here we had a fort occupied by a small detachment
of the Royal African Corps. At half past eight in the evening, we
anchored for the night in 15 fathoms water, for fear of running past
Cape Coast roads before daylight, the currents being very irregular;
and, early on the following morning, we proceeded on our voyage. At 9
o'clock we were abreast of the Dutch fortress of Elmina, which is 7
miles to the westward of Cape Coast Castle, off which place we came to
an anchor about 10 o'clock, in 9 fathoms water. We found the African
steam-boat, and the Diadem transport, waiting our arrival; there was
also an English merchant brig in the roads, but we heard nothing of our
schooner. At noon saluted his Honour the Lieut.-Governor, on his
leaving the ship, taking his secretary and myself with him in the
canoe, which was a fine boat, pulling 17 paddles: we were seated on
chairs, fixed to a platform in the forepart of the boat. The castle
saluted the Lieut.-Governor on landing, and the shore was lined with
natives to receive him. The surf not being very high, we were enabled
to land without a wetting, which is rarely the case. On entering the
castle, I was introduced to the officers of the garrison, and to Capt.
Hutchison, a merchant of this place, who is well-known for his eminent
services in this country. The first thing that brought him into
particular notice was being associated with Messrs. James and Bowdich,
in their mission to the King of Ashantee, in 1817. He was left at
Coomassie, the capital of that kingdom, as the accredited British
agent, after the departure of the mission, on their return to Cape
Coast. The King of Ashantee was pleased with his remaining, for it not
only shewed the confidence he had in him, but it was a proof of the
sincerity of our intentions, by thus leaving him as a pledge for the
fulfilment of our part of the treaty that had just been negotiated; and
the forfeiture of his life would, no doubt, have been the consequence,
if the King had even suspected any breach of faith on our part. In this
situation he remained several months, without the society of any white
man, among savages, who think no more of the life of a human being,
than a vicious boy does of a dog or cat. Some time after his return
from this mission, Capt. Hutchison was called upon to serve in a
military capacity against the very nation where all his efforts had
been directed to preserve a pacific disposition: and we here find him
no less