MISSION TO ASHANTEE. 
57 
over them, with small windows of wooden lattice, of intricate but 
regular carved work, and some have frames cased with thin gold . 
The squares have a large apartment on each side, open in front, 
with two supporting pillars, which break the view and give it all 
the appearance of the proscenium or front of the stage of the older 
Itahan theatres. Thej are lofty and regular, and the cornices of a 
very bold cane work in alto relievo. A drop curtain of curiously 
plaited cane is suspended in front, and in each we observed chairs 
and stools embossed with gold, and beds of silk, with scattered 
regalia. The most ornamented part of the palace is the residence 
of the women. We have passed through it once ; the fronts of the 
apartments were closed (except two open door ways) by pannels 
of curious open carving, conveying a striking resemblance at first 
sight to an early Gothic screen ; one was entirely closed and had 
two curious doors of a low arch, and strengthened or battened 
with wood-work, carved in high relief and painted red. Doors 
chancing to open as we passed, surprised us with a glimpse of 
large apartments in corners we could not have thought of, the most 
secret appeared the most adorned. In our daily course through 
the palace there is always a delay of some minutes, before the door 
of each of the several distinct squares is unlocked; within the 
inmost square is the council chamber. 
To day, after the delay of nearly an hour (which seems an indis- 
pensible ceremony) in the outer court, (where different dignitaries 
were passing to and fro with their insignia and retinues,) we were 
conducted to a large yard, where the King, encircled by a varied 
profusion of insignia, even more sumptuous than that we had seen 
before, sat at the end of two long files of counsellors, caboceers, 
and captains ; they were seated under their umbrellas, composed 
of scarlet and yellow cloth, silks, shawls, cottons, and every glar- 
ing variety, with carved and golden pelicans, panthers, baboons, 
