river. This is a mere trading settlement, - an intercourse which the Yorubas, who with scarcely any territory attached to it. are friendly to the British, and fully alive Originally formed in 1588 by a Company to the value of trade, have been ever which received a charter from Queen anxious to maintain. The Egbas and Elizabeth, the staple of its commerce Ijebus are the great obstacle to this, and long consisted in slaves. Proceeding to levy heavy transit dues on all goods passthe South, we come to Sierra Leone, the ing through their territory. Thinking seat of the Governor of all the West that it depended on them to arrest all African settlements, and situated 8° 30m trade-and frequently they have thornorth of the Equator. This colony was oughly paralyzed it—these savages have ceded to the British in 1787, and com- acted as if they were the masters of the prises a considerable amount of territory. situation, and in a position to bring pres Between Sierra Leone and the Equa- sure on the British authorities. In order tor is a tract of Upper Guinea, known as to checkmate them, Captain Glover nearly the Gold Coast. Its capital is Cape two years ago determined to despatch a Coast Castle, and it is the scene of the pioneer expedition in order to open up present disturbances. The colony com- the country and to secure an alternative prises several minor settlements, of which route to that which passed through the Accra and Elmina - recently ceded by Egba and Jebu territory. The envoy, the Dutch-are the chief. It was Mr. Roger Goldsworthy, an ex-officer of founded by the African Company in 1750, Lancers, and now Commandant of the under authority of an Act of Parliament. Houssa armed police at Lagos, unde To the eastward of the Gold Coast is went serious risks and great hardships, Lagos, the most recent, but, as far as re- but was completely successful. He found gards imports and exports, the most im- the Yorubas quite prepared to keep open portant, of all our settlements in Western the new route, and he established the Africa. It was only acquired in 1862, most friendly relations with them. The when Docemo, the native king-who is Egbas and Ijebus, furious at seeing their still alive-ceded it to us in return for a power for mischief passing away from pension of 1,000!. a year. Formerly it them, and conscious that if the new route was the greatest slave depôt on the coast, were adopted the administration of Lagos and its possession by us has greatly con- would be independent of them, sought to tributed to the suppression of that traffic. baffle Captain Glover's scheme by means It must not, however, be supposed that of intrigue. They found zealous coadju the neighbouring tribes would quietly tors in the ex-King Docemo, and in both submit to see their principal source of white and black partisans at the settleriches cut off; and, though awed by the ment. A new policy was instituted. The vigour of successive Administrators new road was not taken advantage oi, notably the last, Captain Glover-they and the result has been an almost comhave never ceased to give trouble. Their plete paralysis of commerce, a great rise chief grievance is that runaway slaves in prices at Lagos, the abduction of refuhave found at Lagos a secure asylum gee slaves, and a spirit of determined under shelter of the British flag, which, Indeed, both however, during Captain Glover's absence Docemo and the two tribes above menon leave, did not last year always prove a tioned have openly avowed their intention very efficient protection. Indeed on more of getting rid of the white strangers altothan one occasion escaped slaves were gether. by the aid of the ex-King Docemo carried It is, however, on the Gold Coast that off within sight of Government House. the attention of the few who take an inTwo of these hapless captives commited terest in West African affairs is at the suicide rather than again go into bondage. present moment concentrated. Besides The troublesome tribes in question are the settlements on the coast occupied by the Egbas and Ijebus, sometimes called us, a considerable tract of country inhab Jebus; and, in addition to the slave ited by the neighbouring tribes was years grievance, they have lately conceived ago formally received under our protecthat they were suffering under another tion. These tribes are collectively styled wrong. They have for years past been Fantees, or the Fantee Confederation. engaged in intermittent war with a tribe The Confederation, however, owing to to the eastward of their own territories, discouragement received from us, is little called Yorubas. These hostilities, of more than nominal, and is only an ag course, have been a great hindrance to glomeration of independent clans, friendcommercial intercourse with the interior ly to each other and loosely united from

hostility to British rule.

