HISTORY 
289 
his re turn, and infataated beyond recovery by the arts of his mis- 
tress, Gyawa, the daughter of the King ; when it was formally 
announced to him, that if he was not present at the approaching 
Yam custom, he would be deprived of the stool. It is said, that 
this woman refused to accompany him to Coomassie, either dread- 
ing the resentment of his mother, a woman of violent passions, and 
great ambition, or, which is more probable, influenced by her 
father to mingle this repugnance with her blandishments, to acce- 
lerate the ruin of Sai Quamina, which he was not without hopes 
might lead to his own aggrandisement. The form of the dethrone- 
ment is interesting. Appia Danqua, whose power seems to have 
been equal to that of mayor of the palace, repaired to the King's 
mother with the chief captains, and deliberately recounting the 
olFences of her son, commanded her to remonstrate with him, as,, 
the daughter of their old king, and the parent to whom he owed 
his elevation. The mother, who no doubt had assisted in the 
private council, affecting to bewail her own misfortune and her 
son's disgrace, confessed, with seeming reluctance, that her re- 
monstrances had already been despised, that the king had even 
attempted her life, and begged them to raise her second son, Sai 
Apokoo, to the stool the elder had forfeited. This was coraphed 
with, and they sent Sai Quamina a few of his women and slaves, 
desiring him to retire into the bush and build himself a croom, and 
on his death, which happened soon after, as it was said, from the 
poignancy of his feelings, they made the greatest custom for him 
which had ever been known. The sable Cleopatra died soon after 
him. It was whispered, that those he had formerly injured inces- 
santly insulting him in his retirement, even to abusing his wives 
before his face, he had a private interview with the present Kingj 
communicated several schemes of conquests, invoked him to dis- 
trust, and, if possible, to punish those who had forsaken him, and 
