BOWDICH ASHANTEE. 203 



with ornament and sculpture. The array of the caboceers, 

 or gteat war-chiefs, was at once brilliant, dazzling, and wild. 

 They were loaded with fine cloths, in which vafriously- 

 coloured threads of the richest foreign silks were curiously 

 interwoven ; and both themselves and their horses were co- 

 vered with decorations of gold beads, Moorish charms, or 

 amulets, purchased at a high price, and the whole inter- 

 mingled with strings of human teeth and bones. Leopards' 

 skins, red shells, elephants' tails, eagle and ostrich feathers, 

 and brass bells were among the favourite ornaments. On 

 being introduced to the king, the English found all these 

 embellishments crowded and concentrated on his own per- 

 son and that of his attendants, who were literally oppressed 

 with large masses of solid gold. Even the most common 

 utensils were composed of that metal. At the same time, 

 the executioner, with his hatchet on his breast, and the ex- 

 ecution-stool clotted with blood, gave a thoroughly savage 

 character to all this pomp. The manners of the king, how- 

 ever, were marked by a dignified courtesy ; he received the 

 strangers cordially, and desired them to come and speak their 

 palaver in the market-place. On the presents being carried 

 to the palace, he expressed high satisfaction, as well as 

 great admiration of the English workmanship. After seve- 

 ral other interviews, he entered on the subjects under dis- 

 cussion, which related to some annual pa)rments formerly 

 made to the Fantees for permission to erect forts, as well as 

 for the ground on which they stood ; and the king now de- 

 manded, as conqueror of the country, that these payments 

 should be transferred to himself. The claim was small, and 

 seems, according to African ideas, to have been reasonable ; 

 but Mr. James thought himself bound to remain intrenched 

 in the rules of European diplomacy, and simply repHed, that 

 he would state the demand to the governor of Cape Coast. 

 The king then told them that he expected they had come to 

 settle all palavers, and to stay and be friends with him ; but 

 now he found that their object was to make a fool of him. 

 Considering himself insulted, he broke through the ceremo- 

 nious politeness which he had before studiously maintained. 

 He called out," The white men join with the Fantees to cheat 

 me, to put shame upon my face." Mr. James having re- 

 mained firm, the king became more incensed, and exclaimed, 

 •' The English come to cheat me ; they come to spy tho 



