there was
sure to be hard fighting; and opportunities for distinguishing
themselves at least as great as they would meet with at the Cape,
where so vast a number of men were engaged that it would be
difficult for one officer to distinguish himself beyond others.

Until he started, Lisle had scarcely more than heard the name of
Ashanti; though he knew, of course, that two expeditions, those
under Sir Garnet Wolseley and Sir Francis Scott, had reached the
capital, the latter dethroning the king and carrying him away into
captivity. Now, however, he gathered full details of the situation,
from two officers belonging to the native troops, who had been
hurriedly ordered to cut short their leave, and go back to take
their places with the corps to which they were attached.

There was no doubt that the Ashantis were one of the most
formidable tribes in Africa. Their territory extended from the
river Prah to sixty miles north of Cape Coast. They were feared by
all their neighbours, with whom they were frequently at war--not so
much for the sake of extending their territory, as for the purpose
of obtaining great numbers of men and women for their hideous
sacrifices, at Coomassie. They were in close alliance with the
tribes at Elmina, which place we had taken over from the
Portuguese, some years before Sir Garnet Wolseley's expedition.
This occupation was bitterly opposed by the Ashantis, who felt that
it cut them off from free trade with the coast. In return, they
intercepted all trade with the coast from the tribes behind them;
and finally seized some white missionaries at their capital, and
sent a defiant message down to Cape Coast.

The result was that Sir Garnet Wolseley was sent out to take
command of an expedition and, with three white regiments, a small
Naval Brigade, and the West African Regiment, completely defeated
the Ashantis in two pitched battles, reached the capital, and burnt
it. Unfortunately, owing to the want of carriers, and the small
amount of supplies that were sent up, he was obliged to fall back
again to the coast, after occupying the capital for only three
days.

Had it been possible to leave a sufficient force there, the spirit
of the Ashantis would have been broken. This, however, could not be
done; and they gradually regained their arrogant spirit, carried
out none of their obligations and, twenty-two years later, having
quite forgotten their reverses, they resumed their raids across the
Prah.