AFRICAN CARRIERS.

Clutha Leader, Volume XLII, Issue 88, 12 May 1916, Page 1

AFRICAN CARRIERS.

.UAM AJj LABOR, IS CHEAP. I'nuMial and interesting is the spectacle in the African Gold Coast country of tile tiniisport of cocoa, the bulk of the inland produce being carried bv porters to the railroad. Sometimes the Nadwys as far as the eye can see are cos long line uf cocoa bags oil the heads