CUSTOMS. 299 
the Ashantee in close fight, is, to fire and spring upon the throat 
of his enemy ; to advance every time he fires he feels to be impera- 
tive, if his commander thinks it possible, who would, otherwise, if 
he escaped death in the action, inflict it on him directly it was 
over. It is one of the sentences of the most popular song in Coo- 
massie, " if I fight I die, if I run away I die, better I go on and 
die/' They are as the antient Spaniards have been described, 
" prodiga gens animse et properare facillima mortem/' The general 
has his umbrella spread in the rear, and, besides his guard, has 
several extra muskets ready loaded for those soldiers who may be 
driven to him in case of reverse. His band plays all the time, and 
in his assumed contempt for the enemy, it is the etiquette for him 
to divert himself at some game, whilst the heads of the slain of any 
rank in the hostile army are sent to him to put his foot on. When 
the result of an important action is expected, even with an anxiety 
by no means sanguine,^ and the messengers are known to be near 
the capital, the King is always seated in public, with his golden 
worra board before him, playing with some dignitary ; and thus 
receives the news, to impress the people with confidence by his 
affected indifference to victory or defeat, when superstition had 
revealed and fated inevitable success ultimately 
All the superior captains have peculiar flourishes or strains for 
their horns, adapted to short sentences, which are always recog- 
nised, and will be repeated on enquiry by any Ashantee you may 
meet walking in the streets, though the horns are not only out of 
sight, but at a distance to be scarcely audible. These flourishes 
are of a strong and distinct character. The King's horns uttered, 
" I pass all Kings in the world." Apokoo's, " Ashantees, do you 
do right now ?" Gimma's, " Whilst I five no harm can come." 
Bundahenna's, " I am a great King's son." Amanqua's, " No one 
dares trouble me/' This will be further noticed in the chapter on 
