Oak Street 
 UNCLASSIFIED 
 
UnJv.of in. Library 
 


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MR. FREEMAN PREACHING TO CORINTCHIE. 
 
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 MISSIONS 
 
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 westejM-^ekica 
 
 £ 
 
 INCLUDING 
 
 MR. FREEMAN'S VISIT TO ASHANTEE. 
 
 FROM THE LONDON WESLEYAN METHODIST MAGAZINE. 
 
 TSit to IJork : 
 
 PUBLISHED BY CARLTON & PORTER, 
 
 SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, 200 MULBERRY-STREET, 
 
 1 VY*- 
 
i 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Introduction to Mr. Freeman's Ashantee Journal- 
 Cape Coast Castle— The Fantee country — And the king- 
 dom of Ashantee. 
 
 It is with feelings of the deepest and most 
 anxious interest that we commence our “ no- 
 tices” for the new year, by presenting to the 
 friends of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, 
 and to the Christian public at large, the various 
 documents to which this double number will be 
 almost exclusively devoted. They well deserve 
 the large space thus allotted to them ; and we 
 publish them together and at once, because we 
 think that the impression which they ought to 
 make on all the friends of Africa would be in- 
 terrupted and weakened if they were printed 
 and circulated otherwise than in this complete 
 and continuous form. The most novel and im- 
 portant of these documents is the communication 
 from the Rev. T. B. Freeman, of our Cape Coast 
 Castle mission, which includes the narrative of 
 his recent journey of observation and inquiry t p 
 
8 
 
 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AF. 
 
 the country and capital of the king of Ashant'SS i 
 and which evinces at once the necessity which 
 exists there for the exertions of evangelical phi- 
 lanthropy, and the probability that such exertions 
 would be favourably received, and would by the 
 blessing of God be eventually crowned with 
 considerable success. All that we just now 
 request from our readers, in reference to this 
 Journal, is, that it may have their careful and 
 immediate perusal. The rest may then be safely 
 left to the operation of those emotions of bene 
 volent commiseration for the benighted and bar- 
 barous heathen, and of pious zeal for the salva- 
 tion of immortal souls, which such a perusal, 
 we are sure, will not fail to excite in every 
 Christian heart. 
 
 To Mr. Freeman’s Journal we have deemed 
 it advisable to prefix some brief historical no- 
 tices, referring to the causes, circumstances, 
 and results of the Ashantee war, which some 
 years ago produced so painful a sensation, in 
 connection with the defeat and cruel death of 
 the late excellent and much lamented Sir 
 Charles M’Carthy, then governor of Sierra 
 Leone, and commander-in-chief of the British 
 troops in Western Africa. The relations of 
 Ashantee to Great Britain, and its importance as 
 a field of missionary enterprise, will thus be 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 9 
 
 better understood, and felt with deeper interest. 
 Subjoined to Mr. Freeman’s Journal will be 
 found in the same communication a letter, ad- 
 dressed to him by President Maclean, the present 
 governor of Cape Coast Castle and its British 
 dependencies, to whom the Wesleyan Society 
 is greatly indebted for his uniform kindness and 
 very valuable assistance to its agents in the 
 prosecution of their arduous labours on the Gold 
 Coast, and for the facilities he afforded to Mr. 
 Freeman in connection with his journey to 
 Ashantee. And with a view to show our friends 
 that, even independently of the prospect of an 
 extensive opening for the introduction of Chris- 
 tianity and civilization into Ashantee, the most 
 delightful results have already followed from 
 our existing mission in that part of the African 
 continent, we have inserted some other commu- 
 nications from Mr. Freeman, which, we doubt 
 not, will be read with pleasure and gratitude. 
 
 Ashantee is a powerful kingdom contiguous to 
 he Gold Coast, in Western Africa. Coomassie, 
 the capital, it has been calculated, is more than 
 one hundred and thirty miles from Cape Coast 
 Castle in a horizontal direction, but the distance 
 is considerably greater by the pathway through 
 the forest. The inhabitants of Coomassie alone 
 
10 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 have been estimated at seventy thousand ; and 
 the capital is surrounded by numerous towns 
 and villages, which contain a large population. 
 Juabin, at the distance of a day’s journey, is 
 said to be one-third of the size of Coomassie 
 The entire population of Ashantee, with all its 
 dependencies, is upward of four millions. 
 
 The martial exploits of the Ashantees in the 
 countries on the coast, since the commencement 
 of the present century, have rendered their na- 
 tional name familiar in Europe. The Fantees, 
 who were originally an inland people, subject 
 to the Ashantee crown, having, in the year 1807, 
 afforded protection to Cheeboo and Apoutai, two 
 of the vassal chiefs of Osai Tooto Quamina, 
 king of Ashantee, who had rebelled against his 
 authority, the king invaded Fantee with a pow- 
 erful . army. In the first instance he appeared 
 solicitous to obtain possession of the two rebel 
 chiefs by amicable means ; but he became so 
 exasperated by the insults and indignities which 
 were offered to him, that he formed the resolu- 
 tion entirely to extirpate the Fantees. Orders 
 were accordingly issued to spare neither man, 
 woman, nor child ; and the country in the rear 
 of the advancing army became, in consequence, 
 a scene of utter desolation. Having signally 
 wreaked his vengeance upon Abrah, the seat 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 1 1 
 
 of government, where his messengers had been 
 barbarously murdered, the king with one half 
 of his army pursued the retreating enemy toward 
 the coast ; while the other half was employed in 
 destroying the towns as they passed along, 
 leaving none of the people alive, except some 
 of the highest rank, who were reserved to ex- 
 perience more refined cruelties on the return of 
 the conqueror to Coomassie. 
 
 The advanced guard of the army, led on by 
 the viceroy or tributary king of Dinkira, first 
 obtained sight of the sea in the neighbourhood 
 of Cormantine. This town was destroyed, and 
 the Dutch fort taken possession of by the Ashan- 
 tees. The successes of the invaders now be- 
 gan to excite uneasy apprehensions at Annama- 
 boe ; and Mr. White, the governor of the fort, hu- 
 manely endeavoured to put a stop to the further 
 effusion of blood, by friendly explanations. Bu* 
 vain was the attempt. The king had bound 
 himself by “ the great oath” that he would not 
 go back to his capital without the heads of 
 Cheeboo and Apoutai ; who, after the destruc- 
 tion of Abrah, had in the first instance taken 
 refuge at Annamaboe, which was then the 
 largest town upon that part of the coast. As 
 the Ashantees approached, they, however, re- 
 tired to Cape Coast, on the invitation of the na- 
 
12 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 tives of that place. When the king presented 
 himself before Annamaboe, he found that the 
 inhabitants had drawn out their forces to meet 
 him ; but they soon gave way, and were pursued 
 to the very walls of the fort, which afforded 
 them only slender protection. The cannon were 
 shortly rendered useless, as the Ashantee marks- 
 men picked off the soldiers as fast as they ap- 
 peared at an embrasure, or showed their heads 
 above the ramparts ; and before the close of the 
 day the efforts of the little garrison were exclu- 
 sively confined to the defence of the gate, which 
 the enemy attempted to force or burn. At least 
 eight thousand of the natives perished in the 
 contest, and Mr. White, the governor of the fort, 
 was severely wounded. After two or three 
 days the king prepared to renew the attack upon 
 the fort, with six thousand men selected for the 
 occasion ; but in the morning of the day on which 
 he had vowed to seat himself, “ by the help of 
 his gods,” in the governor’s chair, a white flag 
 was lowered from the walls. A negotiation en- 
 sued. The chief governor Torrane went over 
 from Cape Coast Castle, and concluded a treaty 
 of peace. Apoutai had made his escape, but 
 Cheeboo was delivered up to the king, who 
 withdrew his army, carrying with him many of 
 the surviving inhabitants as his prisoners. In 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA- 13 
 
 the rejoicing which afterward took place at the 
 capital, the wretched Cheeboo suffered the most 
 exquisite torments, and his head became one of 
 the principal decorations of the death drum of 
 the king. 
 
 In the year 1811 Fantee experienced a se- 
 cond invasion from the Ashantees ; and a third 
 in 1816, when Cape Coast underwent a long 
 blockade. These repeated attacks inflicted 
 great miseries upon the Fantees, and thousands 
 were dragged into the interior to be sacrificed 
 to the superstitions of the conquerors. 
 
 To avert a continued succession of such ca- 
 lamities, an embassy was sent to Coomassie ; 
 and Mr. Bowdich, who was placed at its head 
 after the recall of Mr. James, concluded a treaty 
 with the king. Mr. Hutchinson was left behind 
 as resident in Ashantee, but returned to Cape 
 Coast on the eve of the war with Gaman. 
 
 After this Mr. Dupuis was sent by the British 
 government to Coomassie, invested with consu- 
 lar powers. He concluded a second treaty, and 
 returned to Cape Coast with numerous presents, 
 accompanied by ambassadors to the king of 
 England. 
 
 New misunderstandings, however, arose ; and 
 an Ashantee army again marched toward the 
 coast at the close of the year 1823. Sir Charles 
 
14 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 M’Carthy took the field against them with the 
 most encouraging prospect of success ; for, be- 
 sides a strong bo’dy of regular troops which was 
 under his command, many chiefs threw off their 
 allegiance to Ashantee, and all the districts on 
 the sea coast west of the Volta were in arms, 
 to the amount of thirty thousand warriors. But 
 disastrous was the result of the first campaign. 
 The governor, with a division of the army, having 
 crossed the Praa, advanced into the Warsaw 
 country, where he engaged the Ashantees, and 
 experienced a complete defeat. Sir Charles 
 himself, after having been severely wounded, 
 fell into the hands of the enemy, who cut off 
 his head, and preserved it in the usual manner. 
 His heart was eaten by the principal Ashantee 
 chiefs, in order that they might, as they ima- 
 gined, imbibe his bravery ; and his flesh, having 
 been dried, was divided, together with his bones, 
 among the men of consequence in the army, 
 who kept their respective shares about their 
 persons as charms to inspire them with courage. 
 
 In the month of May following, the new king, 
 Osai Ockotoe, (the brother of Osai Tooto Qua- 
 mina,' who had died soon after the commence- 
 ment of the war,) came down to his army at the 
 head of a strong reinforcement, with the avowed 
 intention to destroy Cape Coast Castle, and 
 
'MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 15 
 
 drive the English into the sea. After some 
 hard fighting, and when the Ashantee army had 
 suffered the loss of many thousands of men by 
 the ravages of disease, and the want of provi- 
 sions, the king drew off his forces in the direc- 
 tion of Annamaboe. The last and decisive bat- 
 tle was fought about the middle of the year 1826, 
 twenty-four miles north-east of Accra, when the 
 British and their allies gained the victory, and 
 took the Ashantee camp and baggage. After 
 this battle negotiations were commenced ; but, 
 owing to various causes, it was not until the 
 month of April, 1831, that a treaty of peace 
 was signed, when the king sent one of his sons, 
 and a son of the preceding king, as hostages, 
 with six hundred ounces of gold, to be lodged 
 at Cape Coast Castle, as a security for the per- 
 formance on his part of the conditions of the 
 treaty for the term of six years. At the end 
 of six years the gold was returned; and the 
 present king, Quacoe Duah, who had in the 
 mean time succeeded his brother, Osai Ockotoe, 
 consented that his nephews, who had been given 
 up as hostages, should be sent for education to 
 England, where they at present remain. 
 
 It was shortly after the execution of this 
 treaty that the land which had been so awfully 
 desolated by war was visited, in the order of 
 
16 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 divine Providence, with the blessings of the 
 gospel of peace. The Wesleyan missionary 
 committee were led to accept the generous offer 
 of Captain Potter, of Bristol, to take a mission- 
 ary in his vessel, free of expence to the society ; 
 and in the year 1834 the Rev. Joseph Dunwell 
 was sent on a visit of observation to Cape Coast 
 Castle. He was welcomed by many of the na- 
 tives with gratitude and affection ; and his 
 faithful labours among them were crowned with 
 signal success. The work which thus so aus- 
 piciously commenced has since extended along 
 the Gold Coast eastward, as far as Accra ; seve- 
 ral chapels have been built, or are in course of 
 erection ; and six hundred converts from hea- 
 thenism have been united together in church 
 fellowship. 
 
 Interesting as this mission appears when 
 viewed in its beneficial effects upon the natives 
 of the Gold Coast, it however rises in import- 
 ance when regarded as the means by which the 
 way has been opened for the introduction of the 
 gospel into Ashantee. JTe establishment of 
 this mission has served to excite more particu- 
 lar attention to the circumstances and spiritual 
 wants of the Ashantee people ; and has created 
 the facilities by which Mr. Freeman has been 
 enabled to visit Coomassie. It deserves, more- 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 17 
 
 over, especially to be noticed that immediately 
 on the commencement of this mission, its bene- 
 ficial influence began to be exerted upon the 
 two Ashantee hostages. Under the ministry 
 of Mr Dun well they became impressed with the 
 truth and excellence of that divine religion 
 which they have since formally embraced in 
 this country ; and they are now on the eve of 
 their return to their native land, at the very 
 juncture when their uncle, the present king, has 
 become favourably disposed to missionary exer- 
 tions. Thus has access been afforded to a peo- 
 ple, the conversion of whom to vital Christianity 
 could not fail, considering their geographical 
 situation and their weight in the scale of African 
 nations, greatly to promote th5 spread of the 
 gospel, and at the same time advance the cause 
 of humanity and civilization throughout the con- 
 tinent of Africa. 
 
 2 
 
18 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Journal of the Rev. Thomas B. Freeman , on a visit from 
 Cape Coast to Ashantee , in interior Western Africa , 
 from the thirtieth of January to the twenty-third of April, 
 1839. ( Addressed to the secretaries of the Wesleyan Mis- 
 
 sionary Society.) 
 
 OBJECT OF THE JOURNEY ; DIFFICULTIES, AND THEIR 
 REMOVAL. 
 
 Rev. and Dear Sirs, — According to my 
 promise in my last, I embrace the opportunity 
 of sending you, per brig Maclean, a copy of my 
 Journal during my recent mission to Ashantee, 
 with a few accompanying remarks. 
 
 Before I commence, however, I beg leave 
 briefly to state my object in undertaking such a 
 work, and the prospects I had at my setting out. 
 
 Ever since my arrival on this station, I have 
 felt deeply anxious to visit Coomassie, the capi- 
 tal of Ashantee, and residence of the king. 
 The tales of horror, wretchedness, and cruelty, 
 which I had often heard respecting the Ashan- 
 tees, wrought in my mind the deepest commise- 
 ration, and a constant restlessness to commence 
 missionary operations among them. 
 
 Opposed to this project were, First, The fears 
 of a large majority of our members as to the 
 results of such an enterprise, concerning my 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 19 
 
 health. Secondly, The very heavy expenses 
 attending such a journey. Thirdly, The fears 
 of many with whom I conversed on the subject, 
 that I should not succeed even in ari attempt to 
 get to Coomassie, on account of the almost uncon- 
 querable jealousies :>f the king. Fourthly, The 
 strong claims of our societies on the coast, from 
 which, in the event of my undertaking the jour- 
 ney, I must in all probability be absent from two 
 to three months. And, lastly, The importance 
 of my being at Cape Coast on the arrival of a 
 fellow-labourer, whom I had for several weeks 
 been expecting. 
 
 The first obstacle was removed by our mem- 
 bers gaining a steady and increasing confidence 
 that God would preserve me, (if I endeavoured 
 to take care of my health,) and bring me back 
 in safety. 
 
 The second obstacle was removed by a pro- 
 mise, on the part of our societies here, to render 
 me all possible assistance by their prayers and 
 contributions. 
 
 The third obstacle was removed by a promise 
 of all necessary assistance on the part of his 
 excellency, President Maclean. 
 
 My fourth obstacle was removed by the ex 
 pectation that a new missionary would arrive 
 in the course of a few weeks at the longest ; 
 
20 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 and by my obtaining the assistance of an excel- 
 lent young man, (Mr. W. De Graft,) who was 
 ready to take charge of the mission house, of 
 our societies, &c., during my absence ; and 
 
 My fifth obstacle was in a measure removed 
 by considering that I could write a long letter 
 by way of information and instruction, and leave 
 it in the mission house for my fellow-labourer 
 on his arrival. 
 
 Having therefore determined on commencing 
 my journey without delay, I immediately began 
 to prepare myself by packing up a supply of pro- 
 visions, hiring hammock men, carriers, &c. , 
 while President Maclean kindly provided me 
 with two soldiers, a sergeant and a private, 
 to conduct me ; and put into my hand a letter 
 of recommendation to the king of Ashantee. 
 
 ANNAMABOE, DOMONASSIE, YANCOOMASSIE ; ASSIN CHIBBOE. 
 
 Deeply sensible of the difficult and dangerous 
 nature of my undertaking, and not forgetful of 
 that Eternal Source from whence I must receive 
 all my strength, both of a physical and spiritual 
 nature, I took an affectionate leave of our society 
 at Cape Coast, on Tuesday evening January 29th, 
 1839, and on the following morning, January 
 30th, at half-past seven, A. M., I left Cape Coast 
 for Coomassie, and reached Annamaboe at noon. 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 21 
 
 In the afternoon I made arrangements for 
 starting for Domonassie the following morning. 
 Domonassie is not in the direct road to Ashan- 
 tee ; but as it is not far out of the way, I chose 
 to call and visit our societies there before I left 
 the circuit. 
 
 Thursday , 31st. At eight A. M., I proceeded 
 on my way to Domonassie, where I arrived 
 early in the afternoon, a little unwell ; the heavy 
 anxieties which I had felt for several days, on 
 account of leaving for the interior, having brought 
 on a slight fever : here I rested until the fol- 
 lowing afternoon, hoping to recover strength. 
 
 February 1st., Friday. At three P. M., I 
 proceeded to Yancoomassie, where I arrived at 
 a quarter past five P. M., and immediately re- 
 paired to the residence of Assin Chibboe, the 
 chief of the town and surrounding country. He 
 received me very kindly, provided me with 
 lodgings for the night, and made me a present 
 of a sheep and some green plantains. 
 
 Saturday, 2d. At ten A. M., I again resumed 
 my journey, Assin Chibboe providing me with 
 four men and a boy, to assist in carrying my 
 luggage to my next lodging place, gratis. 
 
 Yancoomassie is one of the largest native 
 towns I have yet seen in Fantee, and it is kept 
 remarkably clean. Assin Chibboe is a young 
 
22 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 man of more respectable appearance than many 
 of the chiefs of the country. During my short 
 stay with him I had some conversation with him 
 concerning the worship of the true God. He 
 paid some attention to what I said, and appeared 
 to be void of that obstinacy which characterizes 
 many of the Fantee chiefs and Caboceers, when 
 conversed with on religious subjects. There 
 are many hundreds of souls in Yancoomassie to 
 whom much lasting good might be done by a 
 teacher residing among them, who is zealous 
 for the glory of God, in the eternal welfare of 
 his fellow-countrymen. 
 
 MANSUE ; PREACHING TO THE CHIEF AND CAPTAINS 
 
 At three P. M., I reached the town of Man- 
 sue, and was very kindly received by the chief 
 and his captains. Finding myself feverish, 
 with a violent headache, I thought it prudent to 
 nave recourse to medicine this evening. Before 
 I retired to rest, Gabrea, the chief, sent me a 
 present, consisting of a good sheep, some plan- 
 tains, and pine apples. His mother also sent 
 me some yams and plantains. 
 
 "Sunday, 3rd. Much better in health, my 
 fever nearly gone. At four P. M., I preached 
 the word of life to the chief and his captains, 
 and many of the people, on, “ Go ye into all the 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 23 
 
 world, and preach the gospel to every creature ” 
 Considering their ignorant condition, they be- 
 haved very well. I do not remember that I 
 ever witnessed a more soul-refreshing and in- 
 teresting scene than that which took place at 
 the close of the sermon. The sublime truths 
 concerning the mysterious plan of human re- 
 demption, — God becoming incarnate and dying 
 to save his rebellious creatures, and bring them 
 to eternal glory, — made such an impression on 
 the minds of the chief and his captains that they 
 could no longer contain themselves ; but spread- 
 ing abroad their hands, and lifting up their voices, 
 they acknowledged the loving kindness of God, 
 and declared before many of their people who 
 were present, that they would worship God ; and I 
 verily believe they would, if they could be watch- 
 ed over, and attended to continually, by a mis- 
 sionary or teacher. “ The harvest truly is great, 
 but the labourers are few.” O God of love I wilt 
 thou not undertake for these souls ? G save them 
 from the power of the enemy, and strengthen the 
 hands of the few, very few, labourers in this ex- 
 tensive vineyard! Is it not of thine own planting 1 
 
 “ Art thou the God of Jews alone. 
 
