from the coast than Ashanti, towards the north-east, whence
the whole of these nations report traditionally that they emigrated.
Inta has hitherto been thought, but erroneously, to be
identical with Ashanti. Inta is the most remote place from
which the diffusion of the Ashanti language can be traced.*
It may therefore be concluded, that all the nations on the
Gold Coast which have been enumerated are of one race,
which may be -termed, for the sake of distinction, the Inta
race; that name including the Inta, Fanti, Ashanti, and
all those tribes who speak dialects of the same language.
The Negroes of this coast are thus described by Barbot:
■ “ The blacks in this part of Guinea are generally well-
limbed and proportioned, being neither of the biggest nor of
the lowest size and stature; they have good oval faces, sparkling
eyes, small ears, and their eyebrows lofty and thick;
their mouths not too large; curious, clean, white, and well-,
ranged teeth ; fresh, red lips, not so thickjand hanging down
asthose of Angola, nor their noses so broad. For the most
part they have long curled hair, sometimes reaching down to
their shoulders, and not so very coarse as theirs at Angola
and very little beards before they are thirty years of age. The
elderly men wear their beards pretty long. They have commonly
broad shoulders, and have large arms, thick hands,
long fingers, as are their nails, and hooked; small bellies,
long legs, broad large feet with long toes; strong waists, and
very little hair about their bodies. Their skin, though but
indifferent black, is always sleek and smooth. Their stomach
is naturally hot, capable of digesting the hardest meat, and
even raw entrails of fowls, which many of them will eat.very
greedily. They take particular care to wash their whole
bodies morning and evening; and anoint them all over with
palm-oil,' which they reckon wholesome, and that it preserves
them from vermin, which they are naturally apt to breed.
* Ibid. Romer, however, places a nation of Crepees contiguous to the Ashantis,
and separated from them by the Rio Volta, and these he supposes to extend behind
the Slave country in the interior. The reader will find these statements respecting
the languages of the Gold Coast nations fully established by the vocabularies at the
end of Bowdich’s Mission to Ashanti, by Hutton's Mission to the same place, and
by the authorities cited by Professor Vater.
In short, they arej for the most part, well-set, handsome men
in their outward appearance, but.inwardlywciy vicious.
. “ As for their natural” p$fes^ they arë#Tor the most part,
men öf and ^epohgh; of a sharp,' apprehension,
and an excellent^memory, beyond what is <?asy to imagine;
for,though they can tUpjifhér; -read nfs| write, they are
always regular in >thjC^gre$|gst^ hurry- of b ^& ^ s .and trade,
and seldom in confusion. On thp^ther- hand,, they arp extremely
slothful, and. idlerAo- sucbba degree,»that • no thing
but the utmost, neeèssily^ can induce the#Hto take pains;
very-little „concerned in misfoEtungpfj^thafl!|c;is hardvtofper-
peiv'e any change in them?, either in„ prosperity or .ady^ity,
which-,; among Europeans,4,iS/Aieo^oned. magnanimity ; but
among, them some will have it- pass for stupidity.” *
- “ Thé black women, are straight and of «modp^atc stature,
pretty plump; having small round hpads.;; . sparkling ..eyps^
for the most part high noses, somewhat hooked^ long curling
hair, little mouths, very fine, .yRelippt^gdiite teethyfullv neeks,
and handsome breasts. They are very sharp .and witty, and
yery.i talkative-”' *f*
This description is evidently intended to apply -to. t-hq, nations
of the Fetu or Fanti race,, who are thegeneral inhabitants of
theGold Coast. The Ashantis: are said to -be. distinguishable
from them in their persons as well as in their carriage. They
are of blacker, hue, more agile than the Negroes of the coast*
and generally of better make4
Mr. Bowdieh says, “ The men of Ashantee are. very well
made, but not so muscular -as the Fantpes, ;;their-countenances
are frequently aquiline. The women also are generally handsomer
than those of Fantee, but it. is qnly among yhe-higher
orders that beauty is to be found, and., among them, free from
all labour or hardship, I have not only, seen the finest figures,
but in many instances regular Grecian features, with brif^
liant eyes, set rather obliquely in.,the; head.” He . addp^ that
the features in this class of females appeared ^tq be Ipdian
rather than African. They are selected from the handsomest
slaves or captives.^?'
* Barbot, book iii. chap., 18.
Isert apud. Mithridat. p. 228.
-f- Ibid. -
§ Bowdieh, p. 318.