232 MISSIONARY LIFE IN ASRANTBE. 
was represented as a dispute between the Ashantee 
chiefs. 
Owusu Adum, a brother of Owusu Kokoo, was sent to 
Kwantiabo, but could not proceed because the road was 
blocked. The Ashantees had not of late gone to that 
town, but had traded with the people on our side the 
Tano river. They were therefore now placed in a diffi- 
cult position, for it was said that a messenger from 
Kwantiabo had warned the king to let the white men and 
Fantees go without delay, otherwise the English would 
be at Coomassie by Christmas. It was further said and 
quickly believed that communication was cut off between 
the two divisions of the army. 
Every effort to gain the ear of the king was now in 
vain, and when at length Dawson met him, he enquired 
four times if we might proceed with the house before ob- 
taining an answer. He was told how unreasonable it was 
to require men to work without food, and that it made us 
heart sick and indignant to think how well the captive 
Ashantees were treated at the Coast, while the poor Fantee 
prisoners were required to work on empty promises, with- 
out the necesssaries of life. 
On the 20th, the king appeared on the building ground 
earlier than myself, and blamed Dawson severely, com- 
plaining of the delay in progress. The want of food was 
again urged, and again more supplies promised. At length 
only half the men would work. 
On the few previous Sundays, especially on the 24th, 
we rejoiced to see more Ashantee listeners, who came un- 
invited. We had also many temporal mercies. Both my 
wife and child were well, spite of their many privations. 
Bread, sugar, coffee or tea were unknown luxuries, yet 
little Rosa ran merrily about all day with her foster 
brother Kwame, the nurse's child. This fact had how- 
ever its dark side, for we knew not how or where to pro- 
cure more shoes. She talked nicely, and her feverish 
