416 African Tribes. — The Ashantccs, S^c. [|OcT. 



and advanced to meet the enemy, who continued to move towards the 

 coast. 



An Ashantee girl and lad, who had been taken prisoners, stated that 

 when they left Coomassie, the capital of Ashantee, yoiuig virgins had 

 been sacrificed on certain days in the week, to the fetish, for the re- 

 covery of the king's health. 



The Warsaws and Dinkeras, retreating from before the Ashantees, 

 were with difficulty induced to turn their faces towards the enemy, who, 

 on the 21st of January, were heard advancing through the woods with 

 horns blowing and drums beating. They are said to have consisted of 

 considerably more than ten thousand men, armed with muskets, and 

 having large knives stuck in their girdles. They marched up through 

 the woods in different divisions of Indian file, their horns sounding tlie 

 names or calls of their different chiefs. " The action now commenced 

 on both sides with determined vigour, and lasted till nearly dark. It 

 was reported about four o'clock that our troops had expended all their 

 ammunition," and being disappointed of a supply, which should have 

 reached in time for the battle, every thing fell into confusion, and our 

 gallant little force, deserted by most of their allies, and now outflanked and 

 surrounded, defended themselves with their bayonets until overpowered 

 by the enemy, " who instantly beheaded nearly every one who fell into 

 their remorseless hands." Although the Warsaws and others had de- 

 serted early in the action, Cudjoe Cheboo, the king of Dinkera, was 

 found by Sir Charles surrounded by his people, fighting bravely ; but 

 it was impossible to rally any other part of the force, and Sir Charles, 

 who had received several wounds, lost his life in attempting it. 

 IMajor Ricketts succeeded with much difficulty in escaping. The 

 Ashantees behaved after the battle with their usual ferocity, obliging 

 the captive women to throw away their children in order to enable them 

 to carry their plunder, and many of these poor infants were afterwards 

 found in the bushes, " in a dying state, or with their brains dashed 

 out." 



Major Chisholm, who had been advancing to the support of the 

 governor, on hearing the result of the action, retreated to secure Cape 

 Coast Castle, where he was afterwards joined by the force under Cap- 

 tain Laing, and was enabled to resume offensive operation on the IGth 

 of February, by an attack upon Dutch Sucoondee, which he burnt, 

 after driving out the natives and Ashantees. 



The Aashantees, after the battle of the 21st of January, having re- 

 mained for some time inactive, opened negociatlons through the govern- 

 ment of the Dutch settlements on the 14th of March, which were, how- 

 ever, unavailing. 



Mr. Williams, the coionlal secretary, who had been wounded in the 

 battle, and kept in their camp, obtained liis liberty during this negoci- 

 ation. He had been locked up each night in the same room with the 

 heads of Sir Charles JM'Carthy, IMr. Buckle, and Ensign Wetherell, 

 and fed on a small quantity of snail soup. 



The allies, after an injudicious attempt to bring the enemy to action, 

 dispersed or retreated In the beginning of April. On the lOth of that 

 month another movement was made in advance from Cape Coast Castle, 

 but the enemy again fell upon the native forces, defeated, and dispersed 

 them. 



Lieut.-Colonel Sutherland, having arrived with reinforcements from 



