MISSION TO ASHANTEE. 
7 
«« It may perhaps be found, that high mountains, or a large 
river, may be not many days journey beyond Ashantee ; in which 
case, if the Gentlemen composing the Embassy feel themselves 
secure in the attempt, they may probably be disposed to proceed 
so far. In such event, we authorize you to pay their drafts for 
any moderate sums which they may find it necessary to expend, 
as well as for the general objects of the Mission. 
" Besides the escort of which we have spoken, we think it 
necessary, or at least extremely important, that the Embassy 
should be accompanied by natives of character and consequence, 
conversant with the Ashantee language, in whom you have perfect 
confidence, selected, one from each of the towns of Cape Coast, 
Accra, and Apollonia, to whom you may make reasonable allow- 
ances for their time and trouble. 
" We have said that you should obtain the permission of the 
King of Ashantee to send the Embassy : we have doubts of the 
expediency of requiring hostages ; but, we presume you will 
concur with us in thinking, it will be necessary, before it leaves 
Cape Coast, that a man of consequence should be specially sent 
down by the King, to serve as a guide and protector ; and who, on 
his journey to Cape Coast, may arrange with the messenger whom 
you may send to the King, respecting the places at which the 
Embassy may stop to refresh, and give directions to open the paths 
that may be overgrown. 
« The Gentlemen whom you may select, will of course be well 
advised by you not to interfere with any customs of the natives, 
however absurd ; or in any way to give them offence. And they 
cannot too strongly impress upon the minds of the King and 
people of Ashantee, that the only objects his Britannic Majesty 
has in view, are, to extend the trade with that country ; to prevent 
all interruption to their free communication with the waterside ; 
