The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1909-04-06
On the
Gold Coast.
BY ALBERT W. ToLMAN,


In Capt. Cyrus Varnum's parlor
corner stood a Kroo spear, its long,
Slim tip bristling unpleasantly with
rusted hook-like twists, and two odd.
borked7shaped paddles five feet long.
The captain caught my glance wan
derdng toward this sheaf of curios.
Positively the worst spot / ever
anchored off-that's where these
came FROM" said he. There's no
end of yellow fever and cholera ports,
roadsteads open to wind and sea,
Ravens with reef-bound channels and
shifting bars. But the Gold Coast
hasn't any harbors at all.
Ten years ago made a cruise In
che old bark Cornelia to the Gulf OF
Guinea. shipped a colored crew,
thinking they would stand hot wealth
er better than whites. We were the
first American sailing vessel to carry
case oil to the West Coast, twenty
eight thousand wooden boxes, each
containing two fve-gallon cans.
I'VE raised Cape Coast Castle
March 10Th, after an uneventful run
Of forty-flve days. There we spent
almost two weeks discharging cargo.
The sandshoals compelled us to an
Choir several miles out, and lighter
our oil In the boats of the Kroo
boys.
Tall, strong fellows they are, these
Kroo boys, black as a tar-kettle, and
muscled like prize-fghters. They
can dive like ducks and swim like
bonitos. Without them you couldn't
beach box, bale or barrel on the
Gold Coast. They're a jabbering.
laughing, happy-go-luelxy lot generally,
but bulldogs for holding a grudge.
1--WE broke out the oil for Cape
Coast Castle, took our consignee
aboard, and made sail for Saltpond,
O few leagues farther east. That
first night was a wild one. We were
Jogging along at a two-knot gait I'M
der lower topsails. with no rain and
little wind; but the low, inky clouds
were alive with lightning. The sea
swarmed with sharks, agltter as n
dipped in phosphorus.
We hooked our anchor into the
sand five miles OF Saltpond. Though
north and west winds prevailed. the
heavy roll from the southeast trades
kicked up a fearful surf. II was n
hard place to land cargo.
THE ground-swell wouldn't let the
Kroo boys load alongside so they
lay ten feet off. holding to a rope
from a spar forward. Two single
whips from the topmasthead and the
yard-am hoisted the oil from the
hold. five boxes at time, and swung
II out over the rail. Lot OF cases
were smashed. As only twenty-five
could be safely slowed in each boat,
and as a single round trip took con.
siderable time, II was slow work.
Yet we landed several hundred boxes
q day.
II went ashore with the consignee
in the first boat. leaving my mate.
Henry Billings, the only white man
abroad. to send in the cargo.
Now the Cold Coast abounds in
gray parrots, the highest-priced
birds on the market, worth ten dol.
lars and upward I'm New York. They're
much quicker to learn than the green
ones, and aren't 80 ugly-tempered
I'd planned to buy several dozen. as
q little speculation on my own nc
count 50 I'd brought out eight bags
OF corn to feed them with. and built
o big cage over the bobby hatch.
was ashore at Saitpond FIVE days:
and, with my consignees help
picked up a hundred grays at four
shillings apiece.
at last ] was ready to 60 back
20 the Cornelia. made final pur.
chase Of three rope hammocks at my