WB BUILD FOE THE KING. 
229 
tion for a vane was incidentally mentioned; the king caught 
at it, and gave M. Bonnat no peace until he promised to con- 
struct one similar to that he had described, viz., a rotunda 
supported by twelve pillars with four arrow-heads in the 
centre of the roof to denote the direction of the wind. When 
his majesty saw M. B. climb the roof to adjust these, he 
was excessively amused, and child-like expected the mango 
stones which Klihne had sown as a future ornament for 
the walls, to come up as rapidly as Jack's bean stalk. 
There were reports that cannon was heard thundering 
on the Prah, and the king enquired of D. what was meant 
by firing seven times, he said it might mean a salute, 
upon which Bosommuru answered, " that is right." We 
only hope the king will not, as in 1864, only encamp by 
the Prah for months, but fight the matter out at once. 
Whether it might be deemed necessary to humble 
Ashantee by pushing forward to Comassie, we could not 
guess, although without wishing for such an event, we 
were inclined to believe it would be so. We felt that if 
such were God's will, He would protect us, and it might 
prove the very means of our deliverance ; indeed, if the 
troops came to Fomana only, Ashantee would be in terror 
and might hastily release us, but they might also take 
us away into the interior. We trusted to be kept in the 
exercise of faith and love, and ultimately to be allowed to 
work, and not cast aside as useless tools. 
At the ceremony consequent on the death of two 
princesses on the 16th, several unhappy people were 
sacrificed, women amongst them. Alas ! what blood had 
been uselessly shed since our detention. 
We noticed increased depression, and heard many en- 
quiries around us as to how matters would end. Food 
became so scarce that the people were selling their goods 
and furniture to procure it, and bitterly complained of 
their losses. Even in the palace they seemed anxious and 
