WE BUILD FOE THE KING. 231 
sword-bearer that he might dance, he refused it, which 
implied disaster. 
In the evening we overheard a woman crying aloud, 
" mother, what am I to do now ? " leading us to fear she 
was being placed in the block ; most of our neighbours 
being Asumankwas (doctors), who are often entrusted 
with the care of prisoners. When Mr. Plange drew nearer 
he heard an Ashantee who had returned from Serem, and 
had given his message to the king, talking excitedly. It ap- 
peared he had been sent with an Asumankwa with powder, 
to purchase a very strong medicine (aduru) which would 
destroy the people at the Coast. The mohammedans in 
Angwa, about four or five days' journey from Salaga — the 
great market-place — took the powder, but refused to give 
him the medicine. High words ensued ; the messengers 
swore a great oath, the moslems seized sword and dagger, 
and in the wild skirmish which followed several on both 
sides were killed, and the Ashantees returned home. 
Soon after the moslems sent, requesting their return 
to settle the affair, promising them goods; they went, 
and thereby fell into a trap similar to those with 
which they had often decoyed others. They were 
conducted to a place where powder was laid, which 
was fired and exploded, killing some on the spot, and 
mortally wounding others, while a few escaped. This 
occurred forty days before the barricading of the road, 
and they found it difficult to make their way back. 
Among those who fell was Amoaku, and it was his wife 
we had heard crying so bitterly. From other houses 
similar sounds of distress soon proceeded. It was thus 
evident that the central tribes had thrown off" the yoke 
of Ashantee, of which they had long been weary, and 
the course which events were taking at the Coast be- 
came clearer. To our surprise, however, a mohamme- 
dan hung himself in the town, and the affair at Serem 