AFRICA

fear of their hereditary foe the King of tated at such a sensible diminution of his Ashantee. The Colonial Office has for- revenue, the King of Ashantee, misintermally approved of the principle of a Con-preting our conciliatory behaviour, prefederation, but has done nothing to pro-sumed on our supposed weakness, and mote it, and, rightly or wrongly, the Fan- snatched at what he considered a favourtees are under the impression that their able opportunity for driving us into the project is viewed with contempt by the sea. Early in January last the Ashantees, local authorities. The Fantees, however, in four divisions, and with numbers variwith wits sharpened by the instincts of ously estimated by those on the spot at self-preservation, foresaw the imminence sixty thousand and eighty thousand men, of the danger which their so-called pro- crossed the Fantee frontier. Recent tectors failed to recognize, and the event advices, however, tend to show that their has justified the note of alarm which they strength has been exaggerated, and that sounded. The Ashantees, indeed, are a the main body at all events is not more förmidable enemy, and have on two pre-than thirty thousand strong. The borvious occasions given us much trouble. der is only three days' journey from Cape Formerly they held sway over the Fan-Coast Castle, yet it does not appear that tee country and over the maritime district which we now occupy, and it was our wresting from them the seaboard and denying the sovereignty over the Fantees whh brought about the war of 1824. Some rather sharp fighting took place, and ultimate success was only purchased by the expenditure of much money, and the loss of Sir Charles Macarthy, the Governor. For nearly forty years a sort of armed truce was observed, but in 1863 the King of Ashantee again declared war - a war which cost us 100,000/., and one in which for months our troops endeavoured with much loss from sickness to bring the enemy to action, but in vain. Since then we have pursued a policy of conciliation, not to say subserviency, sending presents with the messengers who proposed-or, as rendered by the natives, sued for "-peace. All our efforts have, however, failed, and now for the third time within half a century we are at war with this fierce and untamable race.

the Administrator took any steps to obtain trustworthy information. He never even noticed the invasion till the 3rd of February, and then he contented himself with a mere proclamation announcing the invasion, and prohibiting the supply to the invaders of munitions of war. The Ashantees in the meantime had themselves announced their arrival in the most energetic manner, having marched through the country plundering and burning in every direction. Taken by surprise at first, only 4,000 or 5,000 Fantees could be collected to oppose the enemy, before whom they were of course obliged to retreat. At length, however, the different chiefs managed to assemble an army of some 30,000 men, and a battle whose dimensions would have been considered respectable even in Europe took place. The numbers were about equal on each side, but the Ashantees possessed the advantage of being under a single commander,” while the Fantees were a mere collection of clans each obeying What the cause of the rupture was no only the order of its immediate chief. one seems quite able to say. The gen- The fight was well contested, having eral belief is that the cession of Elmina lasted some eight or nine hours. to us by the Dutch has something to do length the Fantees, having lost 1,000 men, with it. Mr. Knatchbull-Hugessen is of and being short of ammunition, were this opinion. It appears that the Dutch obliged to retire, falling back, however, used not only to give a yearly sum of so steadily that the victors contented money to the King of Ashantee, but also themselves with occupying the abandoned to pay him so much per head for the cap- position. At this place, only seventeen tives he made in war. These captives miles from Cape Coast Castle, the Ashwere sent to serve as soldiers in other antees, who, though the conquerors, lost, Dutch settlements, and certainly gained it is said, 2,000 men in the battle, reby the change of masters. When we mained for some time waiting for reintook over Elmina, we made inquiries forcements. We learn that the King of concerning this subsidy, and, learning the Ashantees-his euphonious name is that it was given not as tribute but merely Carie-Carie-has sworn to drive the for the encouragement of trade, deter- English into the sea, and that he is exmined not to continue it. Of course pected to head the reinforcements asked head money for slaves, under any circum- for by his commander-in-chief. Whether stances, was out of the question. Irri- these reinforcements have arrived or not

