CUSTOMS. 
301 
Appia, She'aboo, as he beats their heads in pieces with a stone. 
Amanqiia, Abiniowa, as he cuts off their legs. 
The army is prohibited during the active parts of a campaign, 
from all food but meal, which each man carries in a small bag at 
his side, and mixes in his hands with the first water he comes to; 
this, they allege, is to prevent cooking fires from betraying their 
position, or anticipating a surprise. In the intervals, (for this meal 
is seldom eaten more than once a day,) they chew the boossee or 
gooroo nut. This meal is very nourisning and soon satisfies; we 
tried it on our njureh down. Ashantee spies have been stationed 
three and four days in the high trees overlooking Cape Coast 
Castle, with no other supply than this meal and a litlle water, 
before the army has shewn itself. There is always a distinct body 
of recruits with the army, to dispatch those with their knives whom 
the musket has only wounded, and they are all expected to return 
well armed from despoiling the enemy, or they are not esteemed 
of promise, and dismissed to some servile occupation. I could not 
find that they had any idea of fortifications, though undoubtedly 
common to the large cities on the Niger. 
It is the invariable policy of Ashantee to make the contingency 
of the power last subdued, the revolters recently quelled, or the 
allies last accepted, the van of their army throughout the campaign, 
and very frequently there are no Ashantees but captains with the 
army ; but it is composed entirely of tributaries and allies. Thus 
Odumata subdued Band a with an army of Gamans. In the 
Ashantee body of the army, which is always that of reserve, the 
youngest or last made captain marches and engages first, and the 
others follow seriatim, until Odumata precedes Quatchie Quofie, 
Amanqua follows him, and Apokoo precedes the King. Were the 
country generally open, I have no doubt, necessity and their mili- 
tary genius would have suggested greater arrangement and com- 
