permission to present the king’s son with a gift, too. A timid youth, not fully grown, stepped forward. Verveer handed this child, Kwasi Boachi, a dagger, declaring that he should use it in defence of his Fatherland and the Ashanti people. In jest he conferred the rank of general upon the boy. The king was visibly moved. Before we departed, the king ordered an organ, of which the pipes were broken, to be brought to us with the request to repair it, which demand we were of course unable to satisfy. Then H.H. requested us to dance for him; however, we replied that white men are not accustomed to leap about on an earthen floor.
On 19 February at two o’clock Verveer received word that Kwaku Dua I was on his way. The members of the band arranged themselves in a semicircle and launched into the so-called “March for the King of Ashanti.” The retainers of H.H. were so numerous that most of them were obliged to remain outside. Only Kwame Poku, the king’s nephew and heir to the throne, and his son Kwasi Boachi, were admitted, along with nine young girls belonging to the royal family. The king and his courtiers were heavily laden with gold; the former was literally bowed down by the weight. A porcelain jug of palm wine was brought and two golden-eared calabashes. When H.H. took a draught of wine, his trusted slaves held a bowl under his chin into which he deliberately spilled some liquid from his mouth: this spillage was eagerly drunk by them. When H.H. spat on the ground, we saw his bodyguards take up the royal fluid and rub it into their skins. We presented H.H. with portraits of our own royal family and a camera obscura.
The negotiations were now underway and proceeded during the following days with varying degrees of success, but at this time Verveer fell ill. His condition declined by the day. He su fered greatly and we began to understand why these regions are known as “the white man’s grave.”
On 26 February we took a stroll in the night and I tripped over some obstacle in my path. The orderlies escorting us lowered their lanterns and to our horror we saw three freshly severed heads of young negroes lying before me. It was the great feast day of the fetish named Ady, on which occasion it is customary for all to shake hands with the king and his grandees. Preceded by our musicians we made haste to join the ceremony, but could barely reach H.H. through the dense crowd. A large number of people were sacrificed on the graves of the royal family that day. This ceremony was performed once each month. 1
Although Kwame and I were informed of the progress of the negotiations, we were indifferent to their nature. We amused ourselves with the gifts and enjoyed the attention that was lavished on us. The Dutch dagger, given to me by Verveer, was my very first weapon. Kwame and I took turns to wear it. Our delight pleased my father. This gift in particular softened him towards the Hollanders, who understood that they had succeeded in influencing the Asantehene’s mood through his son. From then on there was an unspoken connection between me and the negotiations.
The governor-general’s illness lasted for two weeks. This was taken to be a sign that our gods were not in favour of his mission. Nevertheless van Drunen and the other officers succeeded in bringing the affair to a satisfactory conclusion. A contract was drawn up: in exchange for firearms the Asantehene promised to supply the Dutch agent Huydecoper with one thousand male slaves/recruits annually. (Slaves slash recruits, a script notation that would earn the Dutch much international notoriety and an official complaint, served against them by England, for infracting the law against slave trading.)
As a token of goodwill, Kwaku Dua was promptly issued with 2000 rifles, valued at 32,500 guilders, and 812½ ounces of gold. He was left in no doubt as to the expectation that, prior to the delegation’s departure, a similar token of goodwill would come from him. My
On 19 February at two o’clock Verveer received word that Kwaku Dua I was on his way. The members of the band arranged themselves in a semicircle and launched into the so-called “March for the King of Ashanti.” The retainers of H.H. were so numerous that most of them were obliged to remain outside. Only Kwame Poku, the king’s nephew and heir to the throne, and his son Kwasi Boachi, were admitted, along with nine young girls belonging to the royal family. The king and his courtiers were heavily laden with gold; the former was literally bowed down by the weight. A porcelain jug of palm wine was brought and two golden-eared calabashes. When H.H. took a draught of wine, his trusted slaves held a bowl under his chin into which he deliberately spilled some liquid from his mouth: this spillage was eagerly drunk by them. When H.H. spat on the ground, we saw his bodyguards take up the royal fluid and rub it into their skins. We presented H.H. with portraits of our own royal family and a camera obscura.
The negotiations were now underway and proceeded during the following days with varying degrees of success, but at this time Verveer fell ill. His condition declined by the day. He su fered greatly and we began to understand why these regions are known as “the white man’s grave.”
On 26 February we took a stroll in the night and I tripped over some obstacle in my path. The orderlies escorting us lowered their lanterns and to our horror we saw three freshly severed heads of young negroes lying before me. It was the great feast day of the fetish named Ady, on which occasion it is customary for all to shake hands with the king and his grandees. Preceded by our musicians we made haste to join the ceremony, but could barely reach H.H. through the dense crowd. A large number of people were sacrificed on the graves of the royal family that day. This ceremony was performed once each month. 1
Although Kwame and I were informed of the progress of the negotiations, we were indifferent to their nature. We amused ourselves with the gifts and enjoyed the attention that was lavished on us. The Dutch dagger, given to me by Verveer, was my very first weapon. Kwame and I took turns to wear it. Our delight pleased my father. This gift in particular softened him towards the Hollanders, who understood that they had succeeded in influencing the Asantehene’s mood through his son. From then on there was an unspoken connection between me and the negotiations.
The governor-general’s illness lasted for two weeks. This was taken to be a sign that our gods were not in favour of his mission. Nevertheless van Drunen and the other officers succeeded in bringing the affair to a satisfactory conclusion. A contract was drawn up: in exchange for firearms the Asantehene promised to supply the Dutch agent Huydecoper with one thousand male slaves/recruits annually. (Slaves slash recruits, a script notation that would earn the Dutch much international notoriety and an official complaint, served against them by England, for infracting the law against slave trading.)
As a token of goodwill, Kwaku Dua was promptly issued with 2000 rifles, valued at 32,500 guilders, and 812½ ounces of gold. He was left in no doubt as to the expectation that, prior to the delegation’s departure, a similar token of goodwill would come from him. My
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