96 
MISSION TO ASHANTEE. 
The most entertaining delasseme^it of our conversations with the 
chiefs, was, to introduce the hberty of English females ; whom we 
represented, not only to possess the advantage of enjoying the 
sole affection of a husband, but the more enviable privilege of 
choosing that husband for herself. The effect was truly comic, the 
women sidled up to wipe the dust from our shoes with their cloths, 
and at the end of every sentence brushed off an insect, or picked 
a burr from our trowsers ; the husbands suppressing their dislike 
in a laugh, would put their hands before our mouths, declaring 
they did not want to hear that palaver any more, abruptly change 
the subject to war, and order the women to the harem. 
One of the King^s linguists was a very old man, called Quancumj 
he spoke but seldom, yet the greatest deference was paid to his 
opinion; the King appeared to consult him more than any other. 
I was so much interested by this man's deportment, that I enquired 
his history. He had been the linguist of two former Kings, who 
paid frequent, and large sums of gold, as damages for his intrigues; 
neither had age corrected his fault, until very lately, though the 
present King used the most friendly remonstrances ; and urged, 
that from his paying large sums so frequently for him on this 
account, his subjects thought, that he countenanced the depravity. 
Quancum confessed to the King, that his ardour for women was 
perpetuated by the sensual devices of one of his wives. Soon 
afterwards, he was detected in an intrigue with the wife of a 
captain of great consequence, and the King refused to interfere. 
The captain declaring that the punishment of Quancum, and not 
gold, was his object, the King permitted him to be despoiled of 
all his property, even to his bed. The favourite wife was amongst 
the spoil, and the injured captain being much smitten with her, 
assured her of an indulgence and preference, even greater than that 
pho had enjojed with Quancum ; she replied, she must alwajs hatp 
