228 
MISSIONARY LIFE IN ASHANTEE. 
slay tlie sheep on the stone, which we peremptorily for- 
bade, for we could not allow their fetish practices to be 
in any way mixed up with our religious observances and 
prayers, they " might kill the animal where they liked," 
we said ; which they at last did, and connected the act 
with the expression of their own wishes to their god. 
Thus, after all, the affair did not conclude very satis- 
factorily. 
This impression was strengthened when we found that 
Owusu Kokoo, from a sense of gratitude on account of the 
princely hospitahty he had experienced at the Coast, had 
actually brought this sheep from Mr. D.'s stock, because 
he thought he wished to hold a Fetish ! ! Supposing the 
animal to be a present, we had rejoiced in the hope of 
being able to give a full meal to the poorly fed workmen, 
but now our own supplies were thus diminished. From 
this time forward the king appeared nearly every day on 
the building ground. 
The 7th of July was the fifth birthday which my poor 
wife had spent in captivity, yet in the review of the dark 
shadows of those years, how blessed we had been by more 
than gleams of sunshine ; many things we should have 
delighted to possess had been denied, yet what mercies 
had been granted, even more than we had asked for in 
our prayers. Our Httle daughter was a blessing indeed, 
and our experience with her helped us to cast the burden 
of the future on our gracious God. 
By the end of the month, notwithstanding the unfavour- 
able weather, the house had made some progress, the walls 
had reached the height of the windows, though the con- 
stant rain prevented the brick- work from drying — and we 
prepared to lay the beams for the first floor, but as a very 
small part of the wood required was ready, and could not 
be for some time, we decided to take a few weeks' holiday. 
Durino^ the discussions about buildino:, the idea of an erec- 