 And not the God of Gentiles too ? 
 
 To Gentiles make thy goodness known. 
 
 Thy judgments to the nations show ; 
 
24 
 
 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA 
 
 Awake them by the gospel call : 
 
 Light of the world, illumine all !” 
 
 They are as the dry bones in the valley. But, 
 
 0 thou Fountain of life ! thou Spirit of eternal 
 truth! breathe upon these slain, that they may 
 live ! 
 
 FESSU, BERRACOE, RIVER PRAH ; CHARACTER OF THE 
 FANTEE COUNTRY. 
 
 Monday , 4th. At a quarter past seven A. M., 
 
 1 left Mansue, and proceeded on my way to 
 Fessu. Our way lay through a dense forest, 
 abounding in lofty silk-cotton and other trees, 
 and many handsome varieties of fern. Many 
 small rivulets nearly dried up by the long drought 
 remind me that I am in a torrid clime. At five 
 P. M., I reached Fessu. 
 
 1 uesday , 5th. At seven A. M., I left Fessu, 
 and reached my next resting place, Berracoe, 
 at five P. M. Fessu and Berracoe are both 
 small crooms, or villages, belonging to Mansue. 
 
 Wednesday , 6th. At a quarter past six A. M., 
 
 I started from Berracoe for the River Prah ,* 
 which I reached nine minutes before nine A. M. 
 The river, the largest I have yet seen in Africa, 
 with its thickly wooded banks, abounding in 
 palm trees and mimosae, presented a beautifully 
 picturesque and interesting scene. When the 
 * Boosemprah of Bowdich. 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 25 
 
 river is at its greatest height, its depth may be 
 about thirty or forty feet, and its breadth about 
 ninety yards. Near the crossing place, its bed 
 is very rocky. As it was very low, I could see 
 many large pieces of granite above the surface 
 of the water. The River Prah forms the bound- 
 ary between the Fantee country and the domi- 
 nions of the king of Ashantee. On the Fantee 
 side of the river is a small towm, called Prah- 
 soo. Here I halted until the following morning, 
 that my people might have an opportunity of 
 refreshing themselves by bathing, &c. 
 
 In the course of the day my interpreter had 
 
 > the misfortune to cut his foot with an oyster 
 shell, while bathing in the river, which made 
 him almost incapable of walking for two or 
 three days ; I was, therefore, obliged to ease 
 him by walking more than usual myself, that he 
 might ride in my little travelling chair. I was 
 soon, however, obliged to hire four extra men 
 to carry him in a basket which I had taken the 
 precaution to take with me, besides my chair, 
 as my heels became so sore with biles, occa- 
 sioned by the intensity of the heat, that I was 
 little able to walk myself. The road also was 
 exceedingly bad, being in many places not more 
 than nine inches wide, and that full of holes, 
 and roots of trees rising above the ground. 
 
26 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 The whole of the Fantee country through 
 which I passed, from within a mile or two of 
 Cape Coast Castle up to the River Prah, a dis- 
 tance of about eighty-five miles, is covered with 
 luxuriant vegetation, consisting of plantains, 
 bananas, palms, bamboos, pines, many large 
 forest trees, covered with climbers, epiphitical 
 orchidea , and ferns. Among the shrubs and 
 herbaceous plants, I noticed a very pretty variety 
 of croton ; also lantana odorata, and a species 
 of gardenia hedychium , or garland flower, canna 
 Indica , and a handsome blue variety of maranta , 
 the leaves of which were, on the upper side, 
 of a pale green colour, and underneath of a 
 bright purple. My ears were also charmed 
 with the notes of some of the feathered song 
 sters of the forest ;* and my attention arrested 
 by the well-known sound of the woodman’s hook 
 and axe, while clearing small tracts of ground 
 in the forest for cultivating yams, &c. 
 
 ENTRANCE ON THE ASHANTEE COUNTRY ; THE ASSINS 
 ANSO, QUISSAH. 
 
 Thursday , 7th. At seven A. M., I crossed 
 the Prah in a large heavy canoe, and journeyed 
 through a country formerly inhabited by the 
 * The general remark that the notes of the birds of tro- 
 pical climes are not harmonious, is not applicable to this 
 part of the world ; many of them sing melodiously. 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 27 
 
 Assins, a people who were incorporated with 
 Ashantee until the late war between the Ashan- 
 tees and the British, when they threw off their 
 allegiance, and took refuge in Fantee, under the 
 protection of the British. In the evening I 
 reached Anso, a small croom, where I halted 
 for the night. 
 
 Throughout the day the Harmattan was very 
 strong, affecting my eyes very much, and pro- 
 ducing a sensation like what is felt with a vio- 
 lent cold in the head. 
 
 During the night I slept in a small hut ; and 
 having nothing but thin strips of bamboo tied 
 close together to supply the place of walls, I 
 felt the cold damps severely, although I lined 
 this frail dwelling with a blanket and sheet. 
 I was also mortified in the morning to find that 
 a rat had eaten some of my hammock strings, 
 which almost rendered it unfit for use. 
 
 Friday , 8th. At seven A. M., I started for 
 Quissah, the first town of any importance on the 
 Ashantee side of the Prah, where I arrived at 
 five P. M. Immediately before entering Quis- 
 sah, I passed over a hill of considerable height, 
 the ascent of which occupied seventeen minutes. 
 'This hill is, I think, the highest of a long chain 
 of hills which form the boundary between 
 Ashantee proper and the Assin country. Were 
 
28 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 it not for the thick bush which covers the sum- 
 mit of this hill, a very extensive prospect of part 
 of the Ashantee and Assin countries might be 
 obtained. Its soil is very rich, consisting of a 
 mixture of yellow loam and clay. A spring of 
 the most delicious water I ever tasted rises 
 about half way up the hill, as far as I could 
 judge ; and after tumbling down its rocky bed 
 of granite, bubbles by the small town of Quis- 
 sah. The Assin country, though possessing a 
 very rich and fertile soil, covered with luxuriant 
 vegetation, presents one unbroken scene of de- 
 solation, except here and there a few huts oc- 
 cupied by Ashantees whom the king sends to 
 take care of the path. 
 
 [If you compare this brief account of Fantee 
 and Assin with that given by Bowditch, (pages 
 23, 24,) you will perceive that the Fantee coun- 
 try is rapidly improving under the fostering care 
 of the local government of Cape Coast ; while 
 the Assin country, abandoned by its rightful 
 owners, is in ruins.] 
 
 PREACHING TO CORINTCHIE, THE CHIEF OF FOMUNNAH. 
 
 I had not been in Quissah more than an 
 hour when I was informed by the chief that I 
 could proceed no further into the Ashantee 
 country, without obtaining permission from the 
 
MR. FREEMAN PREACHING TO CORINTCIIIE. 
 
31 
 
 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 chief of Adansie, who resides at Fomunnah, a 
 neat little town, about a mile distant from Quis- 
 sah. Being provided with a lodging place, I 
 therefore halted here for the night. I was de- 
 lighted to find in Quissah several Fantees, mem- 
 bers of our society, who had come hither for 
 trading purposes. 
 
 Saturday , 9th. This morning the chief in- 
 formed me that Corintchie, the chief of Fomun- 
 nah, had sent over for him, in order to converse 
 with him respecting me ; and shortly afterward 
 a messenger arrived from Corintchie, requesting 
 me to go over and visit him, which I imme- 
 diately prepared to do. When I entered the 
 town, Corintchie was sitting before the front 
 of his house, under his large umbrella, waiting 
 to receive me ; his captains and people occupy- 
 ing the ground on his right and left. After the 
 usual compliments on meeting, he asked me 
 what object 1 had in view in wishing to pass 
 up to Coomassie. I told him I had nothing to 
 do with trade or palavers, but was come into 
 the country to promote the best interests of the 
 king of Ashantee and his people, by directing 
 them in the way of peace and happiness through 
 the preaching of the gospel. He then said he 
 should like to hear the gospel in his town before 
 I proceeded any further into the country. I 
 
32 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 hereupon proceeded to speak to him and all 
 present on the being of a God. I commenced 
 by taking into my hand a leaf which had fallen 
 from a banyan tree under which I was standing, 
 and asking them if they could make one like it ; 
 and they answered, Debida, “ No.” I then 
 asked them if they thought it possible for all 
 the wisdom, power, and genius in the world 
 united to make such a leaf ; they answered 
 again, Debida. Having brought them to this 
 conclusion, I directed their attention to the al- 
 mighty power, mercy, and truth of “ God, who 
 made the world and all things therein and 
 spoke to them on the nature of the Christian 
 religion. They readily gave their assent to all 
 I said ; and Corintchie requested me to pay 
 them a visit on the morrow, that they might hear 
 more from me concerning the Christian religion. 
 On my remarking that as I was a minister of the 
 gospel I could not prudently make them presents 
 according to the usual custom, it being beneath 
 the dignity of Christianity, which is so truly 
 excellent in itself, that it requires no recom- 
 mendation except a conviction of its value ; he 
 answered, “ We do not desire any of the cus- 
 tomary presents from you, but wish rather to 
 become acquainted with Christianity.” I then 
 asked him when I could proceed to Coomassie ; 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 33 
 
 to which he answered that I should know more 
 about it on the morrow. 
 
 Sunday , 10th. At three P. M., I again went 
 over to Fomunnah to preach the word of life, 
 followed by the chief of Quissah. I took my 
 station in the same place in which I stood on 
 the preceding day. Corintchie and his people 
 pon made their appearance, and I commenced 
 divine service by giving out some verses of the 
 hymn, — 
 
 u Plunged in a gulf of dark despair,” &c. 
 
 I had a goodly number of our people with me, 
 who assisted in singing the praises of God. 
 After a short prayer in Fantee by my interpreter, 
 we sung the first verse of the hymn, — 
 
 “ Lord over all, if thou hast made, 
 
 Hast ransom’d every soul of man 
 
 after which I preached from Mark xvi, 15, when 
 I explained more fully the nature of the gospel ; 
 and gave them many arguments which prove 
 the divine origin of the Bible. Solemnity sat 
 on their faces, and the deepest attention was 
 paid to the grand and awful truths which were 
 laid before them : every minute almost did they 
 utter a hearty Eou , “Yes,” by way of giving 
 their assent. At the conclusion of the sermon, 
 Corintchie and his captains said it was a “ good 
 3 
 
34 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 palaver.” On my telling them that I had not 
 laid before them a thousandth part of the sub- 
 lime truths contained in the Bible, they said 
 they should like to hear more of them ; and es- 
 pecially what Yancumpon, “ God,” liked, and 
 what he disliked ; and seemed much pleased 
 when I told them I should be happy to preach 
 to them again whenever they pleased. 
 
 Knowing their jealous disposition, I thought 
 it prudent to make them as sensible as I possi- 
 bly could of the disinterested character of my 
 mission. I therefore told them that it was my 
 love to God and the souls of my fellow-creatures 
 which caused me to leave my happy native land 
 behind me, and come among them ; and that 
 this love was the fruit of my having embraced 
 Christianity, as I was once as ignorant of prac- 
 tical religion as they were, and did not feel the 
 desire to benefit my fellow-men until I had re- 
 pented of my own sins and turned to God. 
 On hearing this they were struck with astonish- 
 ment, and said that the religion which I thus 
 recommended to them from practical experience 
 was good. There were about five hundred per- 
 sons present. 
 
 DETENTION AT QUISSAH ; REMOVAL TO FOMUNNAH. 
 
 Monday , 11th. I am still detained at Quis- 
 sah, waiting for an answer from the king of 
 
BHSSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 35 
 
 Ashantee to the information sent him the other 
 day concerning me. I find this delay to be a 
 heavy trial, as I am anxious to return to our so- 
 cieties on the coast as early as possible. I trust, 
 however, that it is the Lord’s doing, and will be 
 productive of future good. 
 
 Tuesday , 12th. The Harmattan is very 
 strong, and the air so cold, that the thermome- 
 ter has been down as low as 66° (Fahrenheit) 
 at eight o’clock in the morning for several days 
 past. This I find very trying to my constitu- 
 tion ; my lodging place being a small hut or 
 open shed, with a thatch of palm leaves, so thin 
 that I can see through it in many places. I am 
 continually taking cold, but I trust that I shall 
 still be preserved for usefulness in this danger- 
 ous climate. I often see many of my people 
 shivering with cold at six o’clock in the morning, 
 much more than I have done in England on a 
 cold morning in January. To-day Corintchie 
 again sent for me ; and shortly after my arrival 
 at his residence a messenger arrived from Coo- 
 massie with the king’s compliments, also a pre- 
 sent of nine ackies of gold dust, £2 5s. sterling, 
 and a promise from the king that he would send 
 for me in a few days, during which time the 
 messenger is to stay with me. Corintchie 
 having made me the offer of waiting the king’s 
 
36 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 pleasure at Fomunnah, instead of Quissah, l 
 readily embraced it, as Fomunnah is much 
 larger, more open, and healthy than Quissah. 
 I consequently removed to Fomunnah in the 
 evening. 
 
 Wednesday , 13th. Since my arrival in Ash- 
 antee, the fetishmen seem to have taken the 
 alarm. A day or two back the Quissah fetish- 
 man said that the town was in danger of being 
 destroyed by fire, and that they must make fe- 
 tish to ward off the danger. On my way to 
 Fomunnah on Sunday last I saw the path lite- 
 rally strewed with offerings to fetish ; consisting 
 of boiled eggs, beads, plantains, &c. This is 
 the work of those wretched fetishmen, whose 
 employment is to impose on the weakness of 
 the poor deluded people. 
 
 Thursday, 14th. At eight, A. M., Corintchie 
 sent to my lodgings, requesting me to pay him 
 a visit. I immediately repaired to his house, 
 where I found him seated with his captains 
 ready to receive me. He informed me that they 
 were waiting to hear me explain some of the 
 truths of Christianity. Knowing the injurious 
 effects of talking much in this climate with an 
 empty stomach, I asked Corintchie to excuse 
 me for a few minutes while I stepped home to 
 take my breakfast, which I was about to do at 
 
■TT ST.l 3 
 
# 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 39 
 
 the moment he sent for me. After hastily taking 
 breakfast, I again repaired to Corintchie’s house, 
 and conversed with him and his captains on the 
 doctrine of the general resurrection, on which 
 subject their minds seemed very much confused. 
 By divine assistance I succeeded in convincing 
 them of the possibility of such an event ; after 
 which I directed their attention to the doctrine 
 of future rewards and punishments. 
 
 Friday , 15 th. About eight A. M., Corintchie 
 sent to make every inquiry respecting my mis- 
 sion, as he was about to send another messen- 
 ger to the king ; upon which I furnished him 
 with all necessary information, and handed to 
 him my letter of recommendation from Presi- 
 dent Maclean to the king, with which he de- 
 spatched the messenger in the course of the 
 day. 
 
 Saturday, 16 th. At eight A. M., Corintchie 
 paid me a visit at my lodgings. I swung my 
 iammock (having mended it, and made it fit for 
 
 e again) under a large banyan tree in the 
 principal street in the town, where a group of 
 the-natives soon collected around me. I soon 
 fell into Conversation with them concerning some 
 superstitious offerings, consisting of soup made 
 with the palm nut, eggs, &c., which I saw pre* 
 paring near me for an offering to fetish. Upon 
 
40 MI-SSrONS IN’ WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 my.questioning them on the matter, they seemed 
 confident that it was just and right for them to 
 do so ; but when I pointed out to them the folly 
 of these heathenish observances, &c., they 
 seemed convinced of it, and said their fetishmen 
 told them nonsense, and deceived them. 
 
 Sunday , 17th. Blessed be God, through 
 whose good providence I was born in a Chris- 
 tian country ! 
 
 “ Thine ’s the sabbath peace, my land, 
 
 And thine the guarded hearth.” 
 
 How amazing the difference between England 
 and Ashantee! Here no village bell, sweetly 
 sounding “ across the daisied mead,” invites the 
 humble Christian to the sanctuary of God. Here, 
 it may be presumed, no hymn of praise ascends 
 from the natives of this country to their Creator ; 
 no house of prayer is seen standing with its 
 doors wide open, inviting man to share in its 
 sacred immunities. May the happy day soon 
 arrive, when even over this sanguinary country 
 the olive wand of sacred peace shall be triumph- 
 antly extended ! 
 
 In the afternoon I sent to inform Corintchie 
 that we were about to commence the worship 
 of God at my lodgings, and that I should be glad 
 if he would join us. He immediately came, 
 amended by his captains, &c. God was present 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 41 
 
 with' us by the gracious influence of his Holy 
 Spirit on our hearts ; and the minds of many 
 present seemed deeply impressed with the so- 
 lemnity of the service. 
 
 Monday , 18th. In the evening one of Co- 
 rintchie’s captains made me a present of a pot 
 of palm wine. 
 
 HUMAN SACRIFICES IN FOMUNNAH ; SUPERSTITIOUS 
 OBSERVANCES. 
 
 Tuesday , 19th. Last night a sister of Co- 
 rintchie died, after a long sickness. Her death 
 was announced by the firing of muskets, and the 
 “ mourners going about the streets.” When an 
 Ashantee of any distinction dies, several of the 
 deceased’s slaves are sacrificed. This horrible 
 custom originates in some shadowy ideas of a 
 future state of existence, in which they imagine 
 that those who have departed hence stand in 
 need of material food, clothing, &c., the same 
 as in the present world ; and that as a vast 
 number of concubines, slaves, &c., are the chief 
 marks of superiority among them here, so it must 
 also be in a future state. Accordingly, as I 
 walked out early in the morning, I saw the 
 mangled corpse of a poor female slave, who had 
 been beheaded during the night, lying in the 
 public street. It was partially covered with a 
 common mat, made from the stem of the plan- 
 
42 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 lain tree ; and as this covering is unusual, I 
 concluded that it was thrown over it merely in 
 order to hide it from my view. In the course 
 of the day I saw groups of the natives dancing 
 round this victim of superstitious cruelty, with 
 all manner of frantic' gestures, appearing to be 
 in the very zenith of their happiness. In the 
 evening I was informed that as Corintchie and 
 his captains did not wish me to see more head- 
 less trunks lying in the streets, they had not 
 sacrificed any other persons during the day, but 
 would most probably do so during the night. 
 I am happy to say, however, that I could not 
 ascertain that any more sacrifices were made. 
 That only one person was sacrificed, I believe, 
 resulted entirely from my presence in the town. 
 
 In the afternoon I received a present of palm 
 wine, plantains, yams, and pine apples, from one 
 of the king of Ashantee’s sisters, «who is paying 
 a visit in a distant croom, her place of general 
 residence being Coomassie. Throughout the 
 day I saw females fantastically dressed, with 
 their faces and shoulders daubed over with red 
 ochre, parading the town as mourners for the 
 deceased. 
 
 Friday , 22d. My interpreter informed me, 
 that as he w r as going from Fomunnah to Quissah, 
 he saw the mangled trunk of the poor sacrificed 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 43 
 
 female slave lying in a ditch, a few hundred 
 yards from the town ; and that at the time she 
 was sacrificed she was in the prime of her 
 days. Thus exposed to public view, in a 
 ditch near the common road, the corpse, de- 
 prived of its head, must lie and putrefy, unless 
 the turkey-buzzards, or some beast of prey, 
 devour it. 
 
 O thou God of missions, who wiliest not that 
 any should perish, but that all should come to 
 the knowledge of the truth, have mercy upon 
 these benighted people ! May thine everlasting 
 gospel speedily spread itself through the length 
 and breadth of the land, and chase the demon 
 from these his dark abodes of cruelty ! 
 
