MISSION TO ASHANTEE. 
105 
sheep and rum ; and presented us the first to pay our compHments 
to the King, being followed by Amanquatea, Quatchie Quophi, 
Apokoo, and Odumata ; the four captains composing the Privy 
Council, or Aristocracy, which checks the King. The first (whose 
power approximates to that of the Mayor of the Palace under the 
early French dynasty) sent his hnguist and gold swords to com- 
pKment us on the ground. I determined to take advantage of this 
impression, and of the comparative facility of intercourse, and 
demanded an audience to discuss the treaty, a copy of which I 
enclose, and hope my additions will be satisfactory. I have the 
King's assurance that it shall be formally executed in eight days ; 
when all his tributaries will be present for the yam custom, and 
when I hope to make the King of Dwabin and its dependencies 
a party, whose power is equal to the King of Ashantee's. 
To resume— the audience was granted ; and I read the treaty 
before the King and his Council, submitting it article by article, to 
their consideration. It was debated the whole of that and the 
succeeding day:, I considered that if I could get the treaty 
discussed and executed in this favourable interval, removing the 
Commenda palaver from the situation of an obstacle, and reserving 
it as the first proof of the King's disposition to coincide with you 
in what was reasonable and just, I might, on the receipt of dis- 
patches, gain the better terms for that people. 
On Saturday the 22d instant, 1 was summoned' to declare the 
articles of the treaty before the assembly of captains, who were 
seated with their attendants and warriors in the large yard of the 
palace, with all the imposing pomp and military parade, which 
had before been collected to subdue us, in the scene of the decla- 
ration of war. The King's sisters, with the females of his family, 
were seated, with their numerous attendants, on an elevated floor 
behind. The deputies from the Fantee towns in the interior, were 