At

river. This is a mere trading settle.nent, - an intercourse which the Yorubas, who with scarcely any territory attached to it. are friendly to the British, and fully alive Originally formed in 1588 by a Company to the value of trade, have been ever which received a charter from Queen anxious to maintain. The Egbas and Elizabeth, the staple of its commerce Ijebus are the great obstacle to this, and long consisted in slaves. Proceeding to levy heavy transit dues on all goods passthe South, we come to Sierra Leone, the ing through their territory. Thinking seat of the Governor of all the West that it depended on them to arrest all African settlements, and situated 8° 30m trade-and frequently they have thornorth of the Equator. This colony was oughly paralyzed it—these savages have ceded to the British in 1787, and com- acted as if they were the masters of the prises a considerable amount of territory. situation, and in a position to bring presBetween Sierra Leone and the Equa- sure on the British authorities. In order tor is a tract of Upper Guinea, known as to checkmate them, Captain Glover nearly the Gold Coast. Its capital is Cape two years ago determined to despatch a Coast Castle, and it is the scene of the pioneer expedition in order to open up present disturbances. The colony com- the country and to secure an alternative prises several minor settlements, of which route to that which passed through the Accra and Elmina - recently ceded by Egba and Jebu territory. The envoy, the Dutch are the chief. It was Mr. Roger Goldsworthy, an ex-officer of founded by the African Company in 1750, Lancers, and now Commandant of the under authority of an Act of Parliament. Houssa armed police at Lagos, unde To the eastward of the Gold Coast is went serious risks and great hardships, Lagos, the most recent, but, as far as re- but was completely successful. He found gards imports and exports, the most im- the Yorubas quite prepared to keep open portant, of all our settlements in Western the new route, and he established the Africa. It was only acquired in 1862, most friendly relations with them. The when Docemo, the native king-who is Egbas and Ijebus, furious at seeing their still alive-ceded it to us in return for a power for mischief passing away from pension of 1,000l. a year. Formerly it them, and conscious that if the new route was the greatest slave depôt on the coast, were adopted the administration of Lagos and its possession by us has greatly con- would be independent of them, sought to tributed to the suppression of that traffic. baffle Captain Glover's scheme by means It must not, however, be supposed that of intrigue. They found zealous coadju the neighbouring tribes would quietly tors in the ex-King Docemo, and in both submit to see their principal source of white and black partisans at the settleriches cut off; and, though awed by the ment. A new policy was instituted. The vigour of successive Administrators - new road was not taken advantage of, notably the last, Captain Glover-they and the result has been an almost comhave never ceased to give trouble. Their plete paralysis of commerce, a great rise chief grievance is that runaway slaves in prices at Lagos, the abduction of refuhave found at Lagos a secure asylum under shelter of the British flag, which, however, during Captain Glover's absence on leave, did not last year always prove a very efficient protection. Indeed on more than one occasion escaped slaves were by the aid of the ex-King Docemo carried It is, however, on the Gold Coast that off within sight of Government House. the attention of the few who take an inTwo of these hapless captives commated terest in West African affairs is at the suicide rather than again go into bondage. present moment concentrated. Besides The troublesome tribes in question are the settlements on the coast occupied by the Egbas and Ijebus, sometimes called us, a considerable tract of country inhab Jebus; and, in addition to the slave ited by the neighbouring tribes was years grievance, they have lately conceived ago formally received under our protecthat they were suffering under another tion. These tribes are collectively styled wrong. They have for years past been Fantees, or the Fantee Confederation. engaged in intermittent war with a tribe The Confederation, however, owing to to the eastward of their own territories, discouragement received from us, is little called Yorubas. These hostilities, of more than nominal, and is only an ag course, have been a great hindrance to glomeration of independent clans, friendcommercial intercourse with the interior ly to each other and loosely united from

gee slaves, and a spirit of determined hostility to British rule. Indeed, both Docemo and the two tribes above mentioned have openly avowed their intention of getting rid of the white strangers altogether.