BEFORE THE KING. 
69 
might favourably influence the British Government. On 
the Srd of May, an assembly of chiefs was convened, and 
we were desired to answer David's letter with the pen 
and paper he had sent, but were told that our letter must 
take the form of an address, now going off, to the " King 
of Europe." After much perplexity, we ascertained that 
the Dutch governor of Elmina, was the person to be thus 
honoured. 
The sense of our epistle ran thus : — " According to the 
laws of the Ashantee country, the king has no power to 
set prisoners at liberty till the general who captured 
them returns." It was furthermore mentioned, that 
" news had reached Coomassie of the general's way being 
stopped by a force that had been sent from Akra, Krobo, 
Akem, and Akwapem, to hinder his retreat. The king 
had despatched reinforcements to his aid, from several 
different districts, and it was now demanded of the Dutch 
governor, that he should request the English commandant 
to allow the general to retire without fear of hostile 
attack; otherwise, our release would be refused." We 
were commanded to send with the letter, a lock of our 
hair, however unnecessary it might seem to us. 
As it was intended that our friends should read this 
letter, we asked leave to give them some personal tidings, 
and were told we might communicate to them the loss 
we had suffered in the removal of our dear child. 
The next episode in our experience was a message to 
prepare us for a speedy introduction to the great king, 
but in the evening of the same day, we were informed 
that a pair of gold sandals having been stolen from the 
palace, the feelings of his majesty were too much excited 
to permit him to give us audience. A few days later, 
however, a chamberlain arrived at our abode prepared to 
accompany us to the presence of this mighty potentate. 
My wife being very poorly was allowed to mount the 
