The Ashantee war Author:John Frederick Maurice Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. FURTHER INTERVIEWS SIR GARNET AND THE CAPE COAST WOMEN THE FIGHT AT ESSAMAN SIR GARNET APPLIES FOR THE ENGLISH TROOPS. Interviews betwee... more »n Sir Garnet and the " Kings" were now of almost daily occurrence. The scenes were always curious and interesting enough from the strangely unique character they presented. These men, some of whom could certainly if they would, and if they were supported by any real enthusiasm among their people, turn out five or six thousand fighting men a-piece, were never ashamed to beg for a small present—a little gin—a couple of Sniders—the price of their passage from a short distance. Nevertheless, there was always a certain solemn and melancholy dignity about the chiefs, which contrasted quaintly with the little meannesses for which they were always ready. It seems worth while to preserve the record of one of these interviews, taken from the full report given in the parliamentary papers. Only the most characteristic pails have been extracted. (C. 892, p. 168). The chiefs and kings were assembled in the large marquee already described, and except that the stoolswere brought into requisition for their natural purpose the general character of the meeting was much as before. The " Mr. Thompson " of the dialogue was an educated Fantee, who, being got up in European clothes, looked for all the world much like a Christy Minstrel. He, like the others, spoke through an interpreter, all the kings being, as before, attended by their interpreters. Thompson.—Has been asked to speak for all chiefs. They are very thankful for what your Honour said on Saturday. As they cannot see the Queen they accept the Governor as the Queen herself, and therefore they thank the Queen herself for the Governor's coming, and for his speech. The...« less