ered
prudent to push beyond the foot of the hill until more troops came up.
The scouts therefore contented themselves with keeping guard, while for
the next four days Russell's men and the engineers labored incessantly,
as they had done all the way from the Prah, in making the road over the
hill practicable.

During this time the scouts often pushed up close to Queesa, and
reported that the soldiers and population were fast deserting the town.
On the fifth day it was found to be totally deserted, and Major Russell
moved the headquarters of his regiment down into it. The white officers
were much surprised with the structure of the huts of this place, which
was exactly similar to that of those of Coomassie, with their red clay,
their alcoved bed places, and their little courts one behind the other.
Major Russell established himself in the chief's palace, which was
exactly like the other houses except that the alcoves were very lofty,
and their roofs supported by pillars. These, with their red paint, their
arabesque adornments, and their quaint character, gave the courtyard the
precise appearance of an Egyptian temple.

The question whether the Ashantis would or would not fight was still
eagerly debated. Upon the one hand it was urged that if the Ashantis had
meant to attack us they would have disputed every foot of the passage
through the woods after we had once crossed the Prah. Had they done
so it may be confidently affirmed that we could never have got to
Coomassie. Their policy should have been to avoid any pitched battle,
but to throng the woods on either side, continually harassing the troops
on their march, preventing the men working on the roads, and rendering
it impossible for the carriers to go along unless protected on either
side by lines of troops. Even when unopposed it was difficult enough
to keep the carriers, who were constantly deserting, but had they been
exposed to continuous attacks there would have been no possibility of
keeping them together.

It was then a strong argument in favor of peace that we had been
permitted to advance thirty miles into their country without a shot
being fired. Upon the other hand no messengers had been sent down to
meet us, no ambassadors had brought messages from the king. This silence
was ominous; nor were other signs wanting. At one place a fetish,
consisting of a wooden gun and several wooden daggers all pointing
towards us, was placed in the middle of the road. Sev