temminck tried to persuade the government to attach pel to jan verveer's 1838 expedition sent to the gold coast to "quell the ahanta insurrection," but his request was denied, as due to the previous failures the government had grown wary with sending taxidermists to the gold coast. in 1840, temminck eventually convinced the government by suggesting to send pel as an ordinary colonial administrator to the coast with the instruction to collect specimens in his spare time. pel was installed as assistant on the coast of guinea by royal decree of 28 june 1840.