The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-16

settlement OF the English on the G0ld coast AL
two in the morning, after tour OF over seventy
miles, we arrived opposite Accra and. mailing
mail steamer-the King Benny, Captain Hamilton,
Just arrived-lrom leeward, were soon on Doard'
recipients OF large minded hospitality rom the
gallant old Scotch skipper. A. seven O'CLOCK was
walked Dy
HIDEOUs DIN or HUMAN VOICES
abberiug alongside the ship in their surf boats, an
unintengible jargon OF words such as no CHRISTIAN
like myself could stand without nerves getting IN
strung l. therefore. looked upon what was caiied
Accra with . very sullen face and m no amiao's
frame of mind. The scene ashore was that OF q
straight beach, backed by rude terrace,
which stretched to the right and lett and
rear OF Accra for many miles, sngularly open ana
clear, as seen from shipboard. Accra Itself
struggled in length nearly q mile on the edge Oh
this terrace, overlooking the beach. many preten-
tious houses, whitewashed. attracting attention
nom their prominence above the ciay-brown NUS
amongst them. Almost to the extreme ielt was
tho commandments house, aloof and exclusive as IL
should be, being an Oflcal residence. its wne
verandas denoted luxurious coOlness Its wide
space around 1t informed you that at one time or
another some occupant OF it had been assiduous to
procure unp0luted air. Away to the extreme
right was another large house, with wide veran-
das and abundant grounds about 1t. This was the
Basic Mission House, occupied by singular CON-
munlty OF religious Swiss and Germans, who have
banded together for the very sensible purpose Oh
teaching the natives and making money by them
by honest trade In palm oil and gold dust. In the
very centre OF the town, occupying point very
ike the centre Of an exaggerated parenthesis.
was
THE FORT AND LIGHTHOUSE or AcCRA
Between these houses the body OF the town OF
native ana European buildings damned ITSELF
Some two miles to the east OF the Basic Mission.
occupying the end OF the parenthests Is the village
OF Christiansburg, picturesque mass OF white
washed buildings, consisting OF ruined castle,
ruined marteilo tower and another large establish
ment of the enterprising Basic Mission.
You would hardly believe 1t, perhaps, but what
have described to you as Accra was in possession
OF two foreign powers at one and the same time
Great Britain and the Netherlands. The two por-
lions OF what appears 10 De as one town was
known respectively as jamestown and Dutch
Accra- Each town had its own native king. King
KudJo was under the protection OF the British;
King Pakkt owed allegiance to the Dutch, and at
Christiansburg there reigned King Dawunah. In-
deed the same excessive confusion reigned
throughout the Gold Coast until the British pur-
chased the Dutch out and out . couple OF years
ago.
ASHORE
After breakfast I proceeded ashore in surf
boat manned by naked Accras. Please bear in
mind what / have already told you OF the
difficulties Of landing on the Gold Coast At
Accra, however, the difficulties are terri
BILE. The boatmen urge their heavy, stout
built British boat with nonchalance which
share presently by studying their faces and by re-
mlnding myself with the fact that their whole lives
almost have been passed doing the same duty
upon which they are now engaged, though Dy look
ing ahead at the awful confusion OF the mad
waves W lich surge on the beach could not tell,
to save my life, how or where they proposed to
land. see only long lines, apparently unbroken.
OF dark, damp rocks, and the confusing, believing,
laundering; foamy waves, in which-uness my
men are true anc steadfast as STEEL shall be pres
emily engulphed and swept high on these dark
ROCKS a battered corpse. Pleasant, Is it notf
Destiny Is inevitable, however must go on. The
boatmen's paddles are lifted high and dashed en-
phatcaly into the waves their clear sweet, healthy
toned voices rise in sonOrous Choir US, and the
outer line OF rocks are reached 1t Is only now
that am made aware that there is passage run
ming obiique through the rocky series, and the
steersman astern deity threads the way. Wave
after wave, horrent and menacIng, lit us higher,
still higher. All, God of mercyi we No, by
George that was narrow escape. The boats
Keel bites the beach Of Accra, and we are safe.
will loroear giving You another version OF my
sentiments or opinions respecting what think OF
the British government for leaving this place in
the state OF nature 1t has been left in, as every
other place on the West Coast OF Africa Referring
to the boatmen l will say that they valued their
labor OF bringing me ashore at the very same rate
l valued their dizziness and skill. But would not
like to risk frequent passage among
THOSE ACCRA ROCKS,
much as admire the Accra 5oatmen, nor indeed,
have l seen European who did care to risk it
often.
When we were freed from the boat gang my
chaperOn conducted me to the old fort OF the slave
traders. Almost the very first thing saw that
thought was interesting was a large mural tablet
near the gate, dedicated by man to the memory
OF his friend, whom he had to his eternal sorrow
shot to death by accident Both were English
officers.
ACcRA's FORT
like all the forts on the west coast OF Africa, is
mere succeed or lime and mortar imitation OF
one. Its walls, comparatively speaking, are as
thin cardboard, and there are ODDS and ends
and corners 50 weak that musket ball would al
most knock the whole down. 1t answers its pres.
ent purpose very well, as presume it answered
its purpose in the antiquated times OF rwentyiour
Founders 1t seems as prison for refractory
Accras and coiored cuiprits, who were fed with
Kenke balls. This kenke which is the staple food
OF West Africans, from Sierra Leone to the Congo,
is coarse mush made of ground Indian corn. When
1t Is served out two soup ladies iu folded in two
plantain leaves form one mans ration Ior day.
me digestion OF this food is assisted by fish or
two.
On. mounting the stone stairs leading to the
battiements am enabled TO appreciate the change
which has came over the fort since the town OF
Accra became wholly British possession. The
old cannon have been tumbled into dishon0rable
heaps over the walls and now lie the prey and
sport of the briny SURF There were probably, 500
Old pieces Of artillery In the forts OF St. George del
Nina, Cape Coast Castle, Annamabre. Mumiord.
Apam. Winneban, Accra and Christiansborg at
the beginning OF Sir Garnet Wolseleys adminlstra-
torship Of the Gold Coast and it was seriously In
tended to collect and ship them to England to be
recast, but when the authorities to calculate
the cost they found that the cost OF shipment