rederick Hodgson had several
meetings with the chiefs about state matters. Gradually the eyes of
the governor's followers, accustomed as they were to savage ways,
saw that all was not right; and a wire was despatched, asking for
reinforcements of two hundred men. These arrived on the 18th of
April.

Captains Armitage and Leggatt, with a small party of soldiers, went
out to the neighbouring village to bring in the golden stool. This
was regarded by the natives with considerable veneration, and was
always used as the throne of the king, as the sign of supreme
authority. When they reached the village the party were fired upon,
the two officers being wounded; and had to retire without having
accomplished their purpose.

It was clear now that rebellion was intended. The native kings were
all sounded, and several of them decided to side with us, among
them five important leaders. On the 25th the Basel Mission servants
were set upon, and several of them killed. The Ashantis then
attacked and captured the villages in which the friendly natives
and traders lived, and set fire to these and to the cantonment. The
refugees, to the number of three thousand five hundred, with two
hundred children, crowded round the fort, imploring the mission to
allow them to enter.

It was wholly beyond the capacity of the fort to accommodate a
tenth of their number. Troops were therefore ordered down from the
barracks, and formed a cordon round the fugitives. The fort gate
was closed, and a rope ladder led down one of the bastions. In this
way, only one individual could enter at a time, and the danger of a
rush was obviated.

Close round the walls, huts were erected to shelter the fugitives,
who were exposed to all the inclemency of the weather. Thus passed
some wretched days and worse nights, sleep being constantly
interrupted by alarms, due to the fact that the rebels were in
possession of all the buildings in the place, except the fort, many
of which they loopholed.

On the 29th a determined attack was made, the enemy advancing
boldly across the open, and fighting long and obstinately. Captain
Marshall, however, with his two hundred and fifty native troops and
friendly levies, taught them such a lesson that they never again
tried fighting in the open. A hundred and thirty corpses were found
and buried, and many more were carried off, while the fighting was
going on.

That evening Captain Apling came in with his little column, but
with