' The despot, with African
wiliness, at once threw the blame of threatening Assin upon his confidant,
Saibi Enkwia. No one believed that an Ashantiman would thus expose himself
to certain death; but the explanation served for an excuse. The King also
asserted that his 'Gold Axe' meant simply nothing. Thereupon the officials
of the Protectorate began looking forward to an ample apology, and to a
fine of gold-dust for the disturbing of their quiet days. In fact, they
foresaw 'peace with honour.'
Governor Sir Samuel Rowe, with his usual good fortune, landed at Elmina on
March 9, exactly the right time. The attempt to intimidate had ignobly
failed, and had recoiled upon the attempter. King Mensah, in order to
remove all suspicions of intending a campaign, had resolved to send
coastwards the most important and ceremonious mission of the age. It was
to conclude a kind of _Paix des Dames_. Queen Kokofu had threatened that
in case of hostilities she would go over to the British. The Queen-mother,
a power in the country, which has often kept the peace for it and plunged
it into war, threatened to take her own life--and here such threats are
always followed by action.
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