War 1 6 1 



"A bullet entered into the rifle of a 42nd Highlander 

 as he held it at the ' present ' preparatory to firing, and 

 bent the rifle upwards about a foot from the muzzle." 



" Many Ashantis were shot out of trees." 



"A shell from Eait's battery fell amongst a party of 

 ten who were carrying off another, and killed all the 

 eleven persons. One was a woman." 



"1st February — Sunday. — Burial party buried 1150 

 Ashantis." On the second of February we led the advance, 

 but the enemy made no stand, and we pushed on for 

 eight miles. The next day we paraded at 5.30 A.M., 

 being again in the front. " A most obstinate fight took 

 place, beginning at 8.45 A.M., and continuing without 

 intermission till noon, when a flag of truce came in ; the 

 Ashantis soon began to fire, so the fight went on, though 

 it now became more of a running fight. A second flag of 

 truce came in, but left again almost immediately. I 

 received these flags of truce, blindfolded the bearers, and 

 passed them on to Sir Garnet. One was the same chief 

 who came to Foomanah, and had the same gold ornament 

 on. When he returned I walked out with him beyond 

 our lines for curiosity, an unwise thing to do, for heads 

 popped up everywhere, and I saw I was in the middle of 

 them. He kept calling out ' As-hanti fo, As-hanti fo,' 

 and they at once sank back into covert, and I returned as 

 quickly as I could. They did not fire, however, till I 

 reached our lines again." 



They evidently were puzzled by my presence with their 

 envoy, and thought I was under his segis, or I should never 

 have got back, as I was within arm's-length of some of them. 

 The gold ornament referred to was a splendid large plate 

 of gold, about nine inches square, with a great many figures 



