IN THE POWER OF THE ASH AN TEES. 11 
opportunity of pleading our own cause, as missionaries 
who had placed confidence on the respect due to our 
acknowledged neutrality. He calmly begged us to make 
ourselves easy ; assured us there was no ground of com- 
plaint against us, and that we should speedily be restored 
to our home — a promise as false as it was fair. On our 
return, our ears were saluted by the welcome sound of 
English words, which, though barely intelligible, were 
evidently meant to express comfort and sympathy. It 
was a young man who addressed us with, " never mind, 
never mind," and a few other enigmatic and disconnected 
phrases, constantly repeated. He was applauded as a 
prodigy by the surrounding crowd, who listened in won- 
der to his flowing words ; we, however, gathered but one 
idea from the whole harangue, and this certainly was a 
cheering one. It seemed that Adu Bofo was expected to 
arrive almost directly, and we counted much upon his 
appearance on the scene, though these hopes were soon to 
be sadly disappointed. In the meanwhile our new friend, 
Thomas Kofi, could not render us any practical assistance, 
as his entreaties on our behalf were disregarded, and it 
was decided that we were to set out for the camp. 
It was Sunday morning, and by ten o'clock we were 
again on our way, with no prospect before us but a re- 
newal of the cruel driving haste, the burning sun, and 
the vain entreaties for water to relieve our parching 
thirst — it was just a repetition of the past day's miseries. 
In our extremity we lay on the ground, trying to drink 
from a wayside pool, so gi-eat was our need. Even this 
was forbidden. At noon we passed soldiers cooking their 
dinner, and we once more implored our cruel guards to 
take pity, and bestow on us a drink of water. They 
were unmoved, until suddenly remembering my pocketed 
cigars, I offered them, and the bribe prevailed, so that 
we were allowed to drink to our heart's content. Not 
