MISSION TO ASHAN TEE. 
125 
officers. The next form dictated was, that I should seat myself, 
and receive the oaths of the deputies, and lastly, of the King 
himself, for his brother the King of England. They advanced in 
turn, extending their gold swords close to my face, as they declared 
their oaths. I rose to receive the King's, all the women holding 
up two fingers, as their mark of approbation when he received the 
sword, and one of his counsellors kneehng beside him with a large 
stone on his head. The King swore very deHberately, that his 
words might be fully impressed on me, invoking God and the 
fetish to kill him ; first, if he did not keep the law, if we had 
sworn true ; and secondly, if he did not revenge the Ashantees to 
the full, if we had bad in our heads, and did not come for the 
purpose I avowed. The assurances, and the menaces of the oaths 
of the captains were equally forcible. The King sent an anker of 
rum to our people to drink on the occasion, and paid each captain 
the customary fee, of a periguin of gold on his oath. 
The King having communicated my wish, by a formal message,, 
to Boitinnee Quama, the King of Dwabin, who holds his temporary 
court on the north side of the town, I seconded it, by sending the 
canes to request an audience ; at which I had again formally to 
declare the objects of the Embassy and the Treaty, which, after a 
great deal of form and enquiry, received his signature, with the 
attestations of his chief linguists, Quama Saphoo, and Kobara 
Saphoo, who are his principal counsellors. His court was equally 
crowded with the King of Ashantees, who sits on his right hand 
when he visits Dwabin ; a reciprocal etiquette. 
By an addition to the 4th article of the treaty, I reconciled the 
point of the Amissa palaver ; and the securing you the opportu- 
nity of mediation, (without attaching any thing like responsibility) 
I considered to be not only a precaution due to humanity, but a 
prudent and legitimate measure for the extension of our influence. 
