' Here, as at
other main fords and ferries, defensive works were laid out. Arrangements
were made for holding nine out of the eighteen forts, abandoning the rest;
and Accra was strengthened as the central place. The 'companies,' or
'native levies,' who, with a suspicious unanimity, applied for guns and
gunpowder, lead and flints, were urged to the 'duty of defence.' Five
cruisers, under Commander (now Captain, R.N.) J. W. Brackenbury, were
stationed off the three chief castles, Elmina, Cape Coast, and Anamabo,
and the naval contingent was drilled daily on shore. The Haussa
constabulary was reinforced. The First West India Regiment sent down men
from Sierra Leone, and the Second 500 rank and file from Barbadoes. In
fact, such ardour was shown that the Ashantis, scared out of their
intentions of scaring, began to fear another English invasion. 'The white
men intend to take Kumasi again!' they said; and perhaps the reflection
that 48,000 ounces of gold were still due to us suggested a motive. They
had been making ready for offence; now they prepared for defence.
About mid-February the 'situation' notably changed. Messieurs Buck and
Huppenbauer, two German missionaries who were making a 'preaching-tour,'
reported from Kumasi that King Mensah was afraid of war, and that his
kingdom was 'on the point to go asunder.
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