11 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ANATOMICAL AND A.NTHBOPOLOGICAL 



The heir is the present chiefs younger brother. This is to ensure 

 royal blood. 



The Ashantis are superior in many ways to most of the tribes 

 surrounding them. In their house-building, their pottery, their 

 jewellery and many domestic customs they show their North African 

 origin. They have never been known to use in warfare any other 

 weapon save the long flint lock dam gun ; it was with this weapon 

 they drove the Fan tees and other tribes to the .sea. And they have 

 never ceased their trading connection with the North ; it is from there 

 they get their supplies of gunpowder, sandals, work in leather, cattle, 

 sheep and many other things. The North also was the chief outlet 

 for their gold. 



The Ashantis are most kind to their women and children, and, 

 generally speaking, they are not cruel. It is true that human sacrifice 

 has long been practised amongst them, but for reasons given or hinted 

 at one cannot condemn them as cruel on this account any more than 

 one can condemn Abraham as cruel for proposing and preparing to 

 sacrifice Isaac, his son. The majority of victims were criminals, or 

 accused of crime, which in Ashanti is the same thing. 



What the future of the Ashantis may be is difficult to say. Even 

 with the advance of civilisation, in the form of modern gold mining, 

 railways and white men, they keep themselves and their customs very 

 much to themselves, and are very jealous of anything approaching 

 interference with their ancient laws and customs. 



When their premier king Prempeh dies, then another will be 

 elected to the Ju-Ju stool, most probably in secret, and very likely 

 the new king will be the King of Jaulim. 



They believe that when an occupant of royal blood cannot be 

 found for the Ju-Ju stool, then they will cease to exist as a nation. 