 Saturday , 23d. Early in the morning the 
 fetish tune was played through the town, to 
 collect the people together for the finishing of 
 the “ custom” for Corintchie’s sister. In the 
 afternoon nearly all the principal persons in the 
 town were dressed in their gayest attire : a large 
 group of them was collected under the fetish 
 tree, to see and hear the fetishman, while he 
 made his orations, and danced to the sound of 
 several drums, which were played by females. 
 The appearance of the fetishman was very much 
 like that of a clown : his face was bedaubed 
 with white clay ; he had a large iron chain 
 
44 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 hanging around his neck,* which seemed to be 
 worn as a necklace ; around his legs were tied 
 bunches of fetish ; and he held in his hand an 
 immense knife, about fifteen inches long, and 
 two and a half inches broad. Sometimes he 
 danced with many frantic gestures ; and at other 
 times stood gazing around him with every indi- 
 cation of a vacant mind.. While I stood at a 
 distance looking at him, he set out and ran to a 
 distance of about a hundred yards. Anxious to 
 keep him in sight, I walked forward past a small 
 shed which would have concealed him from me, 
 and saw him standing with a musket at his 
 shoulder aiming at a turkey-buzzard on a tree 
 hard by. Having fired without hitting his mark, 
 he returned to the tree from whence he started, 
 and began to make a speech to the people. 
 
 It is at these public meetings that these men 
 deliver to the poor deluded people the messages 
 which' they pretend they have received from the 
 fetish ; which messages are received by the 
 great body of the people as sterling truth. 0 
 man, into what an awful state of degradation art 
 thou fallen ! 
 
 Sunday , 24th. At a quarter past seven A. M., 
 I conducted divine service at my quarters 
 
 * I tried some time afterward to get this chain of the 
 fetishman as a curiosity, but could not succeed. 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 45 
 
 Several of our members from Cape Coast, who 
 are trading in the * neighbourhood, attended. 
 During the service Corintchie came to pay me 
 a visit, but did not stay until the conclusion. 
 He looked wild and confused, having been up 
 during the whole of last night finishing the 
 custom for his sister. I believe that nearly 
 every person in the town has been up the whole 
 night. Nearly all those whom I saw as I walked 
 out in the evening had a sottish appearance. 
 At half past four P. M., I again conducted divine 
 service at my quarters. To screen myself from 
 the oppressive heat of the day, I went to my 
 usual place of retirement on the skirts of the 
 forest, intending to swing my hammock to some 
 of the trees, and remain there until toward even- 
 ing. As I approached the place, I found that 
 the air had a putrid smell, which reminded me 
 that I was not far from the spot where the body 
 of the poor sacrificed female had been thrown. 
 Prudence therefore obliged me to return to my 
 quarters, as I could find no other place suffi- 
 ciently quiet on the one hand, and free from 
 large ants and snakes on the other. 
 
 Tuesday , 26th. I went into the forest, where 
 I saw some very large monkeys, and several 
 kinds of birds of the most exquisitely beautiful 
 plumage imaginable. 
 
46 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 Wednesday, 27th. I had a long conversation 
 with some of the natives on the subject of the 
 general resurrection, and of the injury done to 
 their country by human sacrifices. Many of 
 the natives seem to have an utter dislike to this 
 horrid custom, while others are sunk into such 
 a state of apathy that they are quite indifferent 
 about it, though their lives as well as others are 
 continually in danger. 
 
 Thursday , 28th. I paid Corintchie a visit, 
 and reasoned with him closely on the painful 
 consequences of human sacrifices and customs 
 for the dead. He readily acknowledged the 
 evil, and expressed himself as ready to abolish 
 it, if he were at full liberty to do so ; but he 
 feared the king. The only reason he could 
 give for making customs, over and above human 
 sacrifices, for the dead, was that they felt very 
 unhappy when they lost their relatives ami 
 friends, and were then very glad to have re- 
 course to drunkenness or any thing which would 
 drive gloomy thoughts from their minds for a 
 season. As he thus gave me a good opportunity 
 of directing him to the only sure refuge for a 
 troubled mind — the consolations of true religion 
 — I told him God alone was able to sustain the 
 human mind under afflictions and bereavements. 
 He seemed affected with what I said to him. 
 
SACRIFICE OF A HUMAN BEING 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 49 
 
 In the evening he sent me a present, consisting 
 of a sheep, yams, and plantains. 
 
 March 1st, Friday. Early last evening the 
 fetishman called many of the people together, 
 and continued playing his drum all night ; the 
 noise of which disturbed me so much that I had 
 very little sleep ; consequently, I arose this 
 morning so unwell that I was under the neces- 
 sity of going to bed immediately after breakfast. 
 
 Saturday , 2d. To-day another human victim 
 was sacrificed, on account of the death of a per- 
 son of rank in the town. As I was going out 
 of the town in the cool of the evening I saw the 
 poor creature lying on the ground. The head 
 was severed from the body, and lying at a short 
 distance from it ; several large turkey-buzzards 
 were feasting on the wounds, and literally roll- 
 ing the head in the dust. This unfortunate 
 creature appeared to be about eighteen years of 
 age ; a strong healthy youth, who might in all 
 probability have lived forty, fifty, or even sixty 
 years longer. As I returned into the town, 1 
 saw that they had dragged the body to a short 
 distance, and put it into the ditch where the 
 poor female slave was thrown the other day 
 On my conversing with some of the natives 
 concerning the horrible nature of human sacri- 
 fices, they said they themselves did not like 
 
60 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 them, and wished they could be done away 
 While the poor creature was lying in the public 
 street many of the people were looking on with 
 the greatest indifference ; indeed, they seem to 
 be so familiar with these awful and bloody 
 scenes that they think no more of them — yea, 
 they do not think so much of them as they would 
 of seeing a dead sheep, dog, or monkey. 
 
 Sunday , 3d. About half-past seven A. M., I 
 conducted divine service at my lodgings, and 
 also at half-past four P. M. God was in the 
 midst of us. 
 
 Tuesday , 5th. This afternoon I received 
 letters containing some very interesting intelli- 
 gence concerning our societies on the coast. 
 Blessed be God, all is well with them. 
 
 Thursday , 14th. As I was returning home 
 from my afternoon exercise, (a walk in the for- 
 est,) I saw a splendid species of epidendrum 
 clinging to a tree, at a considerable height from 
 the ground. Anxious to obtain it I sent a per- 
 son up the tree for that purpose, who, while in 
 the act of pulling it off, espied a venomous snake 
 in a hole nearly close to his hand. It did not, 
 however, attempt to bite him, though one of the 
 worst kind of snakes ; and the man, having 
 pulled off the plant, descended in safety. The 
 country abounds in snakes. 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 51 
 
 APPETITE FOR ' BLOOD. 
 
 Saturday , 16th. The Ashantees are very 
 fond of eating the blood of beasts. This I 
 learned from a scene which I witnessed this 
 morning. Having agreed to purchase part of 
 an ox which was brought into the town for sale, 
 I had felt a curiosity to see their method of 
 slaughtering. Soon after break of day the owner 
 sent to inform me that they were ready to slaugh- 
 ter the ox ; but as I was afraid of the damps, 
 (much rain having fallen during the night,) I 
 sent my interpreter to see it killed, who soon 
 returned to inform me that the beast was too 
 strong for them ; so that instead of tying it down 
 and cutting the throat, they would be obliged to 
 shoot it. I hereupon put on my cloak, and re- 
 paired to the place where the beast was, to see 
 how they would proceed. It was standing about 
 twenty yards from the man who was preparing 
 to shoot it. The first shot was fired without 
 effect ; the second wounded it in the shoulder ; 
 which they no sooner perceived than forty or 
 fifty men surrounded it. Some caught it by the 
 horns, some by the tail — and thus they endea- 
 voured to drag it along the ground, to a conve- 
 nient place for cutting it up. The beast, how- 
 ever, soon recovered strength, and, rising upon 
 
52 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 its feet, kicked on? man down, and made the 
 others escape in every direction. On seeing 
 this I loaded my fowling piece with a ball, and 
 shot it in the head, which soon stopped it. It 
 was no sooner on the ground than the greatest 
 uproar ensued. A number nf them (ten or 
 twelve) stood over it with immense knives, 
 which they flourished around them while quar- 
 relling about the blood ; a few of them wishing 
 to cut off the head immediately, while the others 
 wished to catch as much blood as they could 
 before it died. I verily believe that for the sake 
 of the blood, they would have let the poor ani- 
 mal bleed and suffer for half an hour, if I had 
 not been present to urge them to kill it. On 
 inquiry why they clamoured for the blood in 
 such a manner, I learned that they were so fond 
 of it as to make stews with it. Their chief 
 food, however, is soup made from the palm nut, 
 boiled up with dried fish or the flesh of the 
 monkey ; to which they add a kind of pudding, 
 (native name, f oof oo,) made with the green fruit 
 of the plantain tree, (musa paradisiaca,) which 
 they first boil, and then pound with a large 
 wooden pestle and mortar. These mills are to 
 be heard going in almost every house, while 
 passing through the town during certain hours 
 of the day. This work is generally performed 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 53 
 
 by females, one of them using the pestle, and 
 the other keeping the food in a lump by plying 
 it with her hands, that the pestle may act more 
 effectually. The same method is practised in 
 Fantee ; but the Fantees are not obliged to use 
 the plantain so much as the Ashartfees, as they 
 have plenty of Jndian corn, ( zea mays,) with 
 which they make both bread and puddings. 
 The Ashantees have a tolerable supply of sheep, 
 which they seldom use for any other purpose 
 than that of making sacrifices to fetish. They 
 have also plenty of fine poultry, which they 
 keep for the sake of the eggs, abundance of 
 which they offer to fetish. While travelling 
 through the sombre gloom of the forest, the 
 crowing of chanticleer, a sure indication that a 
 croom is at hand, is very pleasing. The ave- 
 rage price of a fowl in Ashantee is Is. 3d., of an 
 ox £b, and of a sheep £1 15s. 
 
 PREACHING AND FURTHER PROCEEDINGS AT FOMUNNAH. 
 
 Sunday, 17th. At half past nine A. M., I 
 conducted divine service at my lodgings ; after 
 which I felt the air so cold, (occasioned by a 
 strong Harmattan,) that I was obliged to put 
 on a warm cloth dress. In the afternoon I 
 again conducted divine service, and preached 
 from Matthew xix, 17, “If thou wilt enter into 
 
54 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 life, keep the commandments.” Corintchie and 
 several of his captains were present, and ap- 
 peared much excited during the sermon ; but 
 more especially during that part in which I 
 explained to them the commandments contained 
 in the decalogue. They often stopped me in 
 my discourse to ask questions ; among which 
 was the following, “ Is the offering of human sa- 
 crifice murder ?” I answered, “ It is even so ; 
 and you will henceforth be left without excuse, 
 if you still persist in that horrible practice .” 
 After I had directed their attention to the ex- 
 cellence of the ten commandments, especially 
 describing the temporal and spiritual blessings 
 which the consecration of the Christian sab- 
 bath is calculated to introduce among mankind, 
 I proposed the following question, “ Who are 
 the happiest persons, those who conscientiously 
 keep God’s commandments, or those w r ho wil- 
 fully break them ?” They answered, without 
 hesitation, “ Those who keep them.” And I 
 verily believe that this answer was given in 
 sincerity, as they appeared to be deeply im- 
 pressed with the solemnity of the discourse. 
 
 Monday^ 8th. “ How excellent is thy loving 
 kindness, O God!” Truly God is good. Al- 
 though I am in a sickly clime, and exposed to 
 many peculiar dangers, yet how r trifling are my 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 55 
 
 sufferings ! Indeed, they are not worthy to be 
 mentioned. “ Bless the Lord, O my soul !” 
 
 Tuesday , 19th. Corintchie came to pay me 
 a* visit, when I embraced the opportunity of re- 
 freshing his memory concerning the discourse 
 which he heard on Sunday last. Remembering 
 the fourth commandment, he said he had always 
 thought that God had appointed different days to 
 be kept sacred by different nations ; such as one 
 day for the Ashantees, another for the Fantees, 
 another for tho Warsaws, &c. ; and, if so, the 
 keeping of the Christian sabbath was not bind- 
 ing upon the Ashantees. I told him there is 
 now but one day which God has consecrated 
 and set apart for his special worship ; and that 
 the observance of that day is binding upon all 
 men who are favoured with information con- 
 cerning it. 
 
 Wednesday, 20th. This morning Corintchie 
 paid me another visit, when the subject on which 
 we conversed yesterday was again resumed. 
 During our conversation he appeared more 
 deeply convinced of the truth than he did yes- 
 terday, and requested me to accongypany him to 
 his residence. After we had taken our seats 
 in his house, our former topic of discourse was 
 again resumed. While we were conversing, 
 several of his captains, and the king’s messen- 
 
56 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 ger, a respectable old man, joined us. As some 
 of them still thought that the Christian sabbath 
 was not intended for them, I asked them to prove 
 the truth of what Corintchie had stated yester- 
 day, namely, “That God had set apart different 
 days for different nations.” They then said 
 that there was a person in the interior who had 
 lived ever since the creation of the world ; and 
 that he knew these things, and could prove them. 
 I told them I should very much like to see 
 him. Upon their hinting that they feared they 
 would expose themselves to much danger as a 
 nation, by giving up their fetish days, and keep- 
 ing the sabbath, I endeavoured to convince them 
 that their fears were groundless, and that, so 
 far would it be from bringing a curse upon the 
 nation, God would abundantly bless them ; 
 and I referred them to England as a proof of 
 my assertion. I told them what England was 
 once, in its state of heathen barbarism, and of 
 the mighty change which it has experienced 
 since the introduction of Christianity. This 
 argument was too strong for them, and they 
 consequently gave up the point. 
 
 Thursday , 21st. This morning I paid Co- 
 rintchie a visit, and found him seated in com- 
 pany with several of his captains and the king’s 
 messenger. I entered into conversation with 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 57 
 
 them concerning my long detention at Fomun- 
 nah, and the importance of my seeing the king 
 and returning to Cape Coast before the com- 
 mencement of the rainy season. I told them that 
 I fancied some bad persons about the king were 
 endeavouring to frighten him, by telling him 
 that I was come into the country as a spy ; and 
 that it would be my duty to turn aside, and carry 
 the glad tidings of salvation to another nation, 
 if I found them averse to receiving the truth. 
 At this they seemed very much concerned ; and 
 said they felt no disposition to oppose the intro- 
 duction of Christianity among them, and that 
 they believed the king would also be glad to 
 hear the truths of the gospel, and that he would 
 wish me to stay a long time in Coomassie, after 
 my arrival and first interview. 
 
 In the afternoon I rambled through the thicket 
 to the summit of a distant hill, where one of the 
 most splendid pieces of scenery I ever saw 
 burst upon my view. The bush on the summit 
 being rather low, I had an opportunity of view- 
 ing the surrounding country, in some directions, 
 for several miles. Down the sloping sides of 
 the hill the splendid plantain tree was luxuriat- 
 ing and waving its beautiful foliage before the 
 balmy zephyrs which whispered around. Then 
 followed the delightful vale, winding to the 
 
58 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 right and left, studded with gigantic silk-cotton 
 trees, acacia mimosa, with an endless variety of 
 climbers, chiefly papilionaceous, running up and 
 reclining on the topmost branches, descending 
 and embracing the earth, and again ascending to 
 the top — that portion of their stems between 
 the ground and the high branches of the trees 
 appearing like immense cables.* Beyond the 
 valley were seen other hills rising in the dis- 
 tance, clothed with the most beautiful verdure 
 to their very summits, except here and there 
 a small spot cleared by the natives for the pur- 
 pose of cultivating yams, &c. While I stood 
 gazing on this scene of splendid though wild 
 luxuriance, 
 
 “ I felt an inward bliss spring o’er my heart.” 
 
 Even the Fantees who were with me, whose 
 ideas as to the beauties of nature are generally 
 bounded by the skirts of the forest which girt 
 their little croom, expressed their participation 
 in the satisfaction which I enjoyed, by exclaim- 
 ing in the native tongue, Oyafieu doodo, “It is 
 very handsome.” “ These are thy glorious 
 works, Parent of good, Almighty.” But alas ! 
 
 * These stems are so strong that a man may climb up 
 them with the greatest ease and safety. In more than one 
 instance I have sent a man up them to get some of the 
 numerous orchidea growing on the large trees. 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 59 
 
 how painful is the reflection, “ Man seems the 
 only growth that dwindles here !” What dark 
 lines on these fair colours are the habitations 
 of cruelty, superstition, and death ! In vain do 
 the pretty jessamine, jasminium gracile , and 
 other odoriferous flowers perfume the air, while 
 man murders his brother, and taints the atmo- 
 sphere with the noxious effluvia arising from 
 the putrefying carcass of the mangled victim 
 of his superstition and cruelty. O thou Al- 
 mighty Being ! hasten the day when even san- 
 guinary Ashantee shall be evangelized ; when 
 its repentant inhabitants “ shall go out” of cap- 
 tivity “ with joy, and be led forth with peace 
 when these “ mountains and hills shall break 
 forth before them into singing and when “ all 
 'the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” 
 
 During this interesting ramble I found a pretty 
 variety of amarillis albus in full bloom. I also 
 saw a tree, or rather a shrub, at a short distance, 
 but to which I could not conveniently get near, 
 on account of the thick underwood, which ap- 
 peared, by its almost naked stem and beautiful 
 scarlet flowers, to be a species of eryihrina . 
 At the foot of the hill is a small rivulet, over- 
 hung by trees covered with mosses and ferns, 
 some of the latter of which are very fine. 
 
 Friday , 22d. I informed Corintchie that I 
 
60 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 should soon be under the necessity of returning 
 to the coast. In answer to this he said that he 
 expected a messenger down from Coomassie 
 on Tuesday; but was not quite certain of his 
 coming so early. I consequently agreed to 
 wait until after Sunday before I made any ar- 
 rangements for returning. 
 
 Saturday, 23d. How true and faithful is the 
 Lord ! In what a large degree do I realize the 
 truth of the promise, “ As thy days, so shall thy 
 strength be !” Notwithstanding my long deten- 
 tion in this place I feel no tedium : — 
 
 “ With me no melancholy void, 
 
 No period lingers unemploy ’d.” 
 
 Sunday , 24th. At half past nine A. M., I 
 read prayers, and preached from Prov. xii, 21. 
 Our little congregation was very attentive. In 
 the afternoon I held a long conversation with 
 several heathens and Christians, who are tra- 
 velling with me, concerning the salvation of 
 their souls. It was a solemn and delightful 
 service, and lasted about two hours. In the 
 evening I administered the holy sacrament of 
 the Lord’s supper to the members of our society. 
 In this sacred ordinance I found my soul 
 strengthened ; and I believe many felt it to be 
 a refreshing service. A heavy tornado was 
 raging around us, and the lightning was glaring 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 61 
 
 into our little sanctuary ; but while the elements 
 were raging we were in peaceful and happy 
 serenity. 
 
 OBSTACLES TO PROCEEDING FURTHER IN ASHANTEE , 
 RETURN TO QUISSAH. 
 
 Monday , 25th. I called on Corintchie, and 
 informed him that I had made up my mind to 
 commence my return on Wednesday morning 
 next, if I did not see a messenger from the king 
 before that time. As he appeared careless 
 about what I said, I began to suspect him of a 
 treacherous intention to keep me longer on the 
 way than was really necessary, and therefore 
 deemed it prudent to teach him that I would not 
 be detained and trifled with in such a manner. 
 Consequently, in the course of the day I re- 
 packed my boxes, and put myself in a state of 
 readiness for returning. In the evening he 
 (Corintchie) came with his two linguists and 
 some of his captains, to entreat me to wait an- 
 other day or two, before I made up my mind to 
 leave ; which I agreed to do, upon the condition 
 that he should provide a messenger to accom- 
 pany the sergeant to Coomassie, with a letter 
 which I intended to write to the king, on the 
 following morning ; and after he had used every 
 means to persuade me to the contrary, he con- 
 sented with much reluctance. 
 
