or common metal,
which the women beat together to a tune similar to what in Ireland is
known as the Kentish fire. The constant firing of musketry, and the
obscene dances performed by the two sexes form one of the most debasing
and savage exhibitions it is possible to see. In this way does the
procession parade the principal streets, the king seated in his basket
carried by his slaves, and protected by the umbrellas, according to his
rank--the Fetish-men dressed in white robes, also in their baskets. On
arriving at the king's house sacrifices are usually offered--some fowls
or eggs being now substituted in the vicinity of our settlements for a
human being, but we have still too good reasons to believe, that even as
near as the capital of Ashantee many human lives are sacrificed on this
particular occasion, as well as in other festivals of various
descriptions. The offerings being made, the Fetish-man partakes of the
yam; the king then eats of the valued root; and after these two have
pronounced them ripe and fit for food, the people consider themselves at
liberty to commence digging.

"A being named _Tahbil_ resides in the substance of the rock, upon which
Cape Coast is built, and watches the town. Every morning, offerings of
food or flowers are left for him on the rock. Most villages have a
corresponding deity; and in earlier times, there is good reason for
believing that human beings were sacrificed to him."

Likely enough--as may be seen from the practices at Fanti funerals, and
as may be inferred from the analogy of the other parts of Western
Africa.

If the survivors of a deceased Fanti be poor, the corpse is quietly
interred in one of the denser spots of the jungles; and if rich, the
funeral is at once costly and bloody; since gold and jewels are buried
along with the dead body, and human victims as well. The ceremonial is
as follows. The coffin is carried to the grave by slaves, when the
retainers and friends press forwards, fix the number required (in
general four), stun the selected individuals by a sudden blow on the
head, throw the still breathing bodies into the grave of their master,
and, whilst life yet remains, cover in the earth.

This horrible custom is truly West-African. How near we must approach
the Mandingo frontier, before we get rid of it on the north, or how far
south it extends, I am not exactly able to say. In Dahomey, where it
attains its _maximum_ development, it is worse than amongst the