MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE ASIIANTEES. 
19 
horns projecting in front, the sides extend beyond all proportion by 
immense plumes of eagles’ feathers, and fastened under the chin with 
bands of cowries. Their vests were of red cloth, covered with fetishes 
and saphies (scraps of Moorish writing as charms against evil) in gold 
and silver, and embroidered cases of almost every colour, which dap- 
ped against their bodies as they moved, intermixed with small brass 
bells, the horns and tails of animals, shells and knives ; long leopards’ 
tails hung down their backs, over a small bow covered with fetishes : 
they wore loose cotton trowsers, with immense boots of a dull red 
leather, coming half way up the thighs, and fastened by small 
chains to their waistbelt : a small quiver of poisoned arrows hung 
from their right wrist, and they held a long iron between their teeth, 
with a scrap of Moorish writing affixed at the end of it ; a small 
spear was in their left hand, covered with red cloth and silk tassels : 
their black countenances heightened the effect of this attire, and 
completed a figure scarcely human.” 
The author then proceeds to describe the immense crowd of peo- 
ple by whom he was surrounded ; he says, — The large open porches 
of the houses, like the fronts of stages in small theatres, were filled 
with the better sort of females and children, all impatient to behold 
' white people for the first time. 
“,We were then squeezed up a long street to an open fronted 
house, where we were desired to wait the further invitation from the 
king. Here our attention was attracted to a most inhuman spectacle ; 
it was a man whom they were tormenting previously to sacrifice : his 
hands were pinioned behind him, a knife was passed through his 
cheeks, to which his lips were noosed, like the figure of eight ; one 
ear was cut off and carried before him, the other hung to his head 
by a small bit of skin ; there were several gashes in his back, and a 
knife was thrust under each shoulder-blade ; he was led, with a cord 
passed through his nose, by men disfigured with immense caps of 
shaggy black skins, and drums beat before him.” 
The author then proceeds to describe the extraordinary splendour 
which marked the retinue of the court, previously to his admission 
to the presence of the king. 
“ The prolonged flourishes of the horns, and deafening tumult of 
drums, announced that we were approaching the king : we were 
already passing the principal officers of his household ; the cham- 
berlain, the gold-horn blower, the captain of the messengers, the 
captain for royal executions, the captain of the market, the keeper 
of the royal burial ground, and the master of the bands, sat sur- 
rounded by a retinue and splendour which bespoke the dignity and 
importance of their offices. The cook had a number of small 
services, covered with leopard’s skin, held behind him, and a large 
quantity of massive silver plate was displayed before him, punch- 
bowls, waiters, coffee-pots, tankards, and a very large vessel with 
clawed feet, which seemed to have been made to hold incense. The 
executioner, a man of an immense size, wore a massy gold hatchet 
on his breast, and the execution stool was held before him, clotted 
in blood, and partly covered with a caul of fat. The king’s four lin- 
guists were encircled by a splendour inferior to none, and their 
