MISSION TO ASHANTEE. 
CHAPTER I. 
The Objects, and Departu7'e of the Mission. 
BosMAN and Barbot mention the Ashantees as first heard of by 
Europeans about the year 1700 ; the latter calls it Assiantee or 
Inta, and writes, that it is west of Mandingo, and joins Akim on 
the east ; he asserts its pre-eminence in wealth and power. Issert, 
a physician in the Danish service, who meditated a visit to Ashan- 
tee, writes, " this mighty king has a piece of gold, as a charm, 
more than four men can carry ; and innumerable slaves are con- 
stantly at work for him in the mountains, each of whom must 
collect or produce two ounces of gold per diem. The Akims 
formerly dug much gold, but they are now forbidden by the King 
of Ashantee, to whom they are tributary, as well as the Aquamboos, 
previously a very formidable nation. Mr. Dalzel heard of the 
Ashantees at Dahomey, as very powerful, but imagined them, the 
Intas, and the Tapahs, to be one and the same nation. Mr. Lucas, 
