It was
evident that the great mass of the population they saw about must
live in villages scattered around, the town being wholly insufficient
to contain them.
Three days afterwards they were told that the king wished to
see them in his palace. This was a large building situated at the
extremity of the town. It was constructed of stone, and was evidently
built from European designs. It was square, with a flat roof and
embattled parapet. They were conducted through the gateway into
a large courtyard, and then into a hall where the king sat upon a
raised throne. Attendants stood round fanning him.
"Why," he asked abruptly as they took their places before him, "do
the English take my town of Elmina?"
Mr. Goodenough explained that he had been nine months absent from
the coast, and that having come straight out from England he was
altogether unaware of what had happened at Elmina.
"Elmina is mine," the king said. "The Dutch, who were my tributaries,
had no right to hand it over to the English."
"But I understood, your majesty, that the English were ready to pay
an annual sum, even larger than that which the Dutch have contributed."
"I do not want money," the king said.
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