242 
MISSIONARY LIFE IN ASHANTEE. 
cliance of obtaining the much needed salt was gone, as 
the governor had sent to Kwantiabo and arrested the 
chief. Nothing was so likely to convince the Ashantees 
of their real position as the impossibility of procuring this 
indispensable necessary. 
But we had to sustain a new misfortune. On Sunday 
morning, October 26th, we heard that the house, which 
had reached the second floor, had fallen down in the 
night, in consequence of the incessant rain. When I be- 
held the ruin I could not help weeping. The king was 
very sorry, but was willing to admit the real cause, and 
seemed well pleased that we were ready to begin again as 
soon as dry weather should set in. When the Harmattan 
commenced we determined to rebuild, but before doing 
anything else we resolved to erect a shed in which to 
store the dry bricks. The Fantees had cleared the 
greater part of the rubbish by the 31st, and exerted them- 
selves so much as to elicit praise from the Ashantees; but 
they were still kept without payment from the king. 
We afterwards heard that six houses in the palace court 
had fallen on that same Sunday, and the stone building 
had suffered considerable damage. 
The king was so struck by this, that he called for a 
Fetish priestess, and demanded an explanation. "It is 
on account of the foreigners," replied she; "if the king let 
the Fantees and the white men go all will succeed, other- 
wise nothing." For this declaration she was placed in 
irons. Still the rain would not leave off, but recom- 
menced every evening, to the amazement of the Ashantees. 
