Our observations had taught us to conceive a spectacle exceeding our original expectations,

but they had not prepared us for the extent and display of the scene which here burst upon

us.

An area nearly a mile in circumference was crowded with magnificence and novelty.

At least a hundred large umbrellas or canopies which could shelter 30 persons were sprung

up and down by the bearers with brilliant effect.

The superior captains and attendants were a shanty cloths of extravagant price.

These were of incredible size and weight and thrown over the shoulder exactly like a Roman

toga, a small silk fillet generally encircled their temples and massy gold necklaces intricately

wrought suspended morish charms.

Gold and silver pipes and canes called the eye in every direction, walls and rams heads

as large as life cast in gold were suspended from their gold handled swords.

So that Tom Holland was T.E. Baudich who was the first Englishman to leave a written

account of the court of the king of a shanty after his visit in May 1817.

And we are in the middle of our great world cup odyssey aren't we through the cunchers

that have qualified for the tournaments in Qatar.

We are talking about the shanty kingdom.

So this is the episode for Tom for Ghana and I will confess right away that I know genuine

nothing at all about this subject.

So I'm greatly looking forward to being educated Tom.

Well, I'm not going to pretend that I am in any way a specialist in the study of the

shanty empire either.

...