"312 
MISSION TO ASHANTEE. 
forms a mould,) dried in the sun, and having a small cup of the 
same materials attached to it, (to contain the gold for fusion,) 
communicating with the model by a small perforation. When the 
whole model is finished, and the gold carefully enclosed in the cup, 
it is put in a charcoal fire with the cup undermost. When the 
gold is supposed to be fused, the cup is turned uppermost, that it 
may run into the place of the melted wax ; when cool the clay is 
broken, and if the article is not perfect it goes through the whole 
process again. To give the gold its proper colour, they put a layer 
of finely ground red ochre, (which they call Inchuma,) all over it, 
and immerge it in boiling water mixed with the same substance 
and a little salt ; after it has boiled half an hour, it is taken out 
and thoroughly cleansed from any clay that may adhere to it. 
Their bellows are imitations of ours, but the sheep skin they use 
being tied to the wood with leather thongs, the wind escapes 
through the crevices, therefore when much gold is on the fire they 
are obliged to use two or three pair at the same time. Their anvils 
are generally a large stone, or a piece of iron placed on the ground. 
Their stoves are built of swish (about three or four feet high) in a 
circular form, and are open about one fifth of the circumference ; a 
hole is made through the closed part level with the ground, for the 
nozzle of the bellows. Their weights are very neat brass casts of 
almost every animal, fruit, or vegetable known in the country. The 
King's scales, blow pan, boxes, and weights, and even the tongs 
which hold the cinder to fight his pipe, were neatly made of the 
purest gold that could be manufactured. 
Their blacksmith's work is performed with the same sort of forge 
as the above, but they have no idea of making iron from ore, as 
their interior neighbours do. Their swords are generally perforated 
in patterns like fish trowels; frequently they make two blades 
springing parallel from one handle, which evince very fine work- 
