Coomassie

Coomassie, the capital of the kingdom of Ashanti, Western Africa, is situated about 120 miles NNW. of Cape Coast Castle. It occupies the side of a rocky hill, and is about four miles in circuit. The walls of the houses are mostly formed of stakes and wattle-work, the interstices being filled up with clay; the roofs are of palm-leaves. The king's palace was burned by Wolseley in 1874, but has been rebuilt (see ASHANTI). Pop. stated by natives to be 100,000; but other reports, including observations during the war, say 20,000. See Reade's Coomassie (1876).