AMID THE FLUCTUATIONS OF WAR. 
223 
danced wildly, and appeared incensed against us. Daw- 
son with difficulty escaped from the violence of the 
people. On our seeking an explanation, he assured us he 
meant nothing, but was obliged as on former occasions to 
affect displeasure, and even hostility, to satisfy his nobles.* 
In accordance with this statement, he behaved in a 
friendly manner at the Adae itself (May 18th), danced 
with a rusty old sabre (probably to a Fetish), but with 
all due honour. 
When I returned to the city (May 23rd), I found 
Kiihne in an alarming state. He coughed day and night, 
and was distressed by constant sickness and sleeplessness, 
accompanied by so much nervous prostration that I 
feared we must leave the plantation and come in to the 
town to nurse him. I applied to Owusu Kokoo to ask for 
the delayed boxes, as one of them contained a medicine 
chest. I wrote to the king also, and finally got them on 
June 23rd ! 
* What the king really said was, "I am the grandson of Osee Tutu 
(who delivered Ashantee from the yoke of Denkjera), and this "Ata" 
(Mr. Plange), comes here to tell me that in four months my power will 
come to an end ! Who, who will come against me ? Who dares to ap- 
proach my throne ? I will kill him (with a gesture of beheading), Fan- 
tee, Asen, Denkjera, Akra, Aknapem, Akem, are all united against 
jne, but who dares to enter into a contest with me ? I will kill them." 
This is the style of a Coomassie proclamation. 
