantheism, of which it may be a degraded form. The ASH ANTIS hold an instinctive aversion towards Mahommedanism, and no headway has been made in the country by the propagandists of Islam. The Christian religion, on the other hand, is surely and steadily gaining ground. Six missions are estab- lished in ASHANTI-namely, the Church of England, the Wesleyan, the Roman Catholic, the Scottish (late Basel), the Seventh Day Adventists, and the Zion. These missions number a total of 5,500 adherents, and their churches and schools are dotted all over the country. Primary education has hitherto rested mainly in their hands. !'{early 3,000 cnili'lren are being taught in mission schools, but the ·~·ernment has already established schools at COOMASSIE. SlJNYANl,and JU ASO, at which an average of 750 boys and girls I attend for primary instruction. ../'" The demand for Government non-denominational - schools among the ASHANTIs is general. Clever and intelligent, they realize that their youths are hopelessly handicapped in the race for wealth (struggle for life does not exist) unless they can meet their better- educated Coast brothers on an equal footing, and arrangements have already been made for Ashanti scholars to be trained as teachers for their own people. In time every divisional own will boast of a school, and it can be confidently predicted that no compulsion will be necessary for the introduction of universal education. In 19 [1 a certain amount of friction was caused by Christian converts refusing personal service to their chiefs on the plea that they could not do violence to their religious feelings. This attitude -was, of course, • 2~ upheld by the were involved. ~ than an 8lICUBe to ,,.... tiona, quite tmtinct from The delicacy of ~ found possible to draw spiritual and mow , TRADE INCREASE mcrce in England to the effect that the collection of the toll interfered with freedom of trade. The expenditure of the Dependency for 1g o6 amounted to £S5,000 against a revenue of £32,000 (£7,000 of which was derived from mining royalties). It is only fair to state, however, that ASHANTl was then debited with three-fourths of the total cost of the Gold Coast Regiment, and was not credited with the customs dues collected on the littoral on articles con- sumed in the Dependency. The ASHANTlS readily turned their attention to trade. Their wealth was derived from rubber, kola nuts, and cocoa (the cultivation of which had been introduced a few years earlier). The value of the rubber and cocoa exported in 1906 was £172,000 and £700 respectively. The "alue of the kola exported (nearly all by head transport to the north) could not then be estimated. To encourage this growing tendency among the ASHANTIS towards the cultivation of economic products, an Agricultural Show was organized in COOMASSIE in December, 1905. This proved extra- ordinarily successful, and fulfilled the object for which it was promoted. In addition, it drew together the largest concourse ofAsHANTlSeverknown. As a result, old intertribal feuds were buried. whilst the "white man's" methods of administration were better under- stood, and consequentl" hereafter, loyally supported. Not to weary the reader with figures denoting the steady progress of the country's prosperity, it will be sufficient to quote the following resume of the trade for 1915. Trade value of- T'llports £S22,300 Exports £1,292,000 ~:xpenditure £52,000 Revenue £47,000 • 226 DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY The last figure does not include the revenue collected on the Coast on articles consumed in ASHANTI. If this were added, a considerable credit balance of rcvenue over expenditure would be shown. Over 18,000 tons of cocoa, valued at £360,000, were exported in that year, besides £360,000 \I orth of kola. The