62 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 Tuesday , 26th. Early this morning I wrote 
 a letter to the king, ordered the sergeant to pre- 
 pare for starting to Coomassie, and sent to Co- 
 rintchie to inquire if his messenger was ready. 
 In answer to this he said he had sent to Quis- 
 sah for the king’s path keepers, and as soon as 
 they arrived he would consult with them, and 
 let me have a messenger. Shortly after this, I 
 sent a second time, and received the same an- 
 swer. Feeling satisfied that this delay was in- 
 tended for the purpose of frustrating my design, 
 I thought it prudent to act with as much prompt- 
 itude as the circumstances of the case would 
 allow, and therefore repaired to Corintchie’s 
 house, and inquired for him, but was informed 
 that he was not within. Every thing which I 
 saw confirming my suspicions, I went from 
 thence to the residence of the king’s messenger, 
 and inquired of him the reason of the delay ; in 
 answer to which he said that they were waiting 
 for the linguists belonging to other chiefs on the 
 way to Coomassie, to speak with them also be- 
 fore they prepared a messenger. At this I felt 
 displeased, seeing plainly that all this was said 
 on purpose to hinder me from sending to the 
 king, or from going either backward or forward. 
 I r< turned to my lodgings, and ordered my peo- 
 ple to get ready for starting back to Cape Coast 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 63 
 
 immediately ; and then repaired to Corintchie’s 
 house again, taking the precaution of sending 
 one of my attendants toward the back door of 
 the house to see if Corintchie would attempt to 
 make his escape out of my sight in that direction, 
 as I went in at the front door.* When I ar- 
 rived at the door, I saw one of the linguists, 
 who said Corintchie was not within. Not sa- 
 tisfied with this answer, I stepped into the house 
 before any one could get to Corintchie to tell 
 him I was coming, and found him leisurely 
 taking his breakfast. I then upbraided him for 
 his unjust conduct, and requested a messenger 
 as soon as he had finished his breakfast. On 
 his promising to settle the matter immediately, 
 I withdrew into another apartment, and waited 
 for him nearly half an hour : I then sent my in- 
 terpreter to see if he was ready, who returned to 
 inform me that Corintchie had finished his break- 
 fast and escaped. Finding that he was trying 
 to get the mastery over me, I saw the necessity 
 of securing his compliance with my wishes, by 
 coming to the determination that if he would not 
 
 * As the despotic nature of the government under which 
 they live often places their lives in danger, all the Ashan- 
 tee chiefs, captains, &c., build their houses in such a man- 
 ner that they can readily escape at one door at the same 
 moment in which any person enters at tl e other. 
 
64 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 let messengers go forward, I would immediately 
 go backward. Accordingly I sent to one of the 
 linguists to inform him of my intention, returned 
 to my lodgings, and began to start my people 
 off with my luggage. While I was busily en- 
 gaged in doing this, one of the linguists came 
 and begged of me to stop, promising that a mes- 
 senger should be immediately provided for 
 Goomassie. I answered, “ Let me see the 
 messenger ready to commence his journey 
 without delay, or I will soon be out of the town.” 
 He then left, saying he would get one imme- 
 diately ; but I did not believe him, and therefore 
 continued to send off my luggage. He came 
 again, saying, “ The messenger is nearly ready.” 
 I answered, “ Let me see him,” but no messen- 
 ger came. Having sent off all my people, in- 
 forming them where I wished them to stop for 
 me on the road, I again walked to Corintchie’s 
 house, to take my leave of him ; he appeared 
 stupid, brutal, and sullen, and would not give 
 me his hand ; I consequently turned from him, 
 and waited a moment to tell the king’s messen- 
 ger I was going. Before I parted with the 
 messenger, I asked him whether he did not 
 think forty-six days a sufficient length of time 
 for me to wait patiently, especially as I was 
 getting short of provisions, and the rainy season 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 65 
 
 was fast approaching. He candidly acknow- 
 ledged that I had been detained too long, and 
 that he could not blame me for returning. I had 
 proceeded but a short distance on my way when 
 Corintchie sent begging me to stop and speak 
 with him ; to which message I thought it right 
 not to pay any attention. 
 
 When I arrived at Quissah I found my people 
 waiting for me in the street ; and I again ordered 
 them to proceed. While so doing, the chief 
 (one of Corintchie’s captains) came to entreat 
 me to stay for a day or two at Quissah. This 
 I should have had no objection to do, had I not 
 been aware that it was a scheme of Corintchie’s 
 played on purpose to hinder me from proceed- 
 ing homeward ; but as I was fully aware that 
 this was the case, I again proceeded on my way, 
 and began to ascend the high hill which sepa- 
 rates the Ashantee and Assin countries. When 
 I was about half way up the high hill, one of 
 Corintchie’s linguists came running after me, 
 entreating me to return, saying that his master 
 was very sorry for what he had done ; that if I 
 would go back, the messenger should be pro- 
 vided instantly ; and that he should travel to 
 Coomassie during the night by torch-light :* but 
 as I thought he was not sufficiently frightened, 
 * To travel on this road in the dark would be verydan- 
 5 
 
66 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 I still proceeded on my way. Corintchie no 
 sooner found out his mistake in -supposing that 
 I would allow myself to be played with, than he 
 became very much alarmed, and applied to a 
 Fantee residing in Quissah, whom I knew very 
 well, entreating him to follow after me, and tell 
 me that he sincerely begged my pardon, and 
 hoped I would forgive him and return ; and that 
 he would send messengers to conduct me back. 
 Notwithstanding this, I still proceeded, and took 
 up my lodgings for the night in a small croom, 
 about nine miles and a half from Fomunnah. 
 I had scarcely arranged my people for the night, 
 ere several messengers arrived from Fomunnah 
 and Quissah, among whom were Corintchie’s 
 two linguists, entreating me to return in the- 
 morning. 
 
 The croom in which I lodged was very small, 
 containing about eight or nine little huts, scarcely 
 affording us room to take shelter from a tornado, 
 which commenced soon after our arrival. The 
 hut which I had chosen to sleep in was little 
 more than six feet square. Into this small 
 place I received the messengers, to shelter them 
 from the rain, and to hear their tale. They re- 
 presented Corintchie as very unhappy because 
 
 gerous, on account of the serpents and panthers which in- 
 fest the country. 
 
.MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 67 
 
 I had left the town ;* and said that all their 
 lives would be in danger if I left the country. 
 They also reminded me that I came into the 
 country on purpose to promote their happiness ; 
 and said they hoped I would think of the thou- 
 sands of their fellow countrymen who would be 
 benefited by the introduction of Christianity 
 among them, rather than of the insult which 
 Corintchie had offered me. These were of 
 course my own feelings ; personally I cared 
 nothing about Corintchie’s bad conduct ; but I 
 knew very well that if they saw any thing in 
 my behaviour like indecision, they would give 
 me a great deal of trouble, and thought I had 
 better put a stop to their trifling at once. I 
 • therefore continued to conceal as much as pos- 
 sible any wish on my part to return with them, 
 and said I would still proceed homeward until 
 I had crossed the Prah, and entered Fantee; 
 which I really thought of doing, and there wait- 
 ing for a message from the king. 
 
 Fearing lest I should put this design into exe- 
 cution in the morning, they said that if I would 
 
 * I believe this to have been the truth, as I found on 
 my return that Corintchie had actually made “ custom,” 
 and sat up during the whole night, playing his drums, 
 drinking, dancing, &c., on purpose to keep the thought 
 of my departure out of his mind. 
 
68 
 
 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 return, Corintchie would allow me to proceed 
 to within a few miles of Coomassie. This sa- 
 tisfied me that he was at last sincerely sorry 
 for what he had done, and that he would behave 
 better for the future. I therefore now agreed 
 to return, upon condition that they (the messen 
 gers) should provide people to carry my luggage 
 back, so that my hammock men might be at 
 liberty to carry me to the foot of the hill, as the 
 journey on foot would have been exceedingly 
 trying to me, on account of the immense hill 
 over which I must of necessity walk, it being 
 too steep to admit of my being carried over it.* 
 To this they readily consented; and said that 
 as a proof of their sincere anxiety to get me 
 back, they were ready even to carry my lug- 
 gage themselves, and that they thanked me very 
 much for my kindness in consenting to return. 
 
 JOURNEY TO THE CAPITAL RESUMED, THROUGH DOOMPASSIE, 
 ACCOMCOWASSIE, EDGEWABIN, ESSARGOO, AND 
 FRANFRAHAM. 
 
 Wednesday , 27th. Early after break of day 
 x returned with Corintchie’s messengers, and 
 
 * The labour of ascending this hill is so great, that I 
 was obliged to clothe myself in flannel, to avoid taking 
 old from a violent perspiration, occasioned by exertion, 
 being checked by the keen wind on the summit ; which I 
 had no sooner reached than I found it necessary, in addi- 
 tion to the flannel, to wrap myself in a cloak. 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 69 
 
 had only been in the town half an hour when a 
 messenger arrived from the king, requesting me 
 to proceed, and with him two or three persons 
 whom Corintchie had expressly despatched to 
 Coomassie as soon as he found me determined 
 to go back, if I were not permitted to go forward. 
 Corintchie having personally acknowledged'his 
 fault, I of course freely forgave him, and every 
 thing was finally arranged for my starting to 
 Coomassie the following morning. Though 
 Corintchie was evidently deserving of censure 
 in this affair, yet I believe that much of it arose 
 from jealousy on the part of the king, who is 
 not to be blamed, when we consider the con- 
 fused notions which he must have concerning 
 the real objects of a missionary, together with 
 the fact that he is surrounded by Moors, whose 
 great object it would be, without doubt, to poi- 
 son his mind, and put a base construction on 
 every thing connected with the idea of the intro- 
 duction of Christianity into his dominions. 
 
 Thursday , 28th. About eight A. M. I com- 
 menced my journey, and travelled through a 
 fine fertile country of diversified hill and dale, 
 full of luxuriant vegetation, and studded with 
 immense silk-cotton and other forest trees, co- 
 vered with many varieties of orchidea and cryp - 
 togamia . At nine A. M. I stopped in a pretty 
 
70 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 little town called Doompassie, to take my break- 
 fast. I had no sooner taken my seat than a 
 large group of the natives collected around me ; 
 but on my taking a telescope to look at some 
 orchidea on a distant tree, they all began to run 
 away, supposing that I was going to shoot at 
 them. 
 
 At half past three I reached the small town 
 of Accomcowassie, and took lodgings for the 
 night. 
 
 Friday , 29th. At a quarter past eight A. M. 
 I proceeded on my way through a country very 
 similar to that through which I passed yester- 
 day, crossing several small rivers, the largest 
 of which was about nine yards broad, and three 
 feet deep. About half past four P. M. I passed 
 through Edgewabin, one of the largest towns I 
 have yet seen in Ashantee, but in a very dilapi- 
 dated state, many of the houses being tenantless 
 and tumbling down. At half past five P. M. 
 we reached the small eroom of Essargoo, about 
 nine miles distant from Coomassie, having had 
 a long and trying day’s journey, which had tired 
 the carriers, &c., so much, that several of them 
 appeared quite exhausted. As for myself, I am 
 mercifully blessed with extraordinary strength, 
 so that I could have proceeded several miles 
 further, though I had already walked many miles 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 71 
 
 in order to rest the hammock men. A mission- 
 ary passing up to Coomassie is so strange an 
 occurrence that nearly all the people in the dif- 
 ferent towns and crooms through which I pass, 
 turn out to see me ; and so totally ignorant aro 
 they of Christianity, — or should I not say of any 
 reasonable way of worshipping God ? — that they 
 actually run away when they see us engaging in 
 that solemn duty. On my arrival at this place 
 a female relative of the king brought me some 
 palm wine in a calabash ; and being very thirsty 
 I took a hearty draught. It was, I think, the 
 best palm wine I have tasted since I have been 
 in Africa. Many of the natives are very kind ; 
 I every day received presents from some of 
 them, consisting of palm wine, yams, plan- 
 tains, bananas, ground nuts, &c. The banana 
 is a very delicious fruit, and not so likely to 
 cause a superabundance of bile as some other 
 fruits. 
 
 Saturday, 30th. No travelling to-day. Pre- 
 
 ring for the sabbath, and for starting forward 
 *iaj mediately after the arrival of another message 
 or invitation from the king. I do not expect to 
 leave this place until Monday morning, as the 
 king is fully aware that I will not travel on the 
 sabbath day. 
 
 Sunday , 31st. At half past eight A. M, I 
 
72 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 conducted divine service. During the day, 
 which was excessively hot, I saw troops pass- 
 ing up to Coomassie from different parts of the 
 country. The passing of these soldiers, toge- 
 ther with a heavy tornado in the evening, hin- 
 dered us from having any afternoon or evening 
 service. About six P. M. a messenger arrived 
 to inform me that his majesty wished me to pro- 
 ceed early the following morning. 
 
 April 1st, Monday. Throughout the night I 
 was disturbed by the noise made by the troops 
 as they passed up to the capital. At four A. M. 
 we commenced our journey. The morning was 
 so very damp and foggy, that a thick November 
 fog in England could scarcely equal it ; not- 
 withstanding which, the heat was so great that 
 I could scarcely bear a light Mackintosh lightly 
 thrown over me, which was necessary to keep 
 out the damps, though I was only clothed in a 
 light linen dress. 
 
 About eight A. M. we reached Franfraham, a 
 small croom about a mile and a half from Coo- 
 massie, (built for the accommodation of stran- 
 gers travelling to the capital,) having halted an 
 hour,, at least, on the road. Here I took some 
 refreshment, and waited for another invitation 
 from the king. While waiting, we held a 
 prayer meeting, for the purpose of imploring the 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 73 
 
 blessing of the God of missions upon our un- 
 dertaking. 
 
 For several days past I have felt an inde- 
 scribable sensation, best known, I presume, to 
 those whose awful employment it is to bear the 
 standard of the cross, “ to proclaim the accept- 
 able year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance 
 of our God.” “ Simon, Simon, behold, Satan 
 hath desired to have you that he may sift you 
 as wheat ; but I have prayed for thee that thy 
 faith fail not.” “ Lo, I am with you alway, even 
 unto the end.” 
 
 ENTRANCE INTO COOMASSIE, AND RECEPTION BY THE KING. 
 
 % 
 
 At two P. M. a messenger arrived from the 
 king, requesting me to proceed as early as pos- 
 sible. I immediately dressed myself ; and 
 while so doing, three other messengers arrived, 
 each bearing a gold sword, requesting me to 
 hasten forward. I then proceeded toward the 
 town, preceded by the messengers, and some 
 soldiers bearing arms. Having reached the 
 outside of the town, we halted under a large 
 tree, and there waited for another royal invita- 
 tion. In a short time his majesty’s chief lin- 
 guist, Apoko, came in a palanquin, shaded by 
 an immense umbrella, and accompanied by mes- 
 sengers bearing canes nearly covered with gold, 
 
74 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 to take charge of my luggage, and see it safe 
 lodged in the residence intended for me. All 
 these things being properly arranged, another 
 messenger arrived, accompanied by troops, and 
 men bearing large umbrellas, requesting me to 
 proceed to the market place. “ The king’s 
 commandment” being “ urgent,” we pushed 
 along with speed, preceded by a band of music. 
 As soon as we arrived at the market place, I 
 got out of my little travelling chair, and walked 
 through the midst of an immense concourse of 
 persons, a narrow path being kept clear for me, 
 paying my respects to the king and his nume- 
 rous chiefs and captains, who were seated on 
 wooden chairs, richly decorated with brass and 
 gold, under the shade of their splendid umbrel- 
 las, some of them large enough to screen twelve 
 or fourteen persons from the burning rays of the 
 sun, and crowned with images of beasts covered 
 with gold, surrounded by their troops and nume- 
 rous attendants. I was occupied for half an 
 hour in walking slowly through the midst of 
 this immense assembly, touching my hat and 
 waving my hand, except before the king, in 
 whose presence I of course stood for a moment 
 uncovered. I then took my seat at a distance, 
 accompanied by my people, and several re- 
 spectable Fant.ee traders who are staying in the 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 75 
 
 town, to receive the compliments of the king, 
 &c. according to their usual custom. After I 
 had taken my seat, the* immense mass began to 
 be in motion ; many of the chiefs first passed 
 me in succession, several of them cordially 
 shaking me by the hand, accompanied by their 
 numerous retinue. Then came the officers of 
 the king’s household, his treasurer, steward, 
 &c., attended by their people ; some bearing 
 on their heads massive pieces of silver plate, 
 others carrying in their hands gold swords and 
 canes, native stools, neatly carved, and almost 
 covered with gold and silver, and tobacco-pipes 
 richly decorated with the same precious mate- 
 rials. In this ostentatious display, I also saw 
 what was calculated to harrow up the strongest 
 and most painful feelings, the royal execution- 
 ers, bearing the blood-stained stools on which 
 hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of human vic- 
 tims have been •sacrificed by decapitation, and 
 also the large death drum, which is beaten at 
 the moment when the fatal knife severs the 
 head from the body, the very sound of which 
 carries with it a thrill of horror.* This rude 
 
 * The language of this drum is understood by the natives 
 whenever they are within hearing ; so that they are as 
 well aware of the moment when a sacrifice is made, as 
 though they were on the very spot. While the king was 
 
76 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 instrument, connected with which are the most 
 dreadful associations, was literally covered with 
 dried clots of blood, and decorated (awful sight!) 
 with the jaw bones and skulls of human victims 
 Then followed the king, Quacoe Dooah, under 
 the shade of three splendid umbrellas, the cloth 
 of which was silk velvet of different colours, . 
 supported by some of his numerous attendants. 
 The display of gold which I witnessed, as his 
 majesty passed, was truly astonishing. After the 
 king, followed other chiefs, and lastly the main 
 body of the troops. This immense procession 
 occupied an hour and a half in passing before 
 me. There were several Moors in the proces- 
 sion, but they made by no means a conspicuous 
 appearance. While I was sitting to receive the 
 compliments of some of the first chiefs who 
 passed, his majesty made me a present of some 
 palm wine. 
 
 I suppose the number of persons which I saw 
 collected together exceeded forty thousand, in- 
 cluding a great number of females. The wrists 
 
 making sacrifices during the custom for his brother, I wa3 
 in a -distant part of the town conversing with my interpre- 
 ter, who, knowing the fatal meaning of the sound of the 
 drum, said, “ Hark ! Do you hear the drum! A sacrifice 
 has just been made, and the drum says, ‘ King, I have 
 killed him !’ ” 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 77 
 
 of some of the chiefs were so heavily laden 
 with gold ornaments that they rested their arms 
 on the shoulders of some of their attendants. 
 
 The appearance of this procession was ex- 
 ceedingly grand and imposing. The contrast 
 between the people themselves and their large 
 umbrellas (seventy in number) of various co- 
 lours, which they waved, and jerked up and 
 down in the air, together with the dark green 
 foliage of the large banian trees, under and 
 among which they passed, formed a scene of 
 that novel and extraordinary character, which 
 I feel unable to describe. 
 
 I gazed on this concourse of heathens with feel- 
 ings of sorrow and joy. I sorrowed in the reflec- 
 tion that most, perhaps all, of them were totally 
 ignorant of the great Author of their being, with- 
 out one ray of divine consolation to cheer them 
 amid the changing scenes of this visionary world. 
 Are they laid on a bed of languishing ? They 
 have nothing to comfort them, or buoy up their 
 drooping spirits. Does death, which stalks 
 through the land in horrid forms, rob them of 
 their friends ? Alas for them ! they must sor- 
 row as men without hope. They never hear the 
 shouts of departing Christian friends, as they 
 ascend the steep of the heavenly Zion, to join 
 the church triumphant above. Neither do they 
 
78 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 • 
 
 see, with the eye of faith, the blood-bought 
 throng standing in the presence of God, “ clothed 
 with white robes, and palms in their hands.” 
 Does death stare themselves in the face, and 
 ask the panting breath ? Alas for them! they 
 have no Christian hope beyond the grave, 
 blooming with immortality. Is it not so ? Tell 
 it, ye murdered human victims, whose blood 
 disfigures the streets, and whose putrefying 
 bodies taint the air ! Tell it, ye midnight revel- 
 lers, who vainly strive to draw the anguish from 
 your hearts by the fumes of intoxication ! Tell 
 it, ye carniverous birds, and ye wild beasts of 
 the forest, that feed on the mangled corpses of. 
 the thousands of victims of superstitious cruelly ! 
 And, lastly, tell it, ye human bones that lie 
 bleaching in the open day ! 
 
