'find.' Their pits, attaining a maximum of 12 feet square by 55 deep,
extended over some 150 yards from NN.E. to SS.W., with a breadth of about
20. From some of these holes rich quartz had been taken, one piece, the
size of a 32-pounder cannon-ball, yielding more than ten ounces of gold. A
shaft, however, soon caved in, for the usual reason: it had been
inadequately timbered and incautiously widened at the bottom to the shape
of a sodawater-bottle. All these works owed a royalty to Ahin Blay; but
his dues were irregularly paid, and consequently he preferred to them a
fixed rental of 100_l_. per annum.

The following anecdote will show how limited is the power of these
'kings.' He of Apollonia wished to sell this southern patch of ground,
worked by the natives, it being, in fact, the terminal tail of the Izrah
reef and the key of the property. But one Etié, head-man of Kikam, bluntly
refused. Presently this chieflet agreed to sell to Mr. Grant the whole
tract, a length of one thousand fathoms from north to south, the breadth
being left undetermined. But Etié was deep in Messieurs Swanzy's books,
and he wanted ready money. The tempter came in the shape of Mr. Dawson, a
native missionary whom I met a score of years ago at Agbóme, and whose
name appears in all narratives of the last Ashanti war. Although an
employé of the Tákwá or French mine, he bought for himself, paying
200_l_., the best part of the reef (100 fathoms), leaving the butt-end, of
inferior value, to Mr. Grant. This was a direct breach of contract, and
might be brought into the local law-courts. I advised, however, an
arrangement _à l'aimable_, and I still hope to see it carried out.

Life at Arábokasu was pleasant enough. The site, rising about 120 feet
above ocean-level, permits the 'Doctor,' alias the sea-breeze, to blow
freshly, and we distinctly heard the sough of the surf. Mornings and
evenings were exceedingly fine, and during the cool nights we found