MR. HUTCHISON'S DIARY. 
389 
sat down under one of the sheds, and began to annoy the slaves, 
but their stifled laughter soon awoke Apokoo, who stretched out 
his neck, and seeing them, told them in a passion, it was because I 
was there that they wished to stop, and that they had better be off ; 
they took the hint and made their retreat. He got up to shew me 
his gold ornaments, which weighed 146" bendas (£1168.) and made 
his people kindle the. forge fire to melt some rock gold to make a 
fish ; but the mould not being perfect, it was spoiled. He enquired 
if ever I had been in a yam plantation ; on my replying in the nega- 
tive, we went to see one ; he asked if I would allow him to ride in 
my hammock, I gave him leave ; it was better than his basket, he 
said, except that he did not like his legs hanging down. He wished 
me to dig up a yam ; the people brought me a long pointed stick, 
which is forced into the earth to loosen the yam, afterwards the 
fibres are cut with a knife. A fter I had dug up ten, he hoped 1 
would accept of them as a present ; yams are set like potatoes in 
Europe, they are put in the ground about December, so that they 
are nine months growing to maturity. He said he should not go to 
Coomassie that night, as he had to decorate his drums with tigers 
skins, but that he would be in on Tuesday. If I wished to come 
out and see him before that time he would send people for me, and 
be glad. I said I should come out some other time, but not so 
soon. I set off for Coomassie about six o'clock, having spent a 
very agreeable day. 
About seven o'clock the King sent for me ; on my going, he 
would trouble me, he said, to read a book lie had that day found 
in a man's possession. It proved to be a Danish note to the King 
for three ounces per month, dated August 1, 1811 ; it seemed as if 
a seal had been affixed to it, but the impression had disappeared, 
and it was very much worn. The King said he never knew of it ; 
that an Ashantee captain had received and kept it, but he would 