 Have these poor victims no voice ? Have 
 they no tale of wo to tell ? Methinks I hear 
 them lifting up their voices, and crying to Bri- 
 tish Christians especially, “ Come, pray come, 
 and look at our unhappy country ! See how it 
 groans beneath the iron despotism of the prince 
 of darkness ! It is true that it is a beautiful 
 country, its fertile soil producing a hundred 
 fold ; but what avails its beauty or fertility, 
 when it is converted into one immense slaugh- 
 ter house ! O ye who enjoy the high blessings 
 
* MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 79 
 
 of Christianity, allow us to entreat you to direct 
 your energies toward this scene of moral deso- 
 lation.” Thus brooding in melancholy o‘ver the 
 blood-stained wilds, fancy carries me to my na- 
 tive land, where, entering into a well-known 
 place in imperial London, I hear the cause of 
 Christian missions ably advocated, in the pre- 
 sence of assembled thousands, whose hearts 
 burn with love to their perishing fellow-crea- 
 tures. I hear them speaking of unhappy, de- 
 graded Africa ; of the pressing wants of its pe- 
 rishing millions ; and of the vital importance of 
 increased exertions on the part of British Chris- 
 tians, for the extension of the blessings of Chris- 
 tianity among this mass of immortal men. Me- 
 thinks I hear a resolution moved and supported, 
 that much more shall be immediately done for 
 Africa, and especially for Guinea. Returning 
 again ,to this immense field of labour, I feel en- 
 couraged to cry, “ O ye dry bones, hear the word 
 of the Lord !” “ The captive of the mighty shall 
 ’ be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall 
 be delivered.” Yea, “ He that sitteth upon the 
 circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof, 
 are as grasshoppers ; that stretcheth out the 
 heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out 
 as a tent to dwell in.” He hath said, “ Ethio- 
 pia shall stretch out her hands unto God. n 
 
80 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 “ Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them 
 stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations ; 
 spare hot, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen 
 thy stakes. For thou shalt break forth on the 
 right hand and on the left ; and thy seed shall 
 inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities 
 to be inhabited.” O ye dry bones, hear the 
 words of the Lord’s people ! Their prayer for 
 you to God, our Saviour, is, 
 
 “ The servile progeny of Ham, 
 
 Seize as the purchase of thy blood.” 
 
 Yes, for Africa they pray, and over Africa they 
 weep. A brighter day is approaching ; a day 
 when the death drum shall give place to the Bi- 
 ble ; and when instead of feeling the terror and 
 dismay carried in the footsteps of the bloody 
 executioner, the peaceful native shall exclaim, 
 “ How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet 
 of him that bringeth good tidings, that publish- 
 ed peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, 
 that publisheth salvation ; that saith unto Zion, 
 Thy God reigneth !” 
 
 “ The watchmen join their voice, 
 
 And tuneful notes employ : 
 
 Jerusalem breaks forth in songs, 
 
 And deserts learn the joy.” 
 
 The arduous duties of the day being over, I 
 immediately repaired to my quarters ; and 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 81 
 
 spreading a cloth upon the floor, sunk, tired and 
 weary, into the arms of sleep. 
 
 Tuesday , 2d. I rested myself, and arranged 
 things in my new quarters. 
 
 Wednesday , 3d. This being the king’s fetish 
 day, I heard nothing from him. T w ° Moors 
 visited me, and told me they came from Mosou. 
 
 Thursday , 4th. This morning the king sent 
 his linguists (some of whom were heavily laden 
 with golden ornaments) to make every inquiry 
 as to my object in visiting him. I gave them 
 all necessary information ; but found much dif- 
 ficulty in making them understand me. And 
 no wonder ; for how can those who are buried 
 in superstition, and who witness scarcely any 
 thing but Scenes of cruelty arising from that 
 superstition, form any just idea of the motives 
 which stimulate the Christian missionary to visit 
 them ? 
 
 “ O that they were wise, that they understood 
 this !” 
 
 Friday , 5th. Finding the place where I am 
 quartered intensely hot, I sent my people into 
 the forest to get materials for erecting a bower, 
 to protect me from the burning rays of the sun.* 
 
 * My lodgings were very small, containing about ten 
 small sheds of the average size of six feet by seven, each 
 having only one opening, and that into a small yard, about 
 6 
 
82 
 
 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 HUMAN SACRIFICES IN COOMASS1E. 
 
 This morning I received information that the 
 king had lost one of his relatives by death, and 
 that in consequence thereof four human victims 
 were already sacrificed, and their mangled bo- 
 dies lying in the streets. I therefore concluded 
 that I should not have an opportunity of seeing 
 the king for a day or two. Shortly afterward 
 I saw Apoko, the chief linguist, and told him 
 that I was aware that there was bloody work 
 going on to-day, as I saw a number of large 
 hawks and turkey buzzards hovering over a 
 certain spot, where I judged these poor victims 
 were lying. “ Wheresoever the carcass is 
 there will the eagles be gathered together.” 
 He said it was even so, and, in consequence 
 thereof, I should not have an opportunity of 
 seeing the king to-day, and perhaps not to-mor- 
 
 nine or ten feet square, in which no breeze could be felt. 
 Surrounding one of these small yards, there are generally 
 from two to four of these small sheds, the whole premises 
 being connected by small doors leading out of one yard 
 into another. In this small place I had about twenty per- 
 sons ; such as carriers, hammock men, dec. And what 
 increased the heat was, that they were here obliged to 
 make their fires for dressing their food. This place, bad 
 as it was, was one of the best that could be procured for 
 me, unless I had gone up into the very heart of the town, 
 which, for many reasons, would not have been prudent. 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. S3 
 
 row. I told him that I did not like the being 
 confined at one small place, in a low, unhealthy 
 part of the town ; and that I must walk out and 
 take exercise, otherwise ray health would suffer. 
 I also told him that I was anxious to commence 
 my journey home to the coast on Monday next. 
 On hearing this, he went immediately to the 
 king, and informed him of what I said ; shortly 
 after which he returned, accompanied by two 
 messengers, (one of them bearing in his hand 
 an immense gold sword, to which was fastened 
 a golden decanter, which would hold about a 
 pint,) stating that his majesty begged of me not 
 to go out into the town to-day, as he was mak- 
 ing a custom for a departed relative, and he 
 knew Europeans did not like to see human sa- 
 crifices ; but that he did not wish to keep me 
 from seeing his capital ; that he was fully satis- 
 fied my object was to do good ; and that he 
 would see me as soon as the custom was over. 
 I, of course, complied with his wishes, and made 
 up my mind to wait patiently. 
 
 Throughout the day I heard the horrid sound 
 of the death drum, and was informed in the 
 evening that about twenty-five human victims 
 had been sacrificed ; some in the town, and 
 some in the surrounding villages, the heads of 
 those killed in the villages being brought into 
 
84 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 the town in baskets. I fear there will be more 
 of this awful work to-morrow. 
 
 Saturday , 6th. This morning I again talked 
 of walking out into the town, when Apoko in- 
 formed me that more sacrifices would be made 
 during the day, and that I must not go out until 
 to-morrow. I therefore remained in my quar- 
 ters until the afternoon, when, on finding my- 
 self in rather a dangerous state for want of ex- 
 ercise, I insisted upon walking out at one end 
 of the town for half an hour. In the evening I 
 
 learned that several more human victims had 
 
 % 
 
 been sacrificed during the day, but could not 
 ascertain the exact number. The most accurate 
 account I could obtain was that fifteen more 
 had suffered, making a total of forty in two 
 days. 
 
 While speaking to Apoko, I did not fail to 
 remind him that the law of God forbids this 
 awful practice ; and that they were under a 
 great error in supposing that the persons sacri- 
 ficed would attend on the deceased relative of 
 the king, in some other state of existence. 
 
 These poor victims were allowed to lie naked 
 and exposed in the street, until they began to 
 swell like dead dogs ; and such is the callous 
 state of mind in which the people live, that ma- 
 ny were walking about among the putrefying 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 85 
 
 bodies, smoking their pipes with astonishing 
 indifference. 
 
 Sunday , 7th. At nine A. M. I conducted di- 
 vine service at my quarters ; many Ashantees 
 were present, and some of them paid deep at- 
 tention. At four P. M. I again commenced the 
 worship of God, but was compelled abruptly to 
 close the service by a tornado. 
 
 Monday , 8th. This morning his majesty sent 
 me a handsome present, consisting of a cow, a 
 sheep, a pig, a quantity of palm nuts, yams, and 
 plantains, and one ounce and four ackies of gold 
 dust, {£5 currency,) also three ackies for my 
 interpreter, and five ackies for my other attend- 
 ants. The gold was brought in a golden blow- 
 pan, weighing several ounces. 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE TOWN OF COOMASSIE. 
 
 Having asked his majesty to allow me to see 
 the town to-day, he readily gave me liberty to 
 go wherever I pleased. I therefore embraced 
 the opportunity of looking over it, which occu- 
 pied about one hour. The streets are large, and 
 more clean and uniform than any I have seen 
 in any other native town since my arrival in 
 Africa. The breadth of some of them is at least 
 thirty yards, and the average length from three 
 hundred to six hundred yards. The town is 
 situated or a bed of granite ; fragments of which 
 
86 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 are strewed in abundance over the finest streets ; 
 the average size of them being about twenty 
 inches square (cube.) A row of splendid ban- 
 ian trees, planted at a considerable distance 
 from each other, occupies some of the largest 
 streets, affording a most delightful shade from 
 the burning rays of the sun. The streets differ 
 also in appearance from those of any other town 
 which I have seen in the interior, by the houses 
 on each side having open fronts, the floor being 
 raised from two to three feet above the level of 
 the ground. The space between the ground 
 and the level of the floor, and in some houses a 
 foot or two above the level of the floor, presents 
 a front of carved work beautifully polished with 
 red ochre. In some the carved work is continued 
 up to the roof ; and where that is the case, it is 
 covered with white clay, which has the appear- 
 ance of a lime white wash. The roofs are 
 made chiefly with bamboo poles, or sticks, with 
 the bark stripped off, and thatched with palm 
 leaves. 
 
 Behind each of these open fronts are a num- 
 ber .of small houses, or rather open sheds, in 
 which the people dwell, (the room open to the 
 street being more of.a public seat than a private 
 room,) at an average number of from thirty to 
 r orty to each open front. These small dwell- 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 87 
 
 mgs in the background are in many cases en- 
 tirely hidden from the observation of any one 
 passing along the streets ; the only indication 
 of them being a small door on the left or right 
 of the open front. The houses are all built on 
 the same plan, from that of the^king down to 
 the lowest rank of captains ; and these are, with 
 a few exceptions, the only persons who are al- 
 lowed to build in any public situation. The 
 rocky bed on which the town is built is, in ma- 
 ny parts, very irregular and unlevel. Some of 
 the streets are so full of holes, occasioned by 
 the heavy rains washing the earth out of the 
 fissures of the rocks during the rainy season, 
 that any one attempting to walk through them 
 in the dark would place his neck in danger. 
 
 There is only one stone-built house in the 
 town, which stands on the royal premises, and is 
 called the “ Castle.” All the other buildings are 
 of wood and swish, and by no means durable. 
 
 The market place is a large open space about 
 three quarters of a mile in circumference. 
 There is no regularity in its form, but it ap- 
 proaches nearest to that of a parallelogram. 
 On one side of it is an extensive dell , surround- 
 ed by large trees and high grass,* into which 
 
 * There is a kind of grass in the immediate neighbour- 
 hood of Coomassie, which grows to the enormous height 
 
88 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 they throw at last the dead bodies of sacrificed 
 human victims. As I passed by this dell , 1 
 smelt a most intolerable stench, proceeding from 
 the poor creatures who were thrown there on 
 Saturday last. My feelings would not permit 
 me to look into this horrid receptacle of the 
 dead ; but the very idea of it is dreadful. Yet 
 even “ there the prisoners rest together ; they 
 hear not the voice of the oppressor.” 
 
 There are no regularly-built stalls in the mar- 
 ket place. Many articles of merchandize were 
 placed on the ground, and others on little tem- 
 porary railings, which might be put up or taken 
 down in a few moments. Among the commo- 
 dities exposed for sale, I saw Manchester 
 cloths, silks, muslins ; roll tobacco from the 
 interior ; large cakes of a kind of pomatum^ 
 made from the fruit of a tree found in the depth 
 of the interior, and used by the Ashantees for 
 anointing their bodies to give a polish to their 
 skins ; native tobacco pipes, of very neat manu- 
 facture ; cakes of a kind of whiting, used by 
 the natives for marking their bodies ; kankie, 
 (native bread,) yams, plantains, bananas, pines, 
 ground nuts, fish, and the flesh of monkeys and 
 elephants. 
 
 of twenty feet, the stalk of which is about three quarters 
 of an inch in diameter. 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 89 
 
 BANTAMA. HEATHEN JEALOUSIES. 
 
 In the afternoon I asked his majesty to allow 
 me to visit Bantama, or the “ Back Town to 
 which he readily consented. I found it to be 
 a small town, nearly one mile distant from Coo- 
 massie, and connected with it by a long street, 
 which runs from one town into the other. The 
 only difference between the two towns is that 
 the streets of Bantama are much more noiseless 
 than those of Coomassie which difference 
 arises from the former being looked upon as sa- 
 cred, on account of the fetish house , which con- 
 tains the bones of the former kings, being in it. 
 Very few Europeans, or even Ashantees, are 
 allowed to visit Bantama. Some of Apoko’s 
 men, who conducted me thither, informed me 
 that I am the only European who has been per- 
 mitted to visit it during the reign of his present 
 majesty ; and that the people of Coomassie are 
 only allowed to go there when the king himself 
 goes (which he does every forty days) to visit 
 the tombs of his ancestors. Several splendid 
 banian trees are luxuriating in the centre of the 
 main street ; on one of which I saw a pretty 
 variety of epiphitical orchidece , in full bloom. 
 
 Before I left Bantama, I visited the chief, 
 one of the greatest men in the kingdom, who 
 
90 
 
 MISSIONS IN. WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 received me very kindly, and regaled me with 
 some palm wine. 
 
 As we were proceeding homeward, two or 
 three men belonging to the chief came running 
 after us, requesting us to stop. As soon as they 
 came up with us, I learned that they had been 
 watching us, to see if we gathered any thing 
 from the banian trees, as we passed under them ; 
 and on seeing my interpreter, who was riding 
 in a palanquin, raise his hand to protect his face 
 from the leaves, &c., they thought he had 
 plucked some by my direction, and that I intend- 
 ed to make a medicine from them for the pur- 
 pose of poisoning the king ! They seemed fully 
 satisfied, however, from an explanation on the 
 part of my interpreter, that they were under a 
 mistake. I believe their jealousy was excited 
 by seeing me look up into one of the trees, 
 where a variety of the or chide® was flowering ; 
 and as they have scarcely any idea of the beauty 
 of a flower, they thought I must have some sinis- 
 ter intention in thus closely examining the tree. 
 
 As I passed by the king’s residence on my 
 way home, a small group of physic-nut trees, 
 thirteen in number, was pointed out to me as 
 being the memorials of the former kings ; an 
 additional tree being planted at the decease of 
 every monarch. 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 91 
 
 On my arrival at ray quarters, which are on 
 Apoko’s premises, I told him of the affair at 
 Bantama, concerning the banian leaves, &c., 
 and asked him if they saw any thing in my con- 
 duct which authorized them to suspect me of 
 any evil motive in visiting Bantama ? He an 
 svvered, “ No and seemed to pay very little 
 attention to the matter. However, to convince 
 him more fully, I showed him some drawings 
 of different varieties of or chide® in flower, and 
 told him that the English are very fond of cul- 
 tivating flowers from all parts of the world, and 
 that I was very fond of studying their nature, 
 character, &c. Apoko seemed much pleased- 
 with the plates as they were laid open before 
 him. 
 
 Tuesday , 9th. The sudden change of tem- 
 perature on Sunday last being very great, (from 
 91° Fahrenheit, in the shade, to about 74°, or 
 75°,) accompanied with heavy rain, I caught a 
 violent cold, although I took the precaution to 
 cover myself partially with a cloak, as soon as 
 the change took place. I began to feel the evil 
 effects of this cold this morning. 
 
92 
 
 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 INTERVIEW WITH THE KING I PREPARATIONS FOR RETURN 
 TO THE COAST : APOKO THE CHIEF LINGUIST. 
 
 About half past nine this morning I went to 
 the king’s residence to thank him for the hand- 
 some present which he made me yesterday. 
 He appears to be about thirty-six years of age. 
 He is of middle stature ; his complexion is not 
 so dark as that of many of his subjects ; his 
 manners are pleasing and agreeable. He has 
 an aversion to drinking and smoking, a quality 
 this quite unusual among the Ashantees.* 
 
 Thursday , 11th. Feeling better to-day, I 
 walked out into the town for air and exercise. 
 As I passed the end of one of the streets, I saw 
 a group of persons surrounding a large Caboo- 
 ceer’s umbrella. A band of music was playing, 
 and a human victim was lying on the ground 
 before them, exposed to public view. I turned 
 from the disgusting and awful sight with painful 
 feelings. Coming round to the further end of 
 the same street, I saw it crowded with people, 
 and numbers more joining them in rapid suc- 
 cession. The king was seated in the street 
 
 * While I was staying at Fomunnah, I once reproved 
 Corintchie for drunkenness ; when he said that the king 
 had checked him for it once, and since I also had done it, 
 which was the second reproof he had received, he would 
 endeavour to avoid it for the future. 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 93 
 
 under his umbrellas, to drink palm wine with 
 his chiefs, &c., previous to a week’s partial 
 seclusion in his palace, immediately after the 
 conclusion of the custom for his relation, who 
 died on the fourth instant, this being the last 
 day of the custom. 
 
 In the course of the day I reminded Apoko 
 of my anxiety to obtain an answer from his ma- 
 jesty, respecting the establishment of schools, 
 &c., in Ashantee, who answered, “ The king 
 will speedily give you an answer ; and we hope 
 you will come to Coomassie again and pay us 
 another visit, as we shall be always glad to see 
 you. The king believes that you wish to do 
 him and the people good.” 
 
 Saturday, 13th. I again reminded Apoko 
 that I must speedily return to the coast, as the 
 rains were becoming frequent and very heavy. 
 He immediately went to tell the king ; and re- 
 turned to inform me that his majesty had been 
 so busily engaged throughout the morning that 
 he could not see me and make me ready to start 
 to-day, but that he would do so to-morrow. 
 
 From the general aspect of things I became 
 sensible that though I should not meet with any 
 thing to discourage me, yet it would cost me 
 another journey to Coomassie, before the confi- 
 dence of the king would be fully secured ; as 
 
94 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 his jealous disposition is of such a nature as to 
 require a considerable length of time and much 
 patience and perseverance to overcome it. 
 
 Sunday , 14th. At half past seven A. M. [ 
 conducted divine service at my quarters, and 
 found it to be a time of spiritual refreshment. 
 I continued in anxious expectation of a message 
 from the king until about eleven o’clock, when 
 I found upon inquiry that Apoko had not remind- 
 ed his majesty of seeing me to-day, because he 
 thought I would not like to transact any kind of 
 business on the sabbath day. (This idea was 
 the result of a previous consultation with Apo- 
 ko ; during which I explained to him the nature 
 and claims of the Christian sabbath.) I told 
 him that my business with his majesty was of a 
 purely religious nature ; and that I had, there- 
 fore, no objection to seeing him immediately. 
 It was then too late, however, to hope for an 
 interview to-day. 
 
