250 
MISSION TO ASHANTEE. 
enemies, but they possess little humanity, and are very avaricious 
and oppressive. They listen to superstition with the most childish 
credulity, but they only cultivate it for the preservation of life and 
the indulgence of passion ; beyond this, the Moors could never 
advance their enquiries; they are neither curious nor anxious 
about a future state, pretending to it from rank and achievement 
rather than domestic virtue ; and believing, if the latter were out- 
raged, the solemnities and sacrifices of their funeral customs would 
purchase their repose. Indeed, licensed as they are by the zealous 
conflicts of rival superstitions, (Moorish and Pagan,) their lives 
are moderate and benevolent to what might be expected, and 
merit more than our excuses. 
The lower order of people are ungrateful, insolent, and licentious. 
The King repeatedly said, he believed them to be the worst people 
existing, except the Fantees, and not comparable with many of 
their inland neighbours. Perhaps we should agree with Voltaire, 
" Je crois qu'il faut plutot juger d'une puissante nation par ceux 
qui sont a la t^te, que par la populace."* 
* The principal districts of Fantee, are, the AfFettoo, the Braffbo, and the Esse- 
coomah ; Cape Coast is in the former. The Dey of AfFettoo (a title probably introduced 
by the Portuguese) was formerly supreme in Fantee, so far as summoning the other 
kings and caboceers at pleasure, prescribing their political conduct, and being appealed 
to and sentencing in all cases of life and death, wherever dr by whomsoever the crime 
may have been committed; witchcraft excepted. Upwards of a century ago the small 
pox almost depopulated AfFettoo, then the largest town and capital of all Fantee, (it is 
about 10 miles inland from Cape Coast,) and all the immediate heirs to the stool being 
cut off, the supremacy was transferred to Mankasim. The present Dey, however, pre- 
serves a spiritual authority over the other kings and caboceers, and is esteemed as the 
superior fetish man ; when they desire rain, for instance, they apply to him to procure it, 
and they look to him solely for their chronology, which he preserves by knotting strings. 
Mankasim then became the capital and largest town of Fantee, but it was almost 
destroyed by the Ashantees in their first invasion of 1807- Any Fantee caboceer who 
did not attend the summons of the King of Mankasim, was suspended by him, and after- 
