THE RANSOM MONEY. 
159 
father, lie would agree to their release, but not without a 
ransom. " We will sell them," he added, or I will never 
consent to let them go." Several others were then asked 
their opinion ; that of the town chiefs agreed with Adu's, 
so did the representatives from Dwaben, Nsuta, and Bek- 
wae, and the king's speakers, Opoku and Nantschi, took 
the same view. One Coomassie chief however, backed by 
the princes of Mampong and Adanse, spoke thus : " If his 
majesty deem it advisable to set the white men free, it 
seems better to us to let them go without any ransom. 
If that cannot be done, we are for war." 
Then followed a general grumbling, scoffing and confu- 
sion, on which the opponents repeated in decided tones, 
" This is our firm and well-weighed conclusion," and retired. 
Prince Ansa was then requested to withdraw with Kotiko, 
and reflect upon an answer to the decision of the council. 
He drew us aside for conference, not however without 
opposition, which the king silenced. Kiihne and I were 
of opinion that mission money ought not to be taken for 
such a purpose, and M. Bonnat said that he had lost all 
his property in Ho, and that instead of paying an im- 
possible sum, he would rather stay in Coomassie. 
The brothers Afirifas (who were still held in Cape 
Coast), wished the prince to ascertain the exact sum de- 
sired, that he might inform the governor. The king told 
Adu Bofo to express his wishes ; he replied, " The king 
may demand a thousand peredwane ; I, as his slave eight 
hundred" (£6,480). The prince was then asked his 
opinion, which he declined to give, saying he had not 
come to make bargains, but simply to bring the king's 
-answer to the governor, " Would he himself then go to 
Cape Coast ? " they asked. " Yes," he replied, whereupon 
the meeting broke up. 
This comedy was not so well played, but that we could 
see through the whole plan, still it was our impression 
