er arriving, at the end of a day's journey, at
a village, prepared to stop as usual for a day or two to add to their
collection. The officer of the guard, however, explained to them through
Bacon, who spoke the Ashanti language, that his instructions were, that
they were to go straight through to Coomassie. In vain Mr. Goodenough
protested that this would entirely defeat the object of his journey. The
officer was firm. His orders were that they were to travel straight
to Coomassie, and if he failed in carrying these out, his head would
assuredly be forfeited.

"This is serious, Frank," Mr. Goodenough said. "If this fellow has not
blundered about his orders, it is clear that we are prisoners. However,
it may be that the king merely gave a direction that we should be
escorted to the capital, having no idea that we should want to loiter
upon the way."

They now proceeded steadily forward, making long day's marches. The
officer in command of the guard was most civil, obtaining for them an
abundance of provisions at the villages at which they stopped, and
as Frank and his companion were both weakened by fever he enlisted
sufficient hammock bearers for them, taking fresh relays from each
village. He would not hear of their paying either for provisions or
bearers, saying that they were the king's guests, and it would be an
insult to him were they to pay for anything.

Ten days after starting from the Volta they entered Coomassie. This
town lay on rising ground, surrounded by a deep marsh of from forty to
a hundred yards wide. A messenger had been sent on in front to announce
their coming, and after crossing the marsh they passed under a great
fetish, or spell, consisting of a dead sheep wrapped up in red silk and
suspended from two poles.

Mr. Goodenough and Frank took their places at the head of the little
procession. On entering the town they were met by a crowd of at least
five thousand people, for the most part warriors, who fired their guns,
shouted, and yelled. Horns, drums, rattles, and gongs added to the
appalling noise. Men with flags performed wild dances, in which the
warriors joined. The dress of the captains consisted of war caps with
gilded rams' horns projecting in front, and immense plumes of eagles'
feathers on each side. Their vest was of red cloth, covered with
fetishes and charms in cases of gold, silver, and embroidery. These were
interspersed with the horns and tails of animals, small brass bells, and