MR. HUTCHISON'S DIARY. 
401 
appalled, as the silver cane fell from his hand. I once thought the 
King would have committed some extravagance, none of the chiefs 
daring to rise; Agay at length arose, and in his energetic manner 
requested that his majesty would recollect I was present. The 
King ordered his sons to go with the captain to his house, and 
bring him all the gold they found ; he then withdrew, but I heard 
him storming in his apartments. Shortly after, Odumata's brother 
came to say, that the chiefs might thank me, as were it not for my 
sake, every one of them would have been turned out of the palace 
by the slaves. Agay, who was the only one who followed the 
King, came to apologise for the abrupt departure of his Majesty : 
he hoped I would not be offended, and requested I would go 
home and dine, as it was late, and the King would send for me 
soon. 
Tuesday 25. The King sent for me to write another letter to the 
Governor, saying he had sent down three pieces of rock gold as a 
pawn for powder ; they were the largest I have yet seen, one of 
them weighing about 20 ounces. I gave his Majesty a packet of 
letters to be forwarded to Cape Coast : he rallied me on the size of 
it, and said he supposed I wrote the Governor and Mr. Bowdich 
every palaver in town. 
To-day the stool of Alphia was declared in abeyance; the son 
of the caboceer Premehinia having brought a complaint against 
the caboceer of Alphia, who is brother to the former ; his sable 
highness came on a beautiful Arabian, of a very small size; at the 
sound of drums and horns he danced and went through various 
evolutions. 
Friday 28. To-day the caboceer of Alphia was deposed, and his 
brother the caboceer of Premehinia had the stool attached to his 
other possessions. In the afternoon whilst I was out, the Moorish 
prince, with a large retinue, called to pay me a visit, I found one 
3 F 
