The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-05-30
A TALE OF ACCRA.

! Accra is the capital of the Gold Coast,
a portion of her majesty's dominion
that has no great reputation as a sana-
torium. Fate once ordained that my
lot should be cast for awhile in this
West African town, and an agreeable
lot it was in many ways, notwithstand-
ing the insalubrity of the climate. My
billet necessitated my living in a
castle, which was not the least novel
experience among a variety of new
ones When | say castle, it is not to
be understood by this that l mean
frowning edifice with Handicapped
towers" and Gothic or Norman win
dows, as the case may be, after the
manner of the solid piles of medieval
days. On the contrary, there is to be
pictured to the minds eye light and
airy structure, neatly perched on a
promontory on the seaboard, and in its
design admira bly, adapted to the ext
gencies of equatorial life. Cool breezes
played about its verandas, from which
could be surveyed waving palms, a
clOudless sky, and blue sea.
My quarters were situated on the
western battery, and commanded a
view of the extensive courtyard below.
Now this courtyard had one remarka-
BILE feature about it, which was that
quite a spacious portion of it was de-
voted to horticultural purposes. There
We're tubs and pots galore; and several
ornamental beds had been laid out. To
crown all, a magnificent tiamboyant
periodically dOnned it's scarlet mantle.
The whole was surrounded by hibis-
Gus hedge. 1t was in and about this
attractive spot, which lay adjacent to
my quarters, that the little drama was
enacted which is the subject of this
narrative.
On the staff of black servants at the
castle were two Kroo boys, whose sub
stantive duty it was, at six o'clock every
morning, punctually to turn into the
garden that has been referred to, wa
ter the plants-when they required it
collect and remove fallen leaves, and
otherwise put the place in apple-pie
order A Kroo boy, it should be stated,
is a native of the Kroo coast, the ulti-
mate expression of the term having no
reference whatever, as might be ex-
pected, to juvenility. He may be fif-
teen or fifty. The two boys with whom
we are concerned, Kaki and Sattoo,
were probably each about twenty.
Kaki was TALL raw-boned youth of
solemn, almost lugubrious aspect. He
rarely, if ever, smiled, and was slow
and deliberate in ali his movements.
No one would ever have accused him of
being capable of bright idea; but yet,
on occasions, when least expected, he
proved himself to be exceedingly wide
awake. On the whole, he was a bit of
an enigma.
Sattoo was as nearly as possible the
well set up, good-looking darby. His
shiny countenance invariably wore a
pleased expression, and when that
bright smile of his expanded into
broad grin, which it did hundred
times day, he displayed two rows of
pearls which were at once the admira-
ton and envy of the beholder.
AS a com bination, Kaki and Sattoo
were distinctly puzzle. 1t was impos-
sible to say whether they were friends
or foes. They carried out to the letter
bIle TOuUluo WHICH ueCTe6u
that they should be associates in toll,
whether the sphere of operations was
the garden, or whether wood was to be
hewn or water to be drawn; and, to all
appearances, they worked amicably
enough together; but for all that they
never seemed to tighten their task,
whatsoever it was, by the exchange of
a remark of any kind. Day after day
it was the same: Kaki was eternally
glum; and Sattoo, so far as one could
judge, the embodiment of good humor.
Matters had been progressing in this
fashion ever since my arrival at the
castle, when early one morning, as l
was taking it easily in my veranda, in
pyjamas. obscured from the view of
the outside world by the stephanotis
that clambered over the trellis-work, |
was surprised to hear not only dis
cussion, but a heated one, taking
place between our usually silent
young friends. Several words were
pitched in a sufficiently high key to be
heard where | was, but as they were
in the Kroo vernacular, the mysteries
of which l had not yet explored, they
conveyed nothing to me. But l fully
expected, when l looked out into the
garden to acquaint myself with what
was happening, TO see Kaki assault his
helpmate with the watering pot that
he held in his hand, and a counter
attack to be made by Sattoo with the
rake which he held in his. Both had
assumed defiant and defensive atti-
tudes Happily however at that
moment the sergeant of the Haussas
on guard at the castle gates hove in
sight, and as he wascoming in the direc-
ton of the disputants they pocketed
their differences, and resumed work as
II nothing had happened. 1t was