MISSION TO A8HANTEE. 
49 
and intellect, but, which was worse, he had thrown the whole onus 
of this invidious transaction on the shoulders of the Governor in 
chief, against whom the King's prejudice would be fatal to all, and 
whose interest in his honour was most flattering to the King, most 
auspicious to us, and the hopes of the Mission ; not only the future 
prosperity, but the present security of the Settlements hung upon 
this, and the dagger was at this moment suspended from a cobweb. 
Mr. Bowdich urged this in the ear of Mr. James, urged the danger 
of leaving the King thus provoked, the fatal sacrifice of every 
object of the Mission, the discredit of the service, the disgrace of 
ourselves; Mr. James replied, " he knew the Governor's private 
sentiments best.'' The Moors of authority seized the moment, and 
zealously fanned the flame which encircled us ; for the King looking 
in vain for those testimonies of British feeling which presence of 
mind would have imposed, exclaimed, as he turned his ear from 
the Moors, " I know the English come to spy the country ; they 
come to cheat me ; they want war, they want war." Mr. James 
said " No! we want trade."' The King impatiently continued, 
" They join the Fantees to put shame upon my face ; I will send 
a captain to-morrow to take these books, and bring me the heads 
of all the Fantees under the forts ; the white men know I can do 
this, I have only to speak to my captains. " The Dutch Governor 
does not cheat me; he does not shame me before the Fantees ; he 
sends me the whole 4 oz. a month. The Danes do not shame me, 
and the English 4 ackies a month is nothing to me ; I can send a 
captain for all ; they wish war." He drew his beard into his 
mouth, bit it, and rushing abruptly from his seat exclaimed, 
" Shantee foo ! Shantee foo ! ah ! ah !" then shaking his finger at 
us with the most angry aspect, would have burst from us with the 
exclamation," If a black man had brought me this message, I would 
liave had his head cut off before me/'* Mr. James w^s silent. 