cattle and sheep trade from the north amounted to an import value of £350,000, while £387,000 worth of merchandise was imported in the fourth year of the Great WaT. The gold produced by the mines (by the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation of OBUASI pre-eminently) was valued at £42 1,736. The above figures will give some idea of the flourish- ing condition of the Dependency. The pioneer firms that encouraged and dcYeloped trade were Messr~. Millers, Ltd., Messrs_ Swanzys, Ltd., Messrs. The African Association, Ltd., :'IIessrs. J. J. Fischers, Ltd., Messrs. H. B. W. Russell, Ltd., Messrs. The Basel Mission Factory, and :'.1essrs. The Obuasi Trading Co., Ltd. The growing trade of the country soon gave rise to keen commercial competition, and many more firms, such as Messrs. Drewry, Ltd., The Compagnie Fran- ~aise de I'Afrique Occidentale, The Societe Commer- ciale de l'Ouest Africain, and others, established branches in Com.IASSIE. At the present day the town boasts of nineteen European and five native firms, besides a quantity of Syrian petty traders. The fOUlldation-stone of the Coomassle branch of the Bank of British West Africa wa- laid in 'member, 11)07, and the Bank commenced active operations in 11)08. - , MINING ENTERPRISE 227 The Colonial Bank followed eleven years later. No account of modern ASHANTI would be complete without a mention of the Ashanti Goldfields Corpora- tion's mining property. Originally started under great difficulties in 1897, on lands belonging partly to BEKWAI and partly to ADANSl, it has developed into one of the successful gold-mines of the world, and had produced, up to the end of June, 1919, gold to the value of £5,580,000. As a pioneer concern the Corporation was gIanted mineral and other rights over 100 square miles of territory. The headquarters of the under- taking, once established at OBUASI (in the Southern Province of ASHANTI), created and continues to sup- port the model village of that name, a flourishing town- ship of some 5,600 souls. The mine gives employment to 3,500 natives, many of whom learn useful handicrafts. The Corporation can be regarded as a civilizing factor in the country. The surface workings of their gold ore having been practically exhausted by the ASHANTlS, nothing but a combination of scientific knowledge, large capital, and tenacious enterprise, could have succeeded in develop- ing the subterranean riches of the country. A story is told of how a big Ashanti chief (KOBINA FaLl, the ADANSIHENE) was induced to descend a mine to ,;ew for himself the engineering contrivances of the" white man." On regaining the top, he said to the man- ager: "I thought befor,o • hat you were cheating us, but now I have seen for myself what you' have done, I say that you deserve everything you can get out of the gIound." Improvement is now the order of the day among the ASHANTIS : improvement of their houses, their villages, their standard of life, and above all their roads, so as . - LOYALTY TO THE CROWN "9 ample force to keep the peace throughout the Dependency. So ends this short account of a valiant, clever, and lovable people, of whom it is no exaggeration to say that they bear no malice and nurse no grievance. In- deed. the stanch loyalty of the ASHANTIS towards the British Government and their many fine qualities have gained them the respect and admiration of all who have been fortunate enough to labour with and for them. 16 - INDEX ... MU:UXAJUA. 87 Adda, 47 Abinajiasi Polru, executed, 84 Adeababa burnl, t9J "Abirewa," cult of, 221 AdentlD, vacant !tool, :Ill Abo Kobioa, Chief of the Jaman9, Adijuma. 