drums, with their grim ornamentations, boomed forth, and bands of
elephant-tusk horns added to the deafening din.

In the distance could be seen the great fetish-house, with its enormous
high thatched roof wherein was supposed to be hidden Prempeh's great
treasures of gold-dust and jewels. The ground whereon the glittering
court had assembled was covered with the skulls and bones of thousands of
former victims, and as we advanced slowly through the turbulent crowd we
saw a sight that froze our blood. At the foot of the fetish tree was
placed a great brass execution-bowl, about five feet in diameter. It was
ornamented with four small lions and a number of knobs all around its
rim, except at one part where there was a space for the victim's neck to
rest upon the edge. The blood of those sacrificed to the gods was allowed
to putrefy in this great bowl--which has recently passed into the hands
of the English, and is now in London--and leaves of certain herbs being
added it was considered valuable as a fetish medicine.

As we entered the cleared space between the chiefs and caboocers
surrounding the King and the thousands of warriors and spectators, salvo
after salvo of musketry was fired, until the smoke obscured all objects
in our immediate vicinity. Around the sacrificial bowl were grouped a
dozen or more royal executioners with their faces whitewashed and
hideously decorated. Some upon their heads wore caps of monkey skin with
the face in front, while others had high head-dresses of eagles'
feathers, their tunics of long grasses being covered with magical charms
tied in little bunches. All were copiously smeared with blood, while each
wore a necklace of human teeth, and carried a heavy broad-bladed sword
rusted by the blood of former victims. Behind them were twenty or thirty
Ashantis, each with a knife stuck through both cheeks, to prevent the
unhappy victims from asking the King to spare their lives, which,
according to national law, must be granted, while a broad-bladed dagger
was in many cases run under the shoulder-blades. They were prisoners who
had tried to stir revolt, and were, we understood, to be sacrificed
first. Our turn would come later.

The scene was horrible; we were appalled. At a signal from the King the
first unfortunate wretch was instantly seized by two executioners and
held over the bowl, while a third lifted his keen sword, and with a dull,
sickening thud brought it down upon the poor fellow's