MISSION TO ASIIANTEE. 
69 
<« come, all this is mine, bring all your books, and give me all 
your pay,'' and if they don't do it, does the Governor think the 
King of England hkes it?* So the King has beat the Fantees now 
two times, and taken all their towns, and they send and say to him, 
you are a great King, we want to serve you ; but he says. Hah I 
you want to serve me, then bring all your books, what you get 
from the forts, and then they send him four ackies, this vexes him 
too much. 
The first time he made war against the Fantees, two great men 
in Assin quarrelled, so half the people came to Ashantee, half went 
to Fantee. The King said, what is the reason of this, so he sent 
his gold swords and canes to know why they did so, and the 
Fantees killed his messengers and took all their gold.f After they 
fought with the Elminas and Accras, the Fantees sent word to the 
King they would serve him ; the King sent word to the Assins, if 
it is true that the Fantees want to serve me, let me hear ; after that 
they sent to say yes! they tired of fighting, and wanted to serve 
him, he said, well, give me some gold, what you get from the 
books, and then you shall hear what palaver I have got in my 
head, and we can be friends; then he sent some messengers, and 
after they waited more than two years, the Fantees sent word back, 
no 1 we don't want to serve the King, but only to make the path 
open and get good trade : this vexed the King too much. 
Then the Fantees sent to a strong man, Cudjoe Coomah, and 
* This is an extraordinary impression, that all the towns in Europe are supported 
like those under the forts, holding notes from their goTernments for annual stipends. 
f Here the King's linguist ceased, and by his desire requested us to repeat all the 
King had said, he was much pleased with our accuracy, and begged us to take some 
refreshment, (spirits and palm wine were introduced in silver bowls) fearing he had kept 
us too long without eating, and, -would continue the letter to-morrow. He locked up 
what had been written, and heard it read again the next day, before his linguists con- 
tinued. 
