16 
MISSION TO ASHANTEE. 
fichly gilded with the sun on the summits, that, impressed with 
the description of Issert, we naturally yielded to the expectation, 
in ascending each eminence, that it would afford us the delightful 
prospect of an open country ; but we were disappointed, and 
passing through Dunnasee and Assoquah, both small crooms, the 
latter situated on a long level, about three miles and a half from 
Acroofroom, we shortly after arrived at Payntree's. 
On the higher hills the soil was generally gravel, with large 
stones; on the lesser, white flint and whinstone abounded : the 
levels presented few stones, and the earth wa's black, strong, and 
rich, producing grass from four to ten feet high. The country was 
very thinly inhabited, and more sparingly cultivated, the cassada 
frequent, but producing little from the want gf cultivation. 
I made Payntree's croom barely fifteen miles from Annamaboe; 
judging from time, it was guessed to be eighteen or twenty ; but 
the impediments which the path almost incessantly presented to a 
hammock, the inequalities of the ground, and many delays which 
insensibly consumed the time, conspired to make such a calcula- 
tion of distance very fallacious. The plan I adopted throughout, 
though laborious, entitled me to more confidence ; and the obser- 
vations confirmed the pretension. Mr. Tedlie, who was always 
just ahead of myself, took the angles of the path by his compass, 
which I pencilled as he uttered them, with their several lengths, 
allowing four yards and a half for every six paces. It is allowed 
too by the natives to be an easy four hours walk. Several hours 
elapsed before all the carriers came up ; most of those who had 
been started by us the preceding day, slept in the bush, and one 
more had deserted. 
The prevailing courses and their proportions were N.J ; N.bW.-J ; 
N. NT.W. i ; N. N.E. -|- ; the rest of the distance being made up of 
small lengths, in every point of the compass^ from S.W. to S.E.; 
