206 WESTERN AFRICA. 



with a force of scarcely a thousand British, supported by a 

 crowd of cowardly and undisciplined auxiliaries. The two 

 armies met near the boundary stream of the Bossompra, 

 ■where the English, soon deserted by their native allies in 

 whose cause they had taken the lield, maintained the con- 

 test for some time with characteristic valour, till it was 

 discovered, that through the negligence of the ordnance- 

 keeper, the supply of powder was entirely exhausted. 

 Thus deprived of the use of firearms, they were surrounded 

 by the immensely superior numbers of a warlike and des* 

 perate enemy, and after a fearful contest, the particulars of 

 which never fully transpired, the whole army either pe- 

 rished on the field, or underwent the more cruel fate of 

 captivity in the hands of this merciless foe. Only three 

 officers, all of whom were wounded, brought the dreadful 

 tale to Cape Coast Castle. The Ashantees then overran 

 the whole open country, laid siege to the castle, and pressed 

 it closely for some months. Being repeatedly checked, 

 however, and suffering under sickness and want of provi- 

 sions, they retreated into their own country ; nor has the 

 king, distracted by the rebellion of some neighbouring 

 states, ever since attempted to march down upon the coast. 

 \ Captain Adams, in the course of a trading voyage along 

 the African shore, visited Benin, the capital of which is 

 situated on a river coming from the north-east. The city is 

 large, apparently containing about 15,000 inhabitants, and 

 surrounded by a country extremely fertile, but not highly 

 cultivated. The king of Benin is Fetiche, — worshipped by 

 his subjects as a god, and must not on any account be sup- 

 posed either to eat or sleep. Heresy against this creed is 

 punished in the most prompt and summary manner, by 

 instantly striking off the head of the unbeliever. With all 

 his divine and royal attributes, however, the king does not 

 disdain the occupation of a merchant, and drives a hard bar- 

 gain while exchanging slaves and ivory for tobacco, which 

 is a favourite luxury in this part of Africa. He is very ac- 

 cessible to strangers, provided they spread before him as a 

 present a handsome piece of red silk damask. Human sa- 

 crifices are not practised to the same dreadful extent as in 

 Bome other parts of Africa ; yet a considerable number are 

 offered on the graves of their great men, and four annually 

 at the mouth of the river, as an amulet to attract vessels. 



