162 MISSIONARY LIFE IN ASH ANT EE. 
what was to be done if a war broke out, shutting us 
up entirely from all communication with the Coast, or 
in case of severe illness. We felt, however, we could 
leave the future. Mr Kiihne was perplexed for a time, 
partly because he had come on mercantile business, partly 
because he could not get on well with the language, but 
he finally agreed, and the prince departed with our varied 
communications, leaving us once more alone. 
Just before Ansa's departure, one of his servants, a Fanti, 
had taken a leaf of a particular tree to clean his " cala- 
bash." The tree was a sacred one, which the Fanti did 
not know. He was however observed and led away, his 
master was but too well aware of the danger, for he had 
seen a youth beheaded under the same tree for a similar 
ofience ; but the king was induced to commute his punish- 
ment, and command that a sheep provided by the prince 
should be sacrificed instead of the boy. Unpleasant as it 
was for him to be thus involved in the superstitions of his 
country, he sent four dollars and a half to Bosommuru to 
buy the sheep and carry out the king's command, but 
eventually the king sustituted a sheep of his own, feeling 
apparently ashamed at his shabby treatment of Ansa. 
