th their arms, without a squabble."

The detachment, indeed, returned in the evening. The success of
their mission had been complete; and the natives had handed over
their arms, and started off with their chiefs into the forests,
after burning the camp and razing the stockades. They all seemed
highly pleased that they should not be called upon for more
fighting, and had individually taken an oath that they would never
again fight the white men.

Several other flags of truce came in, and many chiefs surrendered.
The Queen Mother, the most important of the leaders, tendered her
submission. Colonel Willcocks gave her four days in which to prove
the truth of her submission by coming in, in person. Shortly,
however, before the truce expired, she sent in an impudent message
that she would fight till the end.

Some of the chiefs who had been foremost in their opposition, and
who had personally taken part in the torture and death of those who
fell into their hands, were tried by court martial; and either shot
or hanged, it being necessary to prove to the natives that even
their greatest chiefs were not spared, and that certain punishment
would be dealt out to those who had taken part in the murder of
soldiers, or carriers, who had fallen into their hands.

The greatest tragedy of this campaign became known, on the 8th of
September, through a letter from a native clerk who was with the
Akim levies, which were commanded by Captains Willcox and Benson.
These levies had worked up on our right flank, as we advanced from
the south, in the same way as the Denkeras had done on the west.
They were as cowardly, and as terrified of the Ashantis, as all the
other neighbouring races. In fact, the only work they were fit for
was living in deserted villages, or cutting crops and eating up the
produce.

Three thousand of these levies were ordered to cooperate with
Colonel Brake's column. They were met by the Ashantis, and bolted
as soon as the latter opened fire; and Captain Benson, deserted by
his cowardly followers, fell. In a letter he had sent home, a few
days before his death, he expressed in the strongest terms his
opinion of the men under his command, saying:

"If it comes to a real show, after all, Heaven help us!
Three-quarters of my protective army are arrant cowards, all
undisciplined, and quite impossible to hold."

The native levies cannot be compared with the disciplined troops.
They were simply a motley mob, armed with