e Fantis and surrounded by the Ashantees, was with all his
forces cut to pieces, three white men only escaping.

This and other successes over our native allies induced the reigning
king of Ashantee, Coffee Calcalli, to hold the British power in
contempt. The barbarous customs of the Ashantees almost surpass
conception. Their religion is the grossest fetishism. Human life is
utterly disregarded; and thousands of slaves are yearly slaughtered as
sacrifices by the king, their bodies being thrown into a vast pit in the
neighbourhood of his palace. In 1873, this black potentate having made
alliances with the chiefs of other tribes, sent a large Ashantee force
across the Prah, with the avowed intention of capturing Elmina, which he
asserted the Dutch had no right to dispose of to the English.
Destroying the Fanti villages in their course, they advanced to within a
few days' march of Cape Coast Castle. Every effort was made by Colonel
Harley, who was then in command there, to induce the Fantis to withstand
the enemy, while he collected such forces as were available for their
support. One of the bravest and most disciplined races in that part of
Africa are the Houssas, a body of whom were at once obtained from Lagos,
and who, with some companies of the 2nd West India Regiment and a body
of Fanti police, were marched to the front, under the command of
Lieutenant Hopkins.

The Fantis, however, though far more numerous than their invaders, took
to flight, and the force which had been sent to their assistance had to
return.

The Ashantees now took possession of Dunquah, from whence they moved to
the east towards Denkera. As serious apprehensions were entertained
that both Elmina and Cape Coast Castle would be attacked, the English
Government sent out H.M.S. _Barracouta_, Captain Fremantle, with a
detachment of no marines, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel
Festing, of the Royal Marine Artillery.

They landed at Cape Coast Castle on the 9th of June, when Colonel
Festing assumed command of the troops on the coast, and Captain
Fremantle became senior naval officer on the station. Martial law was
proclaimed; and as the inhabitants of the native town of Elmina showed a
disposition to revolt, on the refusal of the chiefs to give up their
arms the place was bombarded and set on fire, the rebels making their
escape. A large body of Ashantees, two or three thousand strong, now
approached Elmina, when they were gallantly a