After our fashion, we have underrated the enemy in 4.shanti.
Blacks fight very well in their own jungles, and as far as we can understand very cautious accounts, the force sent to release Governor Hodgson from his imprison. merit in Coomassie has been stopped on its march. At least, Captain Hall, commanding the advance guard, reports on May 24th that eight thousand Ashantis compelled him to retire, and decided him to "await news of main body," which, again, was delayed for days by want of carriers. It appears from a letter received from the Governor before he was com- pletely cut off that the "roads " or paths through the forest have been stockaded and trenched, and that the insurgents are very numerous. The native inhabitants of Coomassie are entirely without food, and our own seven hundred Hastens are on half-rations, while the supply of ammunition "must be husbanded" and "will not allow of offensive measures." In plain English, we have tried to hold down, and to tax, a State full of brave and savage negroes with twopennyworth of troops, insufficient powder, and no trustworthy carriers. It is our method, no doubt, and our audacity has frequently been rewarded; but it exposes the Empire to shocks, and causes too much expenditure of valuable life.
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