60 
MISSION TO ASHANTEE. 
to the King when he came back, and try and appease him. Mr, 
James did so, but without the zeal, presence of mind, or argument 
the crisis demanded ; it was not adequate even to amehorate the 
King's impression of the Governor and the Enghsh; it was no more 
than he said at first. The King took not the least notice of it, but 
declared angrily, that " if he did not see white men's faces he 
would cut off the heads of every Fantee messenger on the spot." 
Some sheep and gold were then brought forward and presented to 
the Captains, and the King rose abruptly from his chair. In this 
anxious moment we reflected that the mulatto of General Daendels 
had a long audience of the King just before we were received ; no 
resource was to be left untried, that was manly and appropriate. 
Mr. Bowdich stepped before the King, and declared through the 
linguist, "that he wished to speak what he knew would make the 
Kino; think that the Governor would do him right, and was his 
good friend." The King said he would hear him speak in the 
house; we retired amidst the insults and menaces of the assembly. 
About two hours after, we were summoned, and, as is the 
etiquette, kept some time in waiting; in this interval, Mr. James' 
said that our situation being very critical, it was a pity any differ- 
ence should be observed, and that he thought it much better to be 
reconciled. Mr. Bowdich replied, that he could not think it pos- 
sible our sentiments to be delivered to the King could differ at such 
a moment ; that if they did we should assimilate ours to his as 
much as possible ; but feehng the necessity for the greatest energy, 
for every address and argument for the conviction of the King, we 
must, for the pubhc good, continue our assumption of the privilege 
of strengthening his declarations by our own until our recall, that 
we should be tender of his dignity, but that it being a difference 
on a point of public duty, we could not compound it, but would 
take the consequences. We were received ; the King's aspect was 
