118 
MISSIONARY LIFE IN ASEAN TEE. 
We had heard the blowing of horns and beating of 
drums throughout the day, and were told that nearly 
thirty men had been slain. These alas ! were not all, for 
at six o'clock after the king had returned, the horn and 
the drum again sounded, betokening that more victims 
were yet to fall, and far into the night the melancholy 
sound continued. Two blasts of the horn signified 
"death! death I " three beats of the drum, "cut it ofFl'^ 
and a single beat from another drum, announced "the 
head has dropped ! " Powerless as we were, amid the 
fearful darkness around, to hinder such atrocities, we 
could only sigh and pray that our captivity might bring 
about a better state of things. 
We had now to endure much discomfort, beino' unable 
to obtain the merest trifles, such as rice for our poor in- 
valid, and salt which we could not buy, without long 
delay, while thefts were of daily occurrence in our unpro- 
tected premises, even boards and benches being abstracted^ 
neither were the promised lads sent to our help. We 
heard nothing further of the return of the army ; on the 
contrary, fresh troops were despatched to strengthen 
Adu Bofo's hands. Kind messages often reached us from 
the prince, and frequent presents from the Coast assured 
us that we and our needs were not forgotten by our 
friends there. When I next paid my respects to the 
king, a violent storm of wind scattered the people, 
turning the large umbrellas inside out. I caught cold^ 
and was soon laid low by fever, so that on the great 
Adae, March 12th, M. Bonnat alone was present. The 
king's physician was sent to attend me, but his green 
pepper soup failed to relieve me. I became worse, and 
longed for European medicine. The report of my 
increasing illness brought his majesty to my bedside in 
great haste, and that too at three o'clock, the hour when 
he usually slept. He was surprised at my unusual colour. 
