them from
enemies beyond the borders, and in turn exercising an authority over
the Fantis, forbidding them to make war with each other, and imposing a
nominal tribute upon them.

In 1853 the Ashantis again crossed the Prah, but, being met with
firmness, retired again. After ten years' quiet, in 1863 they again
invaded the country, burnt thirty villages, and slaughtered their
inhabitants. Governor Price then urged upon the home authorities the
necessity for the sending out from England of two thousand troops to aid
the native army in striking a heavy blow at the Ashantis, and so putting
a stop to this constant aggression. The English government, however,
refused to entertain the proposal. In order to encourage the natives
some companies of West Indian troops were marched up to the Prah. The
wet season set in, and, after suffering terribly from sickness, the
survivors returned five months later to Cape Coast.

Up to this period the Dutch trading ports and forts upon the coast were
interspersed with ours, and as the tribes in their neighborhood were
under Dutch protection constant troubles were arising between the Dutch
tribes and our own, and in 1867 an exchange was effected, the Dutch
ceding all their forts and territory east of the Sweet river, a small
stream which falls into the sea midway between Cape Coast and Elmina,
while we gave up all our forts to the west of this stream. Similarly
the protectorate of the tribes inland up to the boundary of the Ashanti
kingdom changed hands. The natives were not consulted as to this treaty,
and some of those formerly under British protection, especially the
natives of Commendah, refused to accept the transfer, and beat off
with loss the Dutch troops who attempted to land. The Dutch men of war
bombarded and destroyed Commendah.

This step was the commencement of fresh troubles between the Ashantis
and the English. The Commendah people were Fantis, and as such the
implacable enemies of the Elmina people, who had under Dutch protection
been always allies of the Ashantis, and had been mainly instrumental
in supplying them with arms and ammunition. The Fantis, regarding
the Elmina natives and the Dutch as one power, retaliated for the
destruction of Commendah by invading the territory of the Elmina tribe,
destroying their villages and blockading the Dutch in their port.
Another reason for this attack upon the Elminas was that an Ashanti
general, named Atjempon, had marched with se