22 
waters,* which have been and are through its instrument- 
ality, subject to the Government of the King of Katanu— 
a right that has been recognised and acknowledged by 
all the surrounding tribes. 
Ponds of fish, the subject of worship, are to be at places 
met with. Rivers also represent resorts, in the native mind, 
of favourite fetishes. The fetish of the river Tando is a 
favourite one of the Ashantees ; Cobee, a river in Denkera, 
and Odentee in'the Adirree, are two others. ; 
The river “ Dah,” in Ashantee, receives annual ablutions 
and offerings in thanks to its Fetish for the yam of the 
year—the Adai custom. 
The sea-god has also offerings and propitiatory attentions. 
Of sea-fishing, I am unaware of any close season; but 
there are times when the fishing of some of the rivers and 
lagoons is by fetish order forbidden, in reality to allow of 
the growth of fish which is of general interest. Opening 
ceremonies after such “close times” are interesting and 
important events. 
In a country where local demand keeps pace with the 
population, and where the cost of fishing-gear is compara- 
tively trivial, when it is remembered that the value of time 
is not yet known, so that the estimate of labour in the 
computation of outlay on appliances is not of much 
moment, the question of supply may be said to be favour- 
ably met; whereas as to the demand, the sale-market is 
large and wide enough, representing, as it does, a huge 
interior, but a clammy and damp, at the same time hot 
climate, bad roads, no other means of transport but in 
baskets on the heads of natives, imperfect system of curing, 
stand forth as obstacles, and indeed great ones, towards 
the development and growth ofa healthy inland fish traffic. 
* Behind the Dahomean seaboard, 
