310 
THE WESTERN COAST. 
the name of Asiente. It appears to be situated two 
or three hundred miles in the interior from the sea 
coast ; the capital is reported by Governor Daw- 
son* to be four hundred miles from Accra. Every 
account represents the country to be fertile, ex- 
tensive, and populous. The number of people is 
clearly attested by the large armies which the king 
brings into the field. Mr Dawson conceived that, 
in case of emergency, he could assemble 150,000 
men. Most of the commodities, gold, ivory, palm 
oil, &c. which form the objects of trade upon the 
Gold Coast, are brought down from the Ashantee 
territory. Zey Coomah, the king, has been seized 
with an ardent desire to open a communication 
with the sea, and with the British ; but his sub- 
jects are liable to be obstructed and maltreated, by 
the turbulent tribe of Fantees who occupy the in- 
termediate space. This has necessarily given rise 
to quarrels, which have terminated in war. The 
king of Ashantee has within the last few years 
made three several inroads to the coast, in which, 
by the superior numbers and bravery of his troops, 
he carried all before him. The first was in 1808, 
when he destroyed the fort of Anamaboe ; the se- 
cond in 1811; and the third in 1816. On these 
occasions our countrymen had an opportunity of 
* Report of Select Committee on the African forts, (29th 
June 1816,) p. 192. 
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