REVENUE, &c. 
319 
a sort of cushion projecting from just below the small of the back 
in the Fantee women, by the size of which, frequently preposter- 
ous, and at all times unsightly, their rank, or the number of their 
children is known. The bosoms of girls of thirteen and fourteen 
are frequently models, but the young women sedulously destroy 
this beauty for what is considered a greater, wearing a broad band 
tight across their breasts, until ceasing to be globular they project 
conically. Their heads are shaved in fanciful elaborate patterns, 
having as intricate an appearance as a rich carpet. 
The food of the higher orders is principally soup of dried fish, 
fowls, beef, or mutton, (according to the fetish,) and ground nuts 
stewed in blood. The poorer class make their soups of dried deer, 
monkeys flesh, and frequently of the pelts of skins. Yams, plan- 
tains, and foofoGS, (see the kouskous of Mr. Park) are commonly 
eaten, and they do not make cankey of their corn, (a coarser sort 
of kouskous not cleared from the husk) as the Fantees do, but they 
roast it on the stalk, and when young the flavour closely resembles 
that of green peas. Besides palm wine they drink Pitto, made 
from dried corn, which I think must have been the beer Lieute- 
nant Martyn relished so much, for it is quite as pleasant as a brisk 
small ale. They are forbidden eggs by the fetish, and cannot be 
persuaded to taste milk, which is only drank by the Moors. Their 
stews and white soups are excellent, and my companions reported 
their black soups (made with palm oil) to be equally so. 
I cannot pretend to calculate the variable revenue of Ashantee, 
nor indeed to report its optional sources ; I noted a few particulars. 
i. The dust gold of all deceased and disgraced subjects. Boi- 
team, the father of Otee, left five jars (said to hold about four gal- 
lons each) and two flasks. On Appia Nanu's disgrace three jars 
were seized. 
