294 
MISSION TO ASHANTEE. 
any person gets into an ordinary palaver, and wishes the King's 
interference in his favor, he goes to the captain who has the 
charge of these sheep, pays him 20 ackies for one, and sends or 
takes it to the King, as a dash, who commits it again to the care 
of the captain. 
When the King sends an ambassador, he enriches the. splendor 
of his suite and attire as much as possible ; sometimes provides it 
entirely ; but it is all surrendered on the return, (except the addi- 
tional wives) and forms a sort of public state wardrobe. The King's 
system of espionage is much spoken of (for its address and infal- 
libility) by Apokoo and others, who abet it. A shrewd but mean 
boy is attached to, or follows the embassy, (sometimes with a 
trader,) in the commonest capacity and meanest attire ; and he is 
instructed to collect every report as he passes, and to watch the 
motions of the embassy as closely as possible. As the extortions 
of these deputies are always loudly and publicly complained of by 
the injured inhabitants of the dependent or tributary crooms they 
pass through, (perhaps being aware they will reach the King's 
ears,) the particulars are easily acquired. The messengers who 
were sent with our first dispatches to Cape Coast, excusing the 
length of the tim.e, (forty days) by alleging that it was found 
necessary to collect a session of the Fantee caboceers at Paintree ; 
the King replied, " You tell me a lie ; you fined a captain there 
four ounces for breaking an Ashantee law, and you waited to 
procure and expend the gold, not intending it should be known." 
The men instantly confessed, and were pnt in irons ; one was the 
brother of Yokokroko, who paid six ounces for his release, after 
several days. 
When the King spits, the boys with the elephants tails sedulously 
wipe it up, or cover it with sand ; when he sneezes, every person 
present touches, or lays the two first fingers across the forehead 
