TO DWABEN AND ABANKORO. 
53 
whom he is a relative, Dwaben being the second town in 
the empire ; and though not so rich as his rival, the sub- 
jects of this prince are more numerous. The story goes, 
that long ago a king of Ashantee had two sons, to the 
younger of whom (the child of a slave), he left his gold 
and the throne of Ashantee, while the elder inherited his 
sword and the throne of Dwaben. At a later period, the 
throne of Ashantee was once saved by a king of Dwaben, 
who intended, and almost succeeded in obtaining it for 
himself, but finally fell a victim to the fortunes of civil 
war, and was compelled for a long while to take refuge at 
Akem. Rivalry and ill-feeling has not yet entirely died 
out between the tribes. 
Dwaben appeared to us better built and more imposing 
than Coomassie, and it is also more cleanly kept. The 
buildings are quite picturesque, with their leafy coverings, 
and many a pointed roof appears among the rows of 
houses. The Dampans (small halls which open on the 
streets), are raised four or five feet above the level of the 
ground, and ornamented with pictures and rough frescoes, 
done in white earth, on a background of reddish brown clay. 
A messenger of the prince, distinguished by a gold 
sword, from which hung a large golden shell, now con- 
ducted us to the palace, a richly ornamented building, 
the broad gateway of which was surmounted by some 
gold sandals. We entered a large court surrounded by 
arched galleries, whence many curious eyes peered down 
apon us. Several hundred courtiers were arranged in a 
semi-circle, and in the centre of the display sat the king, 
under a large tent umbrella, profusely ornamented with 
gold and triangular amulets. 
His majesty was a large stout man, with a number of 
golden rings on his arms and legs, otherwise his appearance 
was simple, and he made on us an impression of greater 
dignity than the minor chiefs of the Coast had done. We 
