These are composed sometimes of pure mountain-gold;
more often the ore is mixed with one-third, or even a half, of silver and
copper, and stuffed with half-weight of the black earth used for moulding.
The second was Acanny (D'Anville's Akanni), with gold so pure and fine
that 'Acanny sika' meant the best ley. Then came the kingdom of Akim,
which 'furnishes as large quantities of gold as any land that I know, and
that also the most valuable and pure of any that is carried away from the
coast.' It was easily distinguished by its deep colour. The fourth and
fifth were Ashanti and Ananse, a small tract between the ex-great
despotism and Denkira. The sixth and last was Awine, our Aowin, the region
to the east of the Tando, then and now included in the British
Protectorate. The Dutch 'traded here with a great deal of pleasure,' the
people 'being the civilest and fairest dealers of all the negroes.'
The Ashanti war of 1873-74 had the effect of opening to transit a large
area of workable ground. English officers traversed the interior in all
directions, and their reports throw vivid light upon the position, the
extent, and the value of the auriferous grounds which subtend the Gold
Coast and which supply it with the precious metal.
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