9S :29; captured, JO; death. )0, Adjumacoon. Chief 0(, Si~D' the gold cast of his skull, 1.0 Treaty of PelLl'e. ~l Aboaji killed, 1)8 Ado of .9orunan kiU~d, '1' Aboasu, .62; engagement at, 211 Adom of Pampuo kiUeod, IJI Abodom, Treaty with, 18); vacant Adookoo. King of Fanti, ~lgD' stool, 212 the Treaty of Peac&, 80-82 Abodoms, amount of indemnity, Adum, the envoy. ('Olry Iota .88 Cape Coast, 58 i llpeech. ~l)-6I; Abomi, mission to, 35 camp at Mansu, 68 Abookoo, Chief of Akomfee. ~1~O'l Afunasuafo. Or .. peeial runn~u, the Treaty of Peace. 82 'J Abra. 39. 4.0, 48 Ag~rey. KiDg of Cape CO&.\It, Abradi, 157 signs the Treaty of Pnc:e, s,,.s.l Abrakampa, 128 Agogo, T Ilj Abrempon, or baroo"! of the Inoti_ .\gogos. the campal,D a~alD t, J4; under nntt,h prt;JtcchOD, 20 Abu, story of, 4 173; amount of IndemnIty, I Aguna, 216 j Treaty With, 183 i Accra, 46, 49, 101, '59. Fon'l, •• Notes" for the, 2D intertribal outbreak ,86 Aguna, Chief of, at the en tool-Acheremade, 31 meot of Permpe, 174 A('hia~hi. IQI Aguoas. the, 115; revc,1t, 144. A("hiempon, A<;hanti Resident of amount of indannlty .• 88 Elmina, interview with Gov- Abafo, 2]. lU, 216 ernM Ricketts, 7'; at Ounkwa, Ahafl)';, the, 1'5; amouDt of In 8Q. cruelty, f(">2; at Axim, 102; demoilY. 188; join the rebel., Elmina. 1(14; impri,",ned, ,06; .go removed to Ashaoti, IDQ; be- Ahinkwa, mas'Pcre of, 100 headed, 162 - Abwibwiba, the sword, 49 Achuma. vacant o;tool, 212., Aim,a, 129 Achumas, the, 159, lip, 19:2. Ajabin, 162 Adada, 211 Ajena. 10J Adakwariadom. J7 Ajiempoo Daban. mit!ioo to Adamadi. u8 Eogland, '74 Adansi, 38, 216; tlD!lettled condi- Ajimao. Kin~ C/{ Jaraao. 'SO; ap- tiOD, 149; vacant '1tool, 212 peals for Briti!lh protection, 165 Adan~i, Cbief of; 77 AjimaD Perempe, cJall:DaDt for .\da.nsis, the. 115; attat'lt OD, 1]6: the thrpne of AAhanti. ,6.; CD- claim Brili,;h protectiOD, 1"9. ~tonled, 164. (St!e Prrtmpe anJ murder traders. 160; hostilities Kweku Dua Ill.) against the Bek .. ais, ,60; .Ua.o tribes. 1 f1igbt, ,60; amount of In· .\ta.otamm or Dodowa, i1 demnitY" I~ join the r~MI~. Akia.ovah. Priocca of Asba.DtI. .qo 5ign the Trtaty of Peace 80-12 - I INDEX 23 1 Akim. lllV8Sioo!J of, '9. 23. 26. 35. Amonoo, King of Anamaboe, 95 signs the Treaty o[ Peat:e, 80-8:2 Akim Swatdru, 96, 97 An30labo, 40, 68, 95; attack on, Akimg. the, tlS 40 -44 Akinoie. Chief of Agab, signs the Ancestors, worship of, 22:2 Treaty of Peace, 82 Animira PenlO, King of Wassa, Akomu, Chief, 32- 34 j kiUed, 34 Ak')[Du. vacant !iotool, 213 "Animism," 222 Akos. 2 cession of setUement9, IN. loS l:Slbe of K· kofu atuc:h the- B~i: wais, 16.t Ebirim 'taro, KiD@' of the Sefwis, I Enac.oomah. Chic{ of ticos the 26; killed. 26 Treatr of Peace, 80$.1 - • , INDEX 235 E"sikuma, 39, 69. 95 «Great Oath of Three," 26 Esubuantin of Warn, killed, 131 Green, Captain Pamplin, Can· Esumankwapo, 13 tonment Magistrate, 215 Esumeja. 2, I;, lBo, 203 Grundy, Mr., at the siege of Esumi offen to divulge hiding. Coomassie, 194, 198 pJ.a.:e of the golden stool, 186, Gyaoman, 10 .. E"'t"i plm " stool. 37 HaU, Captain, at Fomena, 201 Ew,.u \"ao, pursuit of Kudjo Otibu, Hanson, J. W., at the battle of Dodowa, 74 Ewua of Bantama, 157. 164; Hanstock, Lieutenant·Colonel, 20<) killed, 165 Hari Zenoab, 194 Eyina.!li, battle of, 136 Ha,.,:,;,l ewood, Captain, at Fomeoa, Fanti, 39; confederation, lOT Hay, Captain, Acting Colonial Fantis. the, treachery, jlt. 39; de- Secretary, at Fomena, 1$0 feated, 39; number killed, 42 ~ Hal', Dr., 193, at the siege of campaign against, 46; flight, Coomassie, Ig8, 206; C.M.G. 48; besiege Elmina. 79; seize conferred, 208 AsbaDti traders, 89 Henderson, Lieutenant, 21S Fell, T. E., supen·ision of the Hennessy, Pope, takes over the \Vestcrn province of Ashanti, Dutch posse5!';ions, log; con· ,,8 ciliatory tactics, 110 Fergu<;sCln, Lieutenant.Colonel, loS Hill, Commander. GoverDor of Festinro;. Colonel, adl'ance on Cape Coast CasUe, 86; resigna.. Iskabio, 128: at Dunkwa, 129 tion, 86