 Early this evening I held a prayer meeting, 
 which was no sooner concluded than the rain, 
 which had been threatening for several hours, 
 commenced with awful violence. In a few mi- 
 nutes, the small yard in the centre of my resi- 
 dence was covered with water, to the depth of 
 twelve or fifteen inches ; and as the thatch of 
 my sleeping shed (I cannot call it a room) was 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 95 
 
 in bad repair, the rain poured in almost in a 
 stream on my pillow. I soon began to feel the 
 evil effects of the damps, and felt some fears as 
 to the consequences ; which fe&rs were height- 
 ened by the consideration that my provisions 
 were nearly exhausted, so that I could not make 
 myself a cup of tea or coffee, having no sugar 
 left ; neither had I any flour, bread, or biscuit. 
 Trusting, however, in the mercy of God, I par- 
 took of some native food, to satisfy the cravings 
 of hunger, and slept in peace. 
 
 Monday , 15th. I arose from my bed, deter- 
 mined to make an attempt to commence my 
 journey back to the coast to-day, if possible ; 
 the commencement of the rains, of the violence 
 of which a stranger to a tropical climate can 
 form but a faint idea, together with the sickly 
 state of several of my people, and the pressing 
 claims of nearly seven hundred members of our 
 society on the-roast, rendering my speedy re- 
 turn imperative, i therefore began to pack up 
 my things, while Apoko,* (whose attachment to 
 
 * Apoko is the only person who is allowed to visit the 
 king at any time he wishes. I therefore enjoyed many 
 a d v an t a ges, from being placed by the king under his care. 
 I was informed that had it not been so, I should have had 
 much greater difficulties to contend with in holding inter- 
 course with the king. Apoko is a fine-looking man, about 
 
96 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 me has daily increase^,) true to the promise 
 which he made me yesterday, repaired to his 
 majesty’s residence to remind him of the neces- 
 sity of allowing me to leave to-day. 
 
 In about two hours Apoko returned, accom- 
 panied by a host of attendants, linguists, and 
 messengers, with a present from his majesty, 
 consisting of two ounces and four ackies of gold 
 dust, (j£9 currency.) and a slave, for myself,* 
 also eight ackies (£2 currency) for my inter- 
 preter and other attendants. He also gave me 
 the following message from the king : — “ His 
 majesty knows that you cannot stop longer on 
 account of the rains ; and as the thing which 
 you have mentioned to him requires much con- 
 sideration, he cannot answer you in so short a 
 time : but if you will come up again, or send a 
 messenger, after the rains are over, he will be 
 prepared to answer you.” With this message 
 I was pleased ; and said that I would certainly 
 either come up again, or send a messenger at 
 the time mentioned. I then repaired to his ma- 
 jesty’s residence to take my leave, and found 
 him seated in one of his apartments, surround- 
 
 thirty-six years of age, and seems to have great influence 
 with the king. 
 
 f This slave, it will be seen in the sequel, Mr. Freeman 
 had the pleasure of emancipating very soon. — E d. 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 97 
 
 ed by an immense number of attendants : when 
 he requested me, with a courtesy which one 
 could scarcely expect from a person in his cir- 
 cumstances, to present his compliments to his 
 excellency President Maclean, and take a mes- 
 sage to him. 
 
 COMMENCEMENT OP RETURN I SLAVE EMANCIPATED. 
 
 Having taken my leave, I commenced my 
 journey at noon, preceded by an escort of troops. 
 After I had proceeded a short distance along 
 the street, Apoko came to testify his affection 
 by a hearty shaking of the hand. 
 
 When I reached Franfraham, the troops left 
 me, and I stopped a few minutes to emancipate 
 the slave whom his majesty had given me. 
 This poor fellow r is a native from the depth of 
 the interior, and is now in the prime of his life. 
 On my informing him that he was now become 
 a free man, he appeared overwhelmed with gra- 
 titude, and almost fell to the earth before me in 
 acknowledgment of the boon. He had not all 
 the joy to himself, however ; for while I enjoyed 
 the luxury of doing good, many of my people 
 looked on him with delight ; and our pleasure 
 was heightened when he told us that he had 
 been brought out twice for the purpose of sacri- 
 fice, during the recent custom, and had been 
 . 7 
 
98 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 twice put in irons and sent back alive ; and that 
 when he was brought out this morning, he ex- 
 pected to be sacrificed in the, course of the day 
 Happy change ! instead of having his head cut 
 off, and his body thrown to the fowls of the air, 
 he now finds himself in the enjoyment of liberty, 
 safely proceeding with us far away from the 
 scenes of his captivity. 
 
 I then journeyed on with speed, and reached 
 the town of Edgewabin about five P. M., where 
 I took up my quarters for the night. 
 
 Tuesday , 16th. At six A. M. I again pro- 
 ceeded. In the course of the morning a torna- 
 do, which had for a long time been grumbling 
 in the distance, overtook us. We took shelter 
 for a short time, and then ventured onward in 
 the rain ; as I chose rather to expose myself 
 to the rains, however pernicious, than to the 
 only alternative of swimming across the rivers, 
 which were swelling very fast. 
 
 The soil being clayey, the rain made the 
 roads so very slippery that nearly all my car- 
 riers, &c., were tumbling down with the boxes ; 
 and while I was riding in my chair to rest my- 
 self a little, the hammock men stumbled with 
 me twice, notwithstanding the greatest care on 
 their part. 
 
 During the whole of the day I did not stop 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. - 99 
 
 to take any food, but pushed along like a man 
 escaping for his life. 
 
 FOMUNNAH . KINDNESS OF CORINTCHIE : JOURNEY BAOK 
 
 TO THE COAST. 
 
 Night closed in nearly an hour before I 
 reached my resting place ; but we kept our path 
 through the forest without much difficulty, and 
 reached Fomunnah, at a quarter after seven 
 o’clock, wet, weary, and hungry. I immediately 
 repaired to Corintchie’s residence. He seemed 
 overjoyed to see me, gave me a hearty shaking 
 with both hands, put his arms around my neck 
 in transport, and made me a present of palm wine 
 and a mess of soup made with the flesh of the 
 monkey. I then retired to my lodgings, and 
 thankfully partook of Corintchie’s monkey soup, 
 to satisfy the cravings of hunger, having little 
 else to eat. 
 
 Wednesday , 17th. Early this morning Co- 
 rintchie came to my quarters, shook me cor- 
 dially by the hand, and testified his delight at 
 seeing me safely returned from Coomassie. 
 On my telling him that I should want him to 
 assist me in holding further intercourse with the 
 king by sending messengers, &c., and, perhaps, 
 in returning to Coomassie again in the course 
 of the next dry season, he said be would readily 
 do any thing which I requested of him. 
 
100 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 One of my attendants being so ill as to be un- 
 able to walk over the Adansee hills, I applied 
 for assistance to Corintchie ; who immediately 
 supplied me with four strong men, to assist in 
 carrying the invalid. About half past eleven 
 A. M. I again proceeded, crossed the Adansee 
 hills, and travelled through the forest until four 
 P. M. ; when, finding the people weary, I was 
 obliged to stop in a small croonj, and take up 
 my quarters for the night. 
 
 Thursday , 18th. At seven A. M. I resumed 
 my journey, under rather trying circumstances ; 
 being almost without food. About noon I stop- 
 ped to rest the carriers, &c., and took a little 
 refreshment, consisting of a piece of boiled yam 
 and a little butter, with some heavy and sour 
 pudding made with Indian corn, having nothing 
 better to eat. 
 
 About half past four P. M. I halted for the night 
 at a small croom, about seven miles from the river 
 Prah. On my arrival at this place I felt tired and 
 hungry, and the God of providence kindly “ fur- 
 nished me a table in the wilderness.” A wild hog 
 had been killed in the neighbourhood, a portion 
 of which I purchased, and found it very deli- 
 cious. “ Thy bread shall be given thee ; thy 
 water shall be sure.” My sleeping place, it is 
 true, was a very bad one, such as an English- 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 101 
 
 man would hardly put a pig in ; but I laid me 
 down with humble confidence, and slept in 
 peace. 
 
 “ How do thy mercies close me round ! 
 
 For ever be thy name adored ! 
 
 I blush in all things to abound : 
 
 The servant is above his Lord 
 
 “ Inured to poverty and pain, 
 
 A suffering life my Master led ; 
 
 The Son of God, the Son of man, 
 
 He had not where to lay his head. 
 
 “ But lo ! a place he hath prepared 
 
 For me, whom watchful angels keep ; 
 
 Yea, he himself becomes my guard, 
 
 He smooths my bed, and gives me sleep.” 
 
 Friday , 19th. At six A. M. I started for the 
 Prah, which I reached in about two hours. I 
 stopped to breakfast at Prahsoo, on the Fantee 
 side of the river ; and after resting the people, 
 and allowing them time to refresh themselves by 
 bathing in the river, I again proceeded at one 
 P. M., and reached the small croom of Berra- 
 coe about five o’clock, when I halted for the 
 night. 
 
 Saturday , 20th. At six A. M. I set out for 
 Fessu ; which place I reached at noon ; and as 
 the day was excessively hot, and the people 
 very weary, I determined on stopping here and 
 spending the sabbath. 
 
102 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 Sunday , 2 1st. At half past seven A. M. I 
 conducted divine service, and preached from 
 Mark viii, 36, 37. Many of the natives were 
 present, and some of them paid deep attention. 
 About five P. M. we had a comforting prayer 
 meeting. 
 
 Monday , 22d. At a quarter before six A. M. 
 I started for Mansue. Arriving at a neat little 
 croom on the way, I was pleased to find that a 
 carrier, bearing provisions, whom I had been 
 expecting several days, had just entered the 
 croom. Thus I was enabled to take a comfort- 
 able breakfast, consisting of suitable food, the 
 want of which I had felt severely during the last 
 seven or eight days. My people, who had seen 
 with regret the privations I suffered, sat at a 
 distance, looking at me while I was taking my 
 breakfast, with countenances which told how 
 happy they were in seeing my wants supplied. 
 
 After breakfast I again proceeded, and reach- 
 ed Mansue at one P. M. Gabree, the chief, 
 welcomed me back, and entreated me to stay 
 with him until the morrow, as I had already 
 travelled a fair day’s journey ; but, as I was 
 extremely anxious to reach Cape Coast as early 
 as possible, I told him I could not stop to-day, 
 but would pay him a visit at the earliest oppor- 
 tunity. On my inquiring whether he would 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 103 
 
 like a mission to be established at Mansue, he 
 said, “Yes;” and he should feel very happy 
 if he had a missionary residing with him. Ga- 
 bree is one of the most respectable chiefs in 
 Fantee. 
 
 Mansue and the adjacent villages contain a 
 population of at least ten thousand souls ; and it 
 is admirably situated for the establishment of a 
 mission.* 
 
 Leaving Mansue, I proceeded to Wanquassoo, 
 a small croom, about nine miles from the last- 
 mentioned place ; where we stopped for the 
 night. 
 
 Tuesday , 23d. At six A. M. I again resumed 
 my journey, and reached Yancoomassie at nine, 
 where I stopped to breakfast. Assin Chibboe, 
 the chief, received me very kindly, and asked 
 me to stay with him a day or two ; but our so- 
 cieties on the coast acted as a powerful magnet, 
 which seemed to draw me with almost irresist- 
 ible force toward them. I therefore promised 
 
 * Many important advantages would, in all probability, 
 result from our having a school house and teacher at Man- 
 sue. It is two days’ journey on the road to Coomassie ; 
 and would, consequently, facilitate our operations in Ashan- 
 tee. The situation also is open and healthy ; and would 
 in due time be a very eligible place for the residence of 3. 
 missionary. 
 
104 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 Chibboe a visit at some future opportunity, and 
 hastened on my way with all speed. The road 
 was so much overgrown with luxuriant vegeta- 
 tion, that I was literally dragged through the 
 bushes, which soon compelled me to walk. 
 The morning sun was also intensely hot, and 
 the path so narrow that an umbrella was of- lit- 
 tle use. Instead of passing through Domonas- 
 sie, as I did on my journey up to Coomassie, I 
 left it on my left, and took a shorter road to 
 Cape Coast. 
 
 About noon I reached Doonqua, (Payntree’s 
 croom of Bowdich,) where I rested my carriers, 
 &c., a few minutes ; after which I proceeded 
 about four miles, took some refreshment, and thep 
 pushed on to within about nine miles of Cape 
 Coast. Finding that many of my people were 
 unable to proceed any further, I left them in a 
 little croom for the night, and urged on my way, 
 taking with me only the hammock men, whom 
 I had rested the greater part of the day by walk- 
 ing about twenty-five miles, and a soldier. As 
 I approached nearer to Cape Coast, the roads 
 were much better ; and, having the advantage 
 of a fine moonlight night, I reached the mission 
 house in safety, about nine P. M., and obtained 
 a refreshing view of the deep, deep sea, which 
 unites Cape Coast with my native land, with 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 105 
 
 feelings of humble gratitude to Almighty God, 
 who had mercifully preserved me in the midst 
 of so many dangers, not imaginary but real, and 
 brought me home in health, peace, and safety. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Practicability of a mission in Ashantee. Letter of Pre- 
 sident Maclean. 
 
 I trust, my dear sirs, that these oopigus 
 extracts from my journal will convince you that 
 God, in his infinite mercy, is gently opening 
 before us our way into the interior of this vast 
 continent. Future difficulties will doubtless 
 arise ; but I am fully confident that they will not 
 be of such a nature as to hinder the Christian 
 missionary from pressing on in the glorious con- 
 flict. It is true that this spiritual Jericho at 
 present stands strong ; and that Satan, its mon- 
 ster king, still has the triumph of seeing thou- 
 sands of helpless men, for whom Christ died, 
 dashed into the dust iir dishonour : but Israel 
 shall surely triumph ; the mystical rams’ horns 
 shall not be blown in vain ; the enemy shall be 
 taken in his strong hold, and the Redeemer 
 shall have these “ heathen” for his “inheritance” 
 and these “ uttermost parts of the earth” for his 
 “ possession.” 
 
106 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 I believe that my long detention at Fomunnah, 
 on my way to Coomassie, was all the Lord’s 
 doing. The great length of time which I re- 
 mained there gave me an excellent opportunity 
 of becoming acquainted with the people, and of 
 gaining their affections. I also became accus- 
 tomed by gentle degrees to those horrid and 
 awful scenes which are every-day occurrences 
 in Coomassie. 
 
 Fomunnah is a much more desirable place 
 for the establishment of a mission, at the present 
 time, than Coomassie. The people are more 
 prepared for the reception of the gospel ; and 
 their chief, Corintchie, is exceedingly well dis- 
 posed toward us. Nevertheless, I should have 
 no hesitation in attempting the establishment 
 of a mission even in Coomassie itself. 
 
 To carry on this glorious work in Ashantee, 
 and other parts of the interior, it will require 
 men of great nerve, patience, forbearance, and 
 perseverance. I also here deem it necessary 
 to remind you of the importance of sending per- 
 sons who are rather light than heavy in weight, 
 as the hammock men will not carry them if they 
 are very heavy. Yet, on the other hand, they 
 must not be too small and weak ; if so, they will 
 never, humanly speaking, bear the very heavy 
 toils of travelling in this climate. If I were $ 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 107 
 
 little larger than I am, I should meet with almost 
 insuperable difficulties in travelling. If I were 
 not very strong, through divine goodness, I could 
 not have borne half the toils through which I 
 have passed. 
 
 I have no doubt as to getting up to Ashantee 
 for the future with much less expense than has 
 been incurred in my first visit. The king would 
 not make so much ado the second time, as I am 
 no longer a stranger. I also think that even 
 with a stranger h^ would not adopt the same 
 course as he did with me, inasmuch as the no- 
 velty is over. 
 
 While I was staying at Fomunnah, the king 
 sent down a messenger to see what kind of a 
 person I was. When the messenger returned, 
 he asked him what he had seen, in language 
 something like the following : — 
 
 The king. “ You have seen the fetishman ?” 
 Messenger. “ Yes.” 
 
 King. “ Had he plenty of drums with him ?” 
 Messenger. “I saw no drums.” 
 
 King. “ Why ! he is a fetishman ; he must 
 have drums with him.” 
 
 Messenger. “ I saw no drums. He has plenty 
 of boxes ; but I cannot say what they contain.” 
 King. “ Why did you not endeavour to learn 
 whether the boxes contained drums or not ?” 
 
108 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 I was informed that the king was exceedingly 
 angry with the messenger because he could not 
 give him a satisfactory answer. At another 
 time the king said, “ Never since the world be- 
 gan has there been an English missionary in 
 Ashantee before. What can he want?” As I 
 have been to Coomassie, and not only so, but 
 have visited him in his own residence ; as well 
 as been for a fortnight under the watchful care 
 of his chief linguist, Apoko, who has his entire 
 confidence ; his jealousies aifc, doubtless, so far 
 removed that he will not be likely to detain a 
 missionary so long on the road again, while per- 
 plexing and puzzling himself with questions of 
 the before-mentioned character. 
 
 It was manifest that a mighty change had 
 taken place respecting me in the mind of the 
 king, after I Ifad been a few days in Coomassie ; 
 for he seemed very anxious to detain me, if pos- 
 sible ; and I believe he would have kept me 
 several weeks longer, thereby placing my life 
 in the greatest danger from the rains, &c., but 
 for the kindness of President Maclean, who, 
 knowing the probable consequences of my being 
 detained in that manner, wrote to the king, some 
 time after I left Cape Coast, requesting him to 
 let me leave Coomassie whenever I thought 
 proper. 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 109 
 
 I certainly deeply regretted the necessity 
 of leaving so early ; but had I stayed longer, I 
 must, in all probability, have stayed until the 
 rainy season was over, which I was not prepared 
 to do. 
 
 Doubtless, there has been a great advantage 
 gained by this enterprise ; and I trust, my dear 
 sirs, you will, by the liberality of British Chris- 
 tians, and especially those of our own body, be 
 enabled to follow up that advantage by sending- 
 out, as early as possible, three or four mission- 
 aries, at the least, that more attention may be 
 paid to Ashantee. 
 
 I intend sending up a messenger to the king, 
 to keep the communication open, as soon as 
 the rains are over ; and shall wait with great 
 anxiety for an answer from you, as to what 
 steps are to be taken. If it were practicable, 
 a handsome present, of the description I men- 
 tioned in my last, [namely, a poney-phaeton 
 and harness, suitable to the country,] would 
 be well received by the king, and be of much 
 importance in influencing his mind in our favour. 
 
 After I had prepared the preceding extracts 
 from my journal, I felt it my duty to hand them 
 over to his excellency, President Maclean, who, 
 after he had perused them, returned them with 
 
110 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 the following letter, which he has kindly permit- 
 ted me to annex to them : — 
 
 “ My Dear Sir, — I herewith return your 
 narrative of your journey to Ashantee, which I 
 have perused with very great interest. 
 
 “ I would fain hope, from the manner in which 
 you were received in your avowed character as 
 a missionary, throughout the whole of your ar- 
 duous journey, that there will not exist many ob- 
 stacles to the accomplishment of the first object — 
 getting a locus standi in the country. Cer- 
 tainly I think there will be no insuperable ob- 
 stacle. 
 
 “ I hope and trust the Wesleyan Missionary 
 Committee will be satisfied that there is such 
 an opening as will justify them in pushing the 
 advantage gained by your indefatigable zeal. 
 I would almost go so far as to say that, if they 
 have the means , a serious responsibility will rest 
 upon them, and on Christian England, if so glo- 
 rious an opening into interior Africa, if so rich 
 a harvest, be neglected. But I hope better 
 things. And I do not despair of yet witnessing 
 the peaceful triumph of the cross, even in that 
 strong-hold of Satan, Coomassie. 
 
 “ I expect considerable advantages will arise 
 from the Christian education of the two Ashan- 
 tee princes now in England. If well supported, 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. Ill 
 
 (for all depends upon that,) their influence in 
 Ashantee will aid the good cause much. I shall 
 not fail to direct them to be introduced to the 
 Wesleyan Missionary Committee. 
 
 “ Believe me yours very truly, 
 
 “ George Maclean. 
 
 “ Cape Coast Castle , July Qth, 1839 . 
 
 “ The Rev. T. B. Freeman.” 
 
 Thus, my dear sirs, I have endeavoured to 
 discharge what I feel to be a very important 
 duty. And casting myself, as usual, on your 
 kind indulgence, for having used so many words 
 in support of a cause which I know would 
 strongly recommend itself to your hearts and 
 affections without my saying any thing* 
 subscribe myself, &c., 
 (Signed) T. B. Freeman. 
 
 Mission House y Cape Coast Castle y Jdy 10 * 1839 , 
 
112 
 
 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA, 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Hopeful results of the journey of Mr. Freeman to 
 Ashantee — Missions on the Gold Coast — Notices of the 
 Wesleyan Missionary Committee relating to Ashantee — • 
 Ordination and valedictory services ; and departure of 
 Rev . Thomas B. Freeman and party. 
 
 HOPEFUL RESULTS OF THE JOURNEY OF MR. FREEMAN TO 
 ASHANTEE. 
 
 The following extract of a letter from the 
 Rev. T. B. Freeman, dated Cape Coast Castle, 
 September 17th, 1839, shows the hopeful re- 
 sults of his journey to Ashantee : — 
 
 “ I am very glad that you have received my 
 letter of May 7th ; and hope, ere this reaches 
 you, you will have received my journal and 
 other papers. The results of my mission to 
 Ashantee are now beginning to be manifest. 
 The king, I hear, from good authority, is be- 
 coming anxious respecting the establishment 
 of a school in Coomassie, and is expecting me 
 to pay him another visit ; and many of the 
 Ashantees who became acquainted with me 
 during my late visit, call at the mission-house 
 to see me, when they come down to Cape 
 Coast. A brother of Corintchie has this morn- 
 ing paid me a visit, presenting Corintchie’s re- 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 113 
 
 gards, and stating that they will be very happy 
 to see me in Ashantee again. If the advantage 
 already gained can be followed up, I have no 
 doubt that, under the blessing of the God of 
 missions, we shall, in due time, meet with 
 abundant success in Ashantee.” 
 
 MISSIONS ON THE GOLD COAST. 
 
 The following communication from Mr. Free- 
 man, in connection with his journal and letters 
 respecting Ashantee, afford very gratifying evi- 
 dence, that the signal blessing of Almighty God 
 has already attended the labours of the Wes- 
 leyan mission among the heathen of that part- 
 of Western Africa in which he has been em- 
 ployed. — Edit . Wes. Mag . 
 
 Rev. and Dear Sirs,- — I am happy to inform 
 you, that our new chapel at Annamaboe is in a 
 sufficient state of forwardness for constant use. 
 The foundation was laid August 14th, 1838. 
 It is built with stone from the bottom of the 
 foundation to the height of one foot above the 
 ground : the remaining part of the walls are 
 swish. The walls are two feet thick, very 
 strong and durable, and carried to the height of 
 sixteen feet. The roof is made with deal, pur- 
 chased at a reasonable price in the neighbour- 
 8 
 
114 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 hood, and thatched. Its dimensions are fifty- 
 three feet by thirty, and will seat from four to 
 five hundred persons. "The floor is of the same 
 material as the greater part of the walls. A 
 pulpit and communion rails are erected, and the 
 whole of the remaining space is fitted up with 
 fixed benches. Had not the people exerted 
 themselves exceedingly, it could not have been 
 so forward ; but I am glad to say, that they 
 came nobly forward to the work, both in labour 
 and contributions ; and the happy consequence 
 is, that it is placed out of all danger from the 
 rains, which have been very violent and de- 
 structive this season. A few days after my ar- 
 rival from the interior, I went down to x\nna- 
 maboe, taking with me carpenters, bricklayers, 
 &c., to prepare it for opening as early as pos- 
 sible. All things being ready, on Sunday, May 
 26th, 1839, I opened it for divine worship. 
 
 At seven A. M. I read prayers, and preached 
 to an attentive congregation, from, “ Know ye 
 that the Lord, he is God,” &e. Psalm c, 3, 4. 
 Many felt it to be a delightful service, and the 
 tear of gratitude to Almighty God was shed. 
 Many of our members at Cape Coast came 
 down, though the distance is twelve miles and 
 a half, to congratulate their Annamaboe friends, 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 115 
 
 and share with them in the solemn and sacred 
 blessings of the day. 
 
 At three P. M. I again preached to a very 
 large congregation, amounting to about one 
 thousand persons, from Heb. i\\ 9-13. The 
 chapel would not -hold the whole congregation : 
 several hundreds of heathens crowded the win- 
 dows. 
 
 At seven P. M. I again preached, from Heb. 
 iv, 14-16. We had a large, attentive, serious 
 congregation. Many present felt it u good to 
 wait on the Lord.” 
 
 The collections amounted to £10 3s. 9 d., 
 notwithstanding the previous exertions on the 
 part of the people. 
 
 It affords me much pleasure to state, that I 
 called upon the gentlemen residing in Annama- 
 boe, a few days before the chapel was opened, 
 to solicit their aid, and succeeded in every ap- 
 plication. Several gentlemen at Cape Coast 
 also rendered us their timely and friendly aid. 
 The sum thus raised at Cape Coast and Anna- 
 maboe amounts to £32 currency ; for which we 
 feel thankful. 
 
 Our cordial thanks are due especially to 
 Henry Barnes, Esq., (in whose house I always 
 find a hearty welcome, and a comfortable home 
 
116 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 whenever I visit Annamaboe,) for his kind as- 
 sistance, not only in his liberal contributions, 
 but also in superintending the work at all times 
 during my absence ; and in sending his work- 
 men (carpenters and bricklayers) to assist in 
 carrying on the work at the chapel, at various 
 times, gratuitously. 
 
 While the chapel walls were building, many 
 of our people at Annamaboe, not excepting 
 some of the most respectable among them, were 
 often seen busily engaged in carrying swish, &c., 
 as early as two or three o’clock in the morning. 
 
 Since the chapel has been opened, my kind 
 friend Mr. Barnes has, at his own expence, 
 painted the pulpit and communion rails, &c. ; 
 and as the inside of the chapel has had one 
 coat of whitewash, it has now a very neat ap- 
 pearance. Blessed be God, who thus prospers 
 the work of our hands ! 
 
 I have also the high satisfaction of informing 
 you, that our little chapel at Winnebah is open- 
 ed for divine worship. The foundation-stone 
 was laid July-25th, 1838. Our little society 
 there exerted themselves to the utmost of their 
 power; stimulated and led on by Mr. William 
 De Graft, who is now living with me in the 
 mission-house, as provisional assistant. The 
 walls are built with swish, on a stone founda- 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 117 
 
 tion, and carried to a height of fourteen feet. 
 The roof is made with native w T ood, and thatch- 
 ed. Its dimensions are thirty-four feet by nine- 
 teen. 
 
 After I had opened the Annamaboe chapel, I 
 proceeded to Winnebah, for the purpose of fit- 
 ting up and opening the chapel. Finding, how- 
 ever, that it was hardly ready for me, I sent up 
 to Cape Coast for an extra carpenter ; and then 
 journeyed on to British Accra, (a distance of 
 forty miles,) to visit our society, &c., recently 
 established there. 
 
 During my short stay at Accra, I received 
 much kindness from the gentlemen and autho- 
 rities ; especially from J. W. Hanson, Esq., the 
 commandant, and from J. Bannsman, Esq., with 
 whom I always find a cordial welcome. 
 
 As I had no convenient place for meeting the 
 society while staying at Accra, Mr. Hanson 
 kindly lent me the large hall in the fort for that 
 purpose. I am glad to say, that I found the 
 society and schools in a flourishing condition. 
 There are thirty-five members in society ; and 
 in the schools sixty-five boys and twenty girls. 
 The boys’ school has been established six 
 months, and the girls two months. The local 
 government having undertaken to bear half of 
 the expenses of the boys’ school, the command- 
 
118 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 ant has kindly made comfortable arrangements 
 for the schoolmaster and mistress to reside, and 
 for both schools to be kept in the fort, until I 
 can make some final provision concerning them. 
 
 The government will take no part in the ge- 
 neral management of the boys’ school, that be- 
 ing entirely left to us. Several of the boys, 
 who knew not their letters when they entered 
 the school, can now read lessons in the New 
 Testament. God be praised, our prospects at 
 British Accra are of the most encouraging na- 
 ture. Pray send out a missionary for Accra 
 without delay. v 
 
 Having stayed at Accra a few days, I again 
 returned to Winnebah, and proceeded to fit up 
 the chapel without delay. In eight days after 
 my return, we had a neat little pulpit erected, 
 the remaining space fitted up with fixed bench- 
 es, and every necessary arrangement made for 
 opening it on Sunday, June 23d, 1839. 
 
 At seven A. M. we held a prayer meeting in 
 the chapel ; and at eleven A. M. I read prayers 
 and preached to an attentive, serious congrega- 
 tion, from, “ For thy Maker is thine husband, 
 the Lord of hosts is his name,” &c. Isaiah liv, 
 5-8. God was in the midst of us, and blessed 
 us. The chief, and many of the most respect- 
 able heathens in the town, were present ; and 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 119 
 
 many of them paid deep attention to the word 
 spoken. 
 
 At three P. M. I again preached to a large 
 congregation, from, “ It is appointed unto men 
 once to die,” &c. Heb. ix, 27. The chief 
 and his captains, &c., again attended, and be- 
 haved very well indeed. The respectable be- 
 haviour of these heathens reminded me forcibly 
 of the mighty change which has taken place in 
 the character of the Winnebah people during 
 the last few years. Several years ago there 
 was a small linglish fort in the centre of the 
 town. Some misunderstanding having arisen 
 between the natives and the commandant, the 
 former rebelled against the latter and slew him. 
 The consequence was, that some British men- 
 of-war fired on the town as they sailed past it, 
 and battered the fort to the ground ; causing 
 the refractory inhabitants to retreat into the fo- 
 rest. On the very spot where the fort once 
 stood, and where these unhappy events took 
 place, stands our little chapel ; and on this very 
 spot were collected together, peacefully attend- 
 ing to the words of eternal life, the descendants 
 of those who had, in former days, been collect- 
 ed together to shed blood. This mighty change 
 has taken place partly through the instrument- 
 lity of the local government of Cape Coast ; 
 
120 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 and, secondly, by the introduction of that in- 
 comparable blessing, Christianity. 
 
 After the conclusion of the afternoon service 
 I spoke to the people concerning the opening 
 of a school for the instruction of their children. 
 They readily consented to send their children, 
 whenever I could make arrangements for a 
 commencement. 
 
 The rains are now very violent, and travel- 
 ling rather difficult ; but as soon as they are 
 over, (which will be, I hope, in a few days,) I 
 intend sending down one of the ^buths whom I 
 have had in training in the mission-house, on 
 purpose to commence the school. Winnebah 
 is a place of great importance to us, being about 
 midway between Cape Coast and British Ac- 
 cra. While toiling along the coast for a dis- 
 tance of nearly or quite a hundred miles, visit- 
 ing our societies, I find Winnebah a delightful 
 retreat from the heavy sand beach, the burning 
 rays of an almost vertical sun, and the strong 
 breeze from the Atlantic. I hope to see much 
 lasting good result from the erection of a cha- 
 pel, and the establishment of a school at that 
 place. 
 
 Our little chapel, or, rather, school-room, at 
 Domanassie, I am happy to say, is also fit for 
 use. 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 121 
 
 I must here beg leave to insert a few ex- 
 tracts from my Journal for the last year, 1838. 
 
 November 22 d, Thursday . — At five A. M. I 
 left Annamaboe for Domanassie. As I was 
 passing through the glens I saw a splendid 
 production of nature : several large trees, from 
 thirty to forty feet high, covered with blossoms 
 nearly as large as a tulip, of a fine scarlet co- 
 lour, ornamented round the lamina with a golden 
 fringe, courted my attention. On examination 
 I found it to belong to the class “ didynamia ” 
 of Linnaeus. Amidst the various beauties of 
 Flora, on which I have feasted my eyes, both 
 in England and Africa, I have seen nothing 
 comparable to this splendid tree : even the 
 horse chestnut, the glory of Mount Pindus, 
 cannot vie with this beauty of the glen. 
 
 About half past twelve I reached Domanas- 
 sie ; and, to my great satisfaction, found our 
 society increasing in divine knowledge, in num- 
 ber, and in peace. 
 
 Saturday , 24th . — I was engaged in levelling 
 the floor of the little swish chapel, which our 
 people have built nearly at their own expense ; 
 intending to preach in it on the morrow, though 
 it is in an unfinished state. 
 
 Sunday , 2 5th . — At seven A. M. a prayer 
 meeting was held in the new chapel. I felt 
 
122 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 greatly encouraged in seeing this little African 
 temple full of persons, joining in- one general 
 burst of praise to God. How applicable, spi- 
 ritually, to this scene are the words of our 
 hymn ! — 
 
 “ Hark ! the wastes have found a voice, 
 
 Lonely deserts now rejoice, 
 
 Gladsome hallelujahs sing, 
 
 All around with praises ring. 
 
 * “ Lo ! abundantly they bloom, 
 
 Lebanon is hither come ; 
 
 Carmel’s stores the heavens dispense, 
 
 Sharon’s fertile excellence. 
 
 “ See, these barren souls of ours 
 Bloom, and put forth fruits and flowers, 
 
 Flowers of Eden, fruits of grace, 
 
 Peace, and joy, and righteousness !” 
 
 It is with heartfelt pleasure I also inform 
 you, that we have a small society at a large 
 croom called Salt Pond, (which takes its name 
 from a salt pond near it,) situated on the beach, 
 about eight miles above Annamaboe ; and that 
 they are very anxious to build a little chapel, 
 which they will accomplish themselves ; the 
 laying of the foundation, and the doors and 
 window-shutters, being excepted. Consequent- 
 ly, as soon as the rains are fairly over, I intend 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 123 
 
 to go down and commence the building for 
 them, and then get the doors and windows 
 made at Cape Coast, and send them down in a 
 canoe. Without chapels very little can be done 
 on this station. 
 
 I trust, my dear sirs, that you will not blame 
 me for drawing £25 for the Annamaboe chapel, 
 £15 for the Winnebah chapel, and £5 for the 
 Domanassie chapel, as I have done so from 
 pure necessity. A coat of plaster and white- 
 wash outside is nearly all that any of the above- 
 mentioned chapels will require ; and that, I 
 hope, we shall be able to accomplish without 
 any further assistance from you. 
 
 The heavy rains have done some damage to 
 the vestry at Cape Coast, which will place me 
 under the necessity of employing two or three 
 bricklayers for some time in repairing it, after 
 the rains are over. 
 
 I had just returned from Winnebah to Anna- 
 maboe, and was resting myself there a few 
 days, when I received information that the 
 vestry had suffered materially from the rains. 
 This unpleasant news arrived just as I was 
 taking my dinner ; and I speedily packed up 
 my things, and came up to Cape Coast the 
 same afternoon, fearing lest the chapel should 
 sustain any injury. I am happy, however, to 
 
124 
 
 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 state that it has taken no harm, neither is it in 
 any danger. 
 
 The two old native houses, which stood near 
 the chapel at Cape Coast, I have purchased, 
 and pulled down, to avoid any accident by fire. 
 I have only drawn on you for the payment for 
 one of them, as I am not prepared to give you 
 an account of the exact amount of the purchase, 
 some trifling things in connection therewith 
 not being finally settled. I also hope to make 
 some arrangements for removing the female 
 school to the present mission-house, as soon as 
 I obtain your permission to purchase it for a 
 permanent residence ; and then there will be a 
 year or two’s rent of the house (the old mission- 
 house taken by Mr. Wrigley) in which the fe- 
 male school is now kept, which would nearly 
 or quite pay for the purchase of the old native 
 house in question. 
 
 There will always be new perplexities and 
 expenses arising on this station about houses, 
 until a purchase is made, and the school kept 
 on the same premises. 
 
 At Yancoomassie, a large native town in 
 Fantee, about twenty-eight miles inland, there 
 is an excellent opening for the establishment 
 of a school, &c. Assin Chibboe, the chief, 
 called on me at the mission-house a few weeks 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 125 
 
 after I passed through the town on my return 
 from Ashantee ; and, on my asking him if he 
 would assist us in erecting a chapel in his town, 
 he answered, “ Yes. If you will send a person 
 or two to direct, I will find men to do the greater 
 part of the work.” For further remarks on the 
 kindness of Assin Chibboe, and the character, 
 Sic., of his town, see my Ashantee Journal. 
 (Pages 21, 22, 103, of this work.) 
 
 I verily believe, that ere another rainy sea- 
 son arrives, there will be three or four more 
 chapels erected on this station by the Christian 
 zeal of our native societies. 
 
 I trust, my dear sirs, that a glorious host of 
 immortal souls will be realized in this part of 
 Africa, if these advantages can be followed up. 
 
 The amount of good done on this station, 
 during the short time your missionaries have 
 visited it, has a much greater latitude than the 
 Fantee country ; though that is very exten- 
 sive. 
 
 The trading habits of many of our members 
 cause them to travel hundreds of miles into the 
 interior. To these trading places they carry 
 the word of life ; and I anx glad to say, that the 
 Lord blesses their humble exertions in giving 
 them “ souls for their hire.” Incredible as the 
 following incident may appear, the fact is not 
 
126 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 the less certain. While I was in Coomassie, 
 one of these converts to Christianity, from the 
 interior , applied to me for Christian baptism. 
 As I found, during his examination, every proof 
 of a sincere desire and purpose to live as a 
 true disciple of Christ, I, of course, granted his 
 request; and publicly baptized him in the pre» 
 sence of many Ashantees. Surely, Ethiopia is 
 stretching out her hands to God. 
 
 As I know that the bare statement of these 
 facts will have more weight with you than any 
 observations I can make, I need not cry, “ Men 
 of Israel, help !” I therefore humbly submit 
 them to your serious consideration. 
 
 Believe me, rev. and dear sirs, your obedi- 
 ent servant in the gospel of Christ, 
 
 Thomas B. Freeman. 
 
 NOTICES OF THE WESLEYAN MISSIONARY COMMITTEE RE- 
 LATING TO ASHANTEE. 
 
 Soon after the reception of this letter, the 
 committee issued the following notice : — 
 
 The committee of the Wesleyan Missionary 
 Society are thankful to find that they were not 
 mistaken in supposing that the Journal of the 
 Rev. Thomas B. Freeman’s late visit to Ashan- 
 tee would be perused with feelings of much 
 more than ordinary interest, and that the ap 
 
MISSIONS IN WEST RN AFRICA. 127 
 
 peal with which they deemed it their duty to 
 accompany that document could not fail to 
 produce, in due season, a suitable response. 
 The response, the practical and pecuniary re- 
 sponse, has already commenced. We have 
 great satisfaction in inserting the following 
 letter from one of the oldest and best friends 
 of the society: — - 
 
 “To the General Secretaries' of the Wesleyan 
 Missionary Society. 
 
 “Liverpool, January 13 th, 1840. 
 
 “ Very Dear Sirs, — I have just finished 
 the reading of Mr. Freeman’s account of his 
 visit to Ashantee. I see you must have an 
 extra effort to do any thing to purpose in that 
 quarter. The effect of his statements, and of 
 your observations, impels me to annex an order 
 on Smith, Payne, and Co., for ten guineas, 
 [about fifty dollars,] for that special object ; 
 and I sincerely wish you may have, generally, 
 such encouragement as will enable you, pru- 
 dently, to meet Mr. Freeman’s views. May the 
 great Head of the church give you such men 
 as himself to aid him and you ; and preserve 
 their lives for this great work ! 
 
 “ With best wishes, &c., I remain, very dear 
 sirs, yours, sincerely, 
 
 “Thomas Crook. 
 
128 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 The committee have also been favoured with 
 the following special donations, spontaneously- 
 forwarded, for the same object, namely : — 
 
 £ s. d. 
 
 Thomas Farmer, Esq., Gunnersbury house - 52 10 0 
 
 Thomas Crook, Esq., Liverpool , (see his letter 
 
 on the preceding page) - - -10100 
 
 Mr. G. W. Harrison, Wakefield , by the Rev. 
 
