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APPENDIX. 
jurisdiction. The chiefs belonging to the household oi 
his majesty have in important matters no voice in court, 
but they have nevertheless great influence, and lose no 
opportunity of advising the king privately. 
In court and in ordinary meetings the king takes his 
place in his skilfully carved and gold ornamented chair on 
a kind of platform at the bottom of the court, and over 
him is held his state umbrella (now in South Kensington 
Museum), while around him stand some of his sword- 
bearers and other satellites. On his right and left side 
are the two state swords, and suspended from each is a 
large gold nugget. One of these is the war sword. If 
the king has taken it in his hand, the war is decided. 
On the platform near his majesty are seated his mother 
and the nobles of Coomassie. A little lower down the 
court, on his right, we find the linguists and some other 
chiefs, surrounded by under chiefs and servants. On the 
left are the chiefs belonging to the royal household. In 
front of his majesty, placed so as to allow a free though 
narrow passage, are the court criers in great numbers, 
and lastly the executioners, whose business it is to praise 
his majesty, " to give him names," as they say, i.e., to cry 
out his titles, as for instance, " ode tuo tia gyina mpreno 
ano " — " with a little gun he is standing at the mouth of 
the canons." " Pam'bo " — " he sews stones together — he 
tears and binds together again." " Bore " (the name of a 
venomous serpent) " you are most beautiful but your bite 
is deadly." 
According to court etiquette, the speaker has to address 
himself to the linguists, who place the case before the 
king in more eloquent language. 
If an accused person is brought before the court the 
linguists have to discuss the case, to find him guilty, and 
to pronounce the sentence, which, alas 1 is too often a 
sentence of death. The king can ratify the judgment or 
