326 
MILITARY ARRANGEMENTS. 
nominating a successor. The above mode of succession 
through a sister’s son, is exactly the same as obtains 
among the Ashantis, and is one of the many strange 
coincidences observable in the social policy of some 
others of the West African tribes. 
The Att^h’s power is said to be arbitrary, but still 
kept within bounds by the influence of the headmen, 
and by the dread of being quietly removed by secret 
poison. 
All important subjects are discussed in an assembly of 
the judges, Mallams and headmen, the Attah presiding. 
Minor disputes or oflences are settled or punished by 
the judges, of whom there are several. Lobo, the 
Ogboeh or first judge, and Hakah Saije, second, being 
also commanders of the forces in time of war. In 
answer to many inquiries, it could not be elicited that 
the Eggarahs make inroads on other states for the pur- 
pose of taking slaves. They depend more on de- 
fensive than offensive warfare, but all captives are 
retained, or sold as slaves. With the exception of 
Mallams or priests, every able-bodied man is liable to be 
called out in seasons of difficulty, and enrolled in 
divisions having appropriate officers. They are armed 
with spears, and swords, as also bows with poisoned 
arrows, but the musket is much preferred to the latter. 
They have a limited number of cavalry, mounted on 
the small, thin, though powerful horses which are chiefly 
brought from above the confluence, or from the hill 
