226 MISSIONARY LIFE IN ASHANTEE. 
yon can to see after and direct the work." The king's 
request was so modestly made that we felt pleasure in 
agreeing to it ; with one accord we all, including the Fan- 
tees, declared that we should be glad to do his majesty a 
service. Then a bullock, two loads of salt, two sheep, and 
a peredwane (thirty-six dollars) of gold were given to us four 
" Mmorowa and one load of salt, one sheep, and eighteen 
dollars to the " Mmofra" (Fantees). Thus the work was 
undertaken with real energy, though we thought sadly 
of the many thousands obliged to live without salt, unable 
to pay the nine dollars which was the price of a load ! 
After the king had left, we returned home laden 
with our riches, slew the ox, and divided it as well 
as the money. From this time we devoted ourselves 
to the king's building, for although it had been said, 
"Come when you please to inspect," it was carefully 
noticed who came and who was absent. Owusu Kokoo 
and two other princes were always on the building 
ground, but not much progress was made. When we 
urged that the foundation should be laid, we were told 
that the king must come first and perform a ceremony, 
and he could not go out for a week before the Adae, 
which falls on June 11th. 
On the 13th, this ceremony took place, much to our dis- 
tress. A sheep was slain, and the blood sprinkled on 
certain places, while numerous prayers were offered to 
the Fetish. One prayer or wish ran thus — " The old ones 
have done their work, now Kari-Kari sits on the throne, 
he has taken a few Fantees prisoners through whom he 
wishes to build something. The chiefs are all gone to 
war against the tribes at the Coast, so help us here, and 
bring Fantees, Asens, Denkjeras, Akems, Akwapems, 
Akras, and all here. Crushed bananas, mixed with palm 
oil, were also thrown about, and the slain sheep was torn 
to pieces in a moment by the people. 
