78 Ofigin of the AshauleeHy 



whirling round on one leg until they became stupified from 

 giddiness, yelling and screaming the whole time, and then, 

 uttering what was called the voice of the Fetish. 



The Ashantees, however, will be found to retain the Egyptian 

 superstitions, laws, and customs, much more perfectly than the 

 Abyssinians ; because the latter must have abandoned many, 

 on their conversion, as incompatible with their new religion. 



First, then, I shall shew wherein the superstitions, laws, and; 

 customs, of the Abyssinians and Ashantees still agree ; and, 

 secondly, submit the identity of those wherein they do not still 

 agree, with those of the Egyptians, as described by Herodotus 

 and Diodorus. 



The following customs will be recognised as Abyssinian. 

 The King of Ashantee is never to be presumed to speak but 

 through his ministers or interpreters, who invariably repeat 

 even his simplest observations, however audible beforehand. 

 He confines himself to the palace, and is invisible to his sub- 

 jects for several days, twice every six weeks. Before decision 

 in criminal cases he always retires to a secret council. His 

 domestic officers and menial slaves live in a state of familiarity 

 with him unknown to the rest of his subjects. He never eats 

 in public, or before any but his slaves. It is high treason to 

 sit on the king's seat, which is turned upside down the instant 

 he quits it. He distributes gold chains, swords, and bracelets, 

 as the rewards of great actions. 



In Abyssinia none inherit the throne with any bodily defect. 

 In Ashantee the most lawless intrigue is permitted to the females 

 of the royal family if their gallants are handsome, with the 

 view of securing the same pre-eminence of person to the heirs 

 of the throne. 



The throne of Ashantee is hereditary in one family as in Abys- 

 sinia ; and I cannot but consider the prefix of Sai or Zai, (for it 

 was pronounced both ways, and at first I always wrote it with 

 a z,) to the names of all their kings as extraordinary, when I read 

 the following remark on a list of the ancient kings of Abyssinia, 

 by Mr. Salt. " Up to this time, we find Za or Zo prefixed, 

 which is the mark, I conceive, of the shepherd kings, or ori- 