 W. Bacon - - - - 10 10 0 
 
 Samuel Mills, Esq., Russell- square , London - 10 10 0 
 
 A friend to missions - - - 5 0 0 
 
 E. J., a member of the society of Friends - 5 0 0 
 
 * Rev. Thomas Rogers, Oxford - - 2 0 0 
 
 A friend, Camden-town - - 1 0 0 
 
 A friend to missions, by the Rev. Dr. Alder - 10 0 
 
 Thus the work of providing the means for 
 one of the noblest enterprises which the true 
 friends of Africa were ever called to attempt, 
 has been happily commenced. The committee 
 anxiously trust that it will proceed with a 
 promptitude and liberality worthy of the occa- 
 sion, and that, very soon, they shall receive 
 such further substantial proofs of the sympathy 
 of the Christian public with themselves in this 
 great undertaking, as will justify them in taking 
 measures forthwith for its accomplishment. 
 
 After this Mr. Freeman made a visit to Eng- 
 land. He arrived in London in June, 1840, 
 accompanied by Mr. William De Graft, a na- 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 129 
 
 t,ive local preacher. At the conference held at 
 Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the following month, 
 four missionaries were appointed for the west- 
 ern coast of Africa, including Ashantee, and 
 two more were to be selected. By the month 
 of June, 1841, $25,000 had been received by 
 the treasurers of the Missionary Society ex- 
 pressly for that mission. 
 
 ORDINATION AND VALEDICTORY SERVICES ; AND DEPART 
 URE OF REV. THOMAS B. FREEMAN AND PARTY. 
 
 On Monday, the 1st of December, a special 4 
 service was held at Great Queen-street chapel, 
 connected with the departure of the missiona- 
 ries appointed to Ashantee and the coast of 
 Guinea; and notwithstanding the limited ex- 
 tent to which previous notice of the meeting 
 had been circulated, the chapel was well filled 
 with a very attentive and devout audience. 
 
 The service was conducted by the Rev. Drs. 
 Bunting, Hannah, and Alder, and Messrs. 
 Beecham and Hoole. The newly appointed 
 missionaries, Messrs. Hesk, Watson, Shipman, 
 Thackwray, and Walden, were introduced to 
 the meeting ; and the three former gave a brief 
 detail of the circumstances by which, under di- 
 vine Providence, they had seen it their duty to 
 offer themselves for the arduous services of a 
 9 
 
130 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 mission to Africa. The five missionaries were 
 then solemnly ordained to the office and work 
 of the Christian ministry. Dr. Bunting con- 
 ducted the ordinance service ; and the other 
 ministers above mentioned assisted in the “ lay- 
 ing on of hands.” The Rev. John Beecham 
 next addressed the missionaries on the peculiar 
 circumstances and duties of the mission to 
 which they had been solemnly designated. He 
 then introduced the Rev. Thomas B. Freeman, 
 who, with deep feeling, acknowledged the 
 kindness he had experienced during his visit to 
 this country ; and expressed his thankfulness 
 for the success he had met with in his endeav- 
 ours to awaken a more lively interest and act- 
 ive exertion in behalf of that part of Africa 
 which it was his business to represent. Mr. 
 De Graft, a native Fantee assistant on the mis- 
 sion, who had accompanied Mr. Freeman to 
 this country, took his farewell of the Christian 
 public, by a most appropriate and interesting 
 address ; at the close of which Dr. Bunting, in 
 the name of the committee, presented to him a 
 Bible as a token of their regard and affection, 
 and expressed a hope that he would still suc- 
 cessfully study and publish those blessed and 
 important truths which that holy book re- 
 veals. 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 131 
 
 The Rev. Dr. Hannah, theological tutor of 
 the Wesleyan institution, delivered to the mis- 
 sionaries a very instructive and impressive 
 charge ; and, at the close of the service, the 
 whole congregation appeared to unite most fer- 
 vently in the prayer which was offered up in 
 behalf of the missionaries, and for the success 
 of the mission, by the Rev. Dr. Bunting. 
 
 On Wednesday, the 2d of December, the 
 missionaries and Mr. De Graft took their for- 
 mal leave of the general committee of the Wes- 
 leyan Missionary Society, and of the Wesleyan 
 ministers of London and its vicinity, a great 
 number of whom were present on the occasion 
 in Hatton-Garden. 
 
 The sailing of the 44 Osborn,” by which ves- 
 sel the missionaries were to proceed to Cape 
 Coast, was delayed until Thursday, the 10th of 
 December : on that day the whole party em- 
 barked at Gravesend, and immediately set sail. 
 They are, in all, eleven persons ; namely, Mr. 
 and Mrs. Freeman, and native boy ; Mr. De 
 Graft; Mr. and Mrs. Hesk ; Mr. Watson ; Mr. 
 and Mrs. Shipman ; Mr. Thackwray; and Mr. 
 Walden. Never was a missionary party dis- 
 missed from the shores of England with a more 
 intense feeling of interest and sympathy. All 
 acknowledged the very arduous and difficult 
 
132 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 character of the mission, as well as its import- 
 ant bearings on the welfare of the human race, 
 and one of the boldest efforts yet made by the 
 church in modern times to introduce Christi- 
 anity and its attendant blessings to the inde- 
 pendent negro states of interior Africa. Thou- 
 sands of prayers have been offered in behalf 
 of these missionaries and their undertaking ; 
 and we do not doubt that they will be con- 
 stantly remembered at the throne of grace, by 
 those who are concerned for the prosperity and 
 extension of the kingdom of Christ. 
 
 LETTERS FROM MISSIONARIES. 
 Extract of a letter from Rev. Thomas B. Freeman , 
 dated Annamaboe, Gold Coast , Western Africa , 
 May 5th , 1841. 
 
 A Bristol vessel being about to sail for Eng- 
 land from British Accra, I embrace the oppor- 
 tunity of informing you of our arrangements 
 and operations, our health and prospects. 
 
 On Wednesday, March 31st, we held a meet- 
 ing, at which your instructions were read, and 
 arrangements were made for carrying your 
 plans into effect. 
 
 Mr. Mycock’s departure for England, and the 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 133 
 
 peculiar position of Dix-Cove, — which place 
 some of our American brethren from Cape 
 Palmas had thought of occupying, but have 
 now relinquished, because we were prepared 
 to supply it with a missionary without delay, 
 and because they wish to adhere to the princi- 
 ple of non-interference, — have rendered some 
 alterations in the stations of the brethren es- 
 sentially necessary. In consequence thereof 
 Mr. Watson occupies Dix-Cove, and Mr. De 
 Graft resides at Winnebah. 
 
 All the brethren, except Mr. Thackwray, 
 have proceeded to occupy their different posts ; 
 and I have made arrangements for proceeding 
 to Domonassi with Mr. Thackwray early to- 
 morrow morning. Mr. Brooking is now resid- 
 ing at Mansu, and making preparations for our 
 enterprise in Ashantee. Mansu will be a place 
 of great importance to us while carrying on our 
 operations in Ashantee ; and I think we shall 
 find it to be a very healthy situation. I have 
 received an encouraging message from the king 
 of Ashantee, from which I learn that he enter- 
 tains friendly feelings toward us, and will be 
 very glad to see us in Coomassie. On the 29th 
 of March we held our missionary meeting, 
 which had been postponed for several weeks 
 on account of our party not having arrived : 
 
134 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 President Maclean, with his usual kindness, 
 occupied the chair. The meeting was one of 
 some interest ; and the collection, including the 
 subscriptions of our worthy chairman, and other 
 friends, and j£ 14 from the societies in sheep, 
 goats, <&c., amounted to £51 lls. 3d. 
 
 Our chapel at Annamaboe, which was so se- 
 riously injured by the rains last year, is, I am 
 glad to say, nearly fit for occupation. I hope 
 to see it re-opened next Sunday week. 
 
 In my last I informed you of the recovery 
 from fever of Messrs. Hesk, Watson, and Ship- 
 man. Mrs. Shipman, I am glad to say, is also 
 regaining her strength ; and Mrs. Freeman has 
 safely passed through her seasoning fever, and. 
 is sufficiently strong to undertake a journey by 
 land to Annamaboe, where we are now staying. 
 The effects of the seasoning fever are still re- 
 maining in Mr. Hesk’s constitution ; and he 
 has, in consequence, taken a short cruise up 
 the coast for the benefit of his health, I hope 
 the Lord will bless the means used for his 
 recovery, and that he will soon return to us 
 strengthened and improved. I trust the lives 
 of our whole party will be mercifully preserved 
 for extensive usefulness among the millions of 
 pagans around us. 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 135 
 
 Our congregations are good. The societies 
 are enjoying peace. The number of children 
 in the schools is increasing, and all things 
 around us are promising. 
 
 We have our trials ; but they are such as we 
 cannot but expect, and we do not wish to mag- 
 nify them. In the strength of the great Head 
 of the church, we believe that we shall triumph 
 over every obstacle. 
 
 It is an encouraging fact for us to know, that 
 we have an interest in your prayers, and those 
 of the Christian public of England. We beg a 
 continuation of that interest ; and earnestly do 
 we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, that peace 
 may be within her walls, and prosperity 
 within her palaces, and that all the ends of 
 the earth may speedily see the salvation of 
 our God. 
 
 I trust that, ere this reaches you, an ample 
 special fund, for the support of the Gold Coast 
 mission, will have been realized ; and that you 
 will send us out another missionary without 
 delay, as we shall very much need another 
 brotner to occupy Cape Coast, while Messrs. 
 Brooking, Walden, and myself, are in Ashan- 
 tee. 
 
136 
 
 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 Extract of a letter from the late Rev. William 
 
 Thackwray , dated Annamaboe , Gold Coast , 
 
 Western Africa , May 5th , 1841. 
 
 Honoured Brethren and Fathers, — Hav- 
 ing another opportunity, I gladly embrace it to 
 write to you again. I am happy to inform you 
 of my own health and welfare, but sorry to say, 
 that Mr. Hesk, my superintendent, is very ill, 
 having suffered a relapse, — such 1 think it has 
 been, — when he was beginning favourably to 
 recover from his seasoning fever. He exerted 
 himself, I fear, too soon and too much, forget- 
 ting that he was in Africa ; and the result has 
 been great debilitation, from which nothing has 
 been able hitherto substantially and perma- 
 nently to raise him. Having a favourable op- 
 portunity in the Pitt, merchant vessel from 
 Bristol, to cruise along the coast for a few 
 weeks, he went a few days ago ; the captain 
 (Antrobus) being a friendly man; and we hope 
 the experiment will issue favourably. All the 
 rest of our party are well, unless I except Mrs. 
 Freeman, who is not quite recovered from her 
 seasoning, and Mrs. Hesk, who is temporarily 
 indisposed. All have now had their seasoning 
 save Mr. Walden,* Mrs. Hesk, and myself. 
 
 * A subsequent letter from Mr. Freeman states, that 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 137 
 
 Mr. Walden has been favoured with exceed- 
 ingly good health ; and mine is at least 
 as good in Africa as in England. A warm 
 climate appears to suit me very well ; for 
 which I feel thankful to Almighty God. I am 
 just on the point of leaving for Domanassie, 
 most of my boxes and household requisites 
 having arrived there already. I would not for- 
 get to mention to you with pleasure, that a na- 
 tive merchant here, Mr. Parker, has made me 
 a present of a lathe, not of the first-rate kind, 
 it is true, but still useful, which I immediately 
 devoted to the mission, and it has gone off to 
 Domanassie this morning, with other things. 
 Mr. and also Mrs. Freeman are here at pre- 
 sent ; the former designing to accompany me 
 to-morrow morning to Domanassie. With re- 
 spect to Ashantee, we can say as yet but little 
 or nothing. Mr. Freeman, as perhaps he will 
 inform you, has had a very friendly and grati- 
 fying correspondence with the king of Ashan- 
 tee ; and we confidently hope, that, by the fa- 
 vour of an over-ruling Providence, the gospel 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ will be happily intro- 
 duced and established among the barbarous 
 and warlike Ashantees. Yes, I trust the bless- 
 
 Mr. Walden has safely passed through the usual “ season- 
 ing.” — Edit. 
 
138 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 mg of heaven will descend upon them ike 
 showers upon the mown grass ; that the moral 
 wilderness may be glad for English Christian 
 missionaries, and that the intellectual and spi- 
 ritual “ desert” of Ashantee will “ blossom as 
 the rose.” True it is, that the national charac- 
 ter of the Ashantees has been prominently dis- 
 tinguished by ferocity, and (perhaps sometimes 
 not without cause) by political jealousy ; and 
 that, therefore, this great and critical enter- 
 prise should be undertaken with the greatest 
 prudence, and managed with the utmost cau- 
 tion. Even at this moment, owing, I believe, 
 to the death of one of the king’s relatives, there 
 is a great “ custom” being made in Coomassie, 
 which is to last for several weeks, and in which 
 perhaps one hundred and fifty or two hundred, 
 or perhaps more, will unhappily, by this cool, 
 yet blood-thirsty religion of the devil lose their 
 lives. Yet far be it from us to be discouraged. 
 Other tribes and other people, as fierce as the 
 fierce Ashantee, have been tamed and subdued, 
 converted and evangelized, by the preaching 
 of “ the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” And 
 does lie still live? Yea, “he everliveth.” And 
 are his will, and willingness, and power the 
 same ? Without controversy, “ He changeth 
 not ;” and I delight, even on African ground, to 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 13S 
 
 remember, that it is declared — it is written in 
 the volume of infallible inspiration — that the 
 “ Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in 
 all the vrorld, for a witness unto all nations 
 yea, and that another prophecy of the same vo- 
 lume is, “ The kingdoms of this world shall 
 become the kingdoms of our God and of his 
 Christ.” We will not, then, by the grace of 
 God, be - faint-hearted. Rather, we will be 
 highly animated and encouraged, in our blessed 
 and soul-cheering work. The Lord has ena- 
 bled me to introduce the gospel into Eg-ga, 
 (E-ga,) a croom (village) on the beach about a 
 mile from Annamaboe. It was formerly visited 
 by Mr. Wrigley, but it was afterward unvisit- 
 ed, and in that sense neglected ; and hence the 
 partial success gained had gradually vanished 
 away. Mr. Hesk has been too ill to visit E-ga, 
 so that the interpreters and I have had it to 
 ourselves. We did not hold regular service, 
 (this would have been premature,) but cate- 
 chetical conversations ; and the effects are 
 pleasing and promising. 
 
 At present I can say no more than that I am 
 yours obediently, * 
 
 William Thackwrav. 
 
140 
 
 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 Extract of a letter from Rev. Thomas B. Freeman, 
 dated Cape Coast Castle, Western Africa, 
 May 2 6th, 1841. 
 
 I am happy to inform you that the blessing 
 of God is resting on our labours. 
 
 On Sunday, May 1 6th, our chapel at Anna- 
 maboe was‘ re-opened for divine worship. The 
 public services at six, A. M., at half-past three, 
 and at half-past six, P. M., were well attended, 
 and found to be very delightful means of grace. 
 Mr. Joseph Smith preached in the morning 
 and evening, and Mr. Walden in the afternoon. 
 According to our previous arrangements, 1 
 should have preached in the evening, but I was 
 obliged unexpectedly to leave for Cape Coast 
 about six o’clock; and to relieve Mr. Walden 
 (who has not yet had his seasoning) from too 
 much exertion, Mr. Smith kindly supplied my 
 place. 
 
 The collections, including a handsome dona- 
 tion of £10 from B. Cruikshank, Esq., the com- 
 mandant of Annamaboe, amounted to £22 Os. 
 lid., currency. The feelings of our society at 
 Annamaboe were, as might have been expect- 
 ed, of a very peculiar nature, on account of the 
 trying circumstances under which they have 
 been placed by the injury done to the chapel 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTE.RN AFRICA. 141 
 
 first by fire, and afterward by the rains. Many 
 a tear was shed, and many a heart lifted up to 
 God in thankfulness for his mercies in blessing 
 the labour of our hands, and enabling us to 
 bring forth the topstone with joy. 
 
 This pretty little chapel is now, I trust, out 
 of all danger either from fire or rain ; as its flat 
 roof, covered with stone, renders it fire-proof ; 
 and the stout iron pillars, which are placed 
 down the middle, relieve the walls so much, 
 that we have nothing to fear from the rains. 
 
 I am not at this moment prepared to state the 
 amount of expences incurred by these repairs ; 
 but I trust, by the zeal and liberality of our so- 
 cieties and friends here, we shall be able to 
 raise a considerable sum, in addition to that 
 already mentioned, toward the defraying of 
 these expenses. 
 
 Since I wrote my last, Mrs. Hesk and Mrs. 
 Freeman have safely passed through their sea- 
 soning fevers ; for which we praise and glorify 
 God. Mr. Thackwray is now residing at Do- 
 manassie ; and is, in addition to his other im- 
 portant duties, busily engaged in directing the 
 necessary arrangements for the model-farm. 
 
 Mr. Thackwray has not yet had his season- 
 ing fever ; but we do not consider that he is 
 running any risk in going so far into the interior 
 
142 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 at so early a date. From past experience, I am 
 fully satisfied that the interior is, in many re- 
 spects, more healthy than the coast : almost 
 every thing, however, depends on the proper and 
 judicious care of our health, under the blessing 
 of God. 
 
 Mr. Brooking is still at Mansu, and enjoying 
 excellent health ; much better than he has ever 
 had before since his arrival on the station. 
 From accounts just received from him, I learn 
 that our mission-house there will soon be fit for 
 occupation. 
 
 Mr. Hesk left us in a sickly state about a 
 month ago, to try the effect of a voyage to sea ; 
 and we learned a few days afterward, that the 
 vessel touched at Dix-Cove, and that he was 
 better. We are expecting him back in about a 
 fortnight ; and trust that the voyage will be, un- 
 der the blessing of God, the means of restoring 
 his health. 
 
 Mr. Watson is still prosecuting his labours 
 at Dix-Cove. He has had much difficulty in 
 obtaining a residence. He is now living in a 
 house not at all adapted for the residence of an 
 European ; and we shall therefore be under the 
 necessity of building a house at Dix-Cove as 
 early as possible. We have selected a piece 
 of ground on which our American brother. 
 
MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 143 
 
 Dr. Savage, intended to build, before the board 
 of missions with which he is connected had 
 decided on the non-occupancy of Dix-Cove : 
 and I trust these preparatory arrangements will 
 meet with the approbation of the committee. 
 
 We earnestly beg the committee to send us 
 instructions on this matter as early as possible, 
 as the circumstances under which we are placed 
 will not admit of delay on our part without a 
 great risk respecting Mr. Watson’s health. As 
 building materials are cheap at Dix-Cove, I 
 think we might build a house there which would 
 answer our purpose very well for about j£450 
 sterling. I expect to pay Mr. Watson a visit in 
 a short time, after which I will write again on 
 the subject. 
 
 Mr. Shipman gives a very pleasing account 
 of their prospects at British Accra. 
 
 Mr. De Graft’s appointment to Winnebah is 
 very satisfactory to the people, both Christians 
 and heathens ; and I trust the Lord will abund- 
 antly bless his labours among them. 
 
 I am preparing to leave Cape Coast for Abassa 
 to-morrow, where I expect to meet Mr. Thack- 
 wray on Sunday next, and to assist in opening 
 our little chapel there. Abassa is about forty 
 miles from Cape Coast, and about twenty miles 
 from Domanassie, 
 
144 MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
 
 In every part of the mission our prospects 
 are encouraging. A second pleasing message 
 from' the king of Ashantee, in which he informs 
 us that he will be very glad to see us in Coo- 
 massie, leads us to trust and believe , that the 
 Lord is going before us, and opening our way 
 among that benighted people. 
 
 We are now making all necessary prepara- 
 tions for our journey to Coomassie after the 
 rains ; and leave all events in the hands of that 
 Almighty Being who hath said, “ Go ye into 
 all the world, and preach the gospel to every 
 creature and, “ Lo, I am with you alway s 
 even unto the end of the world.” 
 
 THE END. 
 
DATE ORDERED— MONTH 
 
 ! RUSH INDICATE DATE WANTED, 
 
w> - 
 
 /