132 
MISSIONARY LIFE IN ASHANTEE. 
a month longer, he was imprisoned. It was evident 
that the Ashantees sought to prevent the surrender of 
Elmina to the English. Opoku told Mr. Plange that 
about a hundred ounces of gold would be demanded as 
ransom for each of us, i.e., £1440 for the four I Opoku 
after much delay gave us a bundle of newspapers, and 
told us there was nothing about Ashantee in them, only 
European news; he had convinced himself of this by 
looking into them. 
On August 5th, Mr. Crawford came with a serious 
face ; he had been insulted at the palace. The king 
seemed to have determined to accept the challenge of an 
Akem chief, Kofi Afua, as soon as Adu Bofo returned. 
The ambassador was desired to inform his master at Cape 
Coast, of his situation, and when he attempted to remon- 
strate, he was told, it was not for him to speak ; as if an 
attack upon Akem was not, in fact, a declaration of war 
against the whole Protectorate. It was evident that the 
king wished to place the responsibility of war upon the 
governor. 
At the same time Mr, Ussher, the administrator, gave 
notice to his friend," that he was going to England on 
account of his health ; until his return, Mr. Salmon would 
attend to all business matters, and meet the king half- 
way. What that meant was not clear, still we supposed 
that he meant to tell the king negotiations must be trans- 
acted on the Prah. 
The Ashantee messenger Boating, who accompanied 
Mr. Forson to the coast, had invited the Wesleyan mission- 
aries to return to the capital, perhaps only to throw dust 
in the eyes of the English. In consequence of this, Mr. 
Grimmer a missionary, now enquired whether the king- 
would engage to send the children to school, if they 
would again occupy Coomassie ? We afterwards heard 
from Basle that it had been proposed there, also to occupy 
