open such
tactics might not be possible, as the Sniders could be discharged twenty
times before the English line was reached, but in the woods, where the
two lines were not more than forty or fifty yards apart, the Sniders
could be fired but once or at the utmost twice, while the assailants
rushed across the short intervening space.

Had the Ashantis adopted these tactics they could have crushed with
ease the little bands with which the English attacked them. But it is
characteristic of all savages that they can never be got to rush down
upon a foe who is prepared and well armed. A half dozen white men have
been known to keep a whole tribe of Red Indians at a distance on the
prairie. This, however, can be accounted for by the fact that the power
of the chiefs is limited, and that each Indian values his own life
highly and does not care to throw it away on a desperate enterprise.
Among the Ashantis, however, where the power of the chiefs is very great
and where human life is held of little account, it is singular that such
tactics should not have been adopted.

The Ashantis were now becoming thoroughly dispirited. Their sufferings
had been immense. Fever and hunger had made great ravages among them,
and, although now the wet season was over a large quantity of food could
be obtained in the forest, the losses which the white men's bullets,
rockets, and guns had inflicted upon them had broken their courage. The
longing for home became greater than ever, and had it not been that they
knew that troops stationed at the Prah would prevent any fugitives from
crossing, they would have deserted in large numbers. Already one of the
divisions had fallen back.

Ammon Quatia spent hours sitting at the door of his hut smoking and
talking to the other chiefs. Frank was often called into council, as
Ammon Quatia had conceived a high opinion of his judgment, which had
proved invariably correct so far.

"We are going," he said one day, "to take Abra Crampa and to kill its
king, and then to fall back across the Prah."

"I think you had better fall back at once," Frank answered. "When
you took me with you to the edge of the clearing yesterday I saw that
preparations had been made for the defense, and that there were white
troops there. You will never carry the village. The English have thrown
up breastworks of earth, and they will lie behind these and shoot down
your men as they come out of the forest."

"I must have one victory to