246 MISSIONARY LIFE IN ASHANTEE. 
peace by invading the protectorate, burning villages, and 
killing their inhabitants. Yet the governor had pushed 
back the Ashantees with a handful of troops. Now he 
was commissioned from Europe to chastise the king him- 
self; and the troops were daily arriving at the Coast. His 
Queen however was enduring, and was willing to believe 
that misunderstanding had led Kari-Kari to enter on the 
war. She would therefore make the terms as easy as 
possible. If the king wished for peace, he must, before 
any treaty could be entered into, — 
I. Recall all his troops who were stationed in the Pro- 
tectorate. 
II. Restore all innocent prisoners, men, women, and 
children, with their belongings, and send them to the 
Coast. 
III. Engage to make good all damages done to the said 
prisoners. 
It was not to be supposed that the king could resist the 
British army, when the native troops had already pushed 
back the Ashantees. 
The letter was heard in profound silence, its very truth 
made it the more painful, and all became serious. We 
could only beseech the Lord to open the eyes of the king. 
We had heard much of the proceedings at the Coast 
from our friend, Kwabena. The English were, he affirmed, 
determined to push on to Coomassie, and were even then 
advancing. The king had therefore better not listen to 
those who would flatter him with the assurance that ' no 
one had dared to attack Ashantee from time immemorial." 
Things had changed, and it was now high time to wake 
to the impending danger. Great preparations for the 
campaign were being made at the Coast. 
After the letter was finished, the queen mother arose 
and addressed the great men. " I am old now, I lived 
before Kwakoo Dooah, and I have now placed my son on 
