"Asante to Basel"

Concerning the report that the imprisoned missionaries have been executed. Asante is sure that this report is wrong, having other information from fairly sure sources, namely Akims returning from an escape from Asante captivity. They had gone to Kwahu to trade, in a party which included 3 Christians from Aburi (Widman inserted in the margin that they had gone to trade in slaves). They were captured when the Asante-Fante war broke out and taken to Kumasi. There they were taken before Karikari who consigned the Aburi Christians to the care of Ramseyer. This he heard not directly from one of the Akims, but from a man who had recently heard it at first hand. Asante also considers that if anyone will hear news about the missionaries, it would be someone in Akim. There is still secret traffic going on between the two nations and notable news leaks through with this sort of contact. For example the Begoros recently heard from Kwahus who had come there to trade that 400 Asantes had gone towards Krobo to purchase munitions, and had sent a party out in turn to attempt to capture them. In any case the Asantes believe that it was killing Sir Charles McCarthy which has brought such trouble upon them - and they rarely or never kill anyone of significance in the belief that they represent a useful bargaining point in peace negotiations.

29.04.1873

29.04.1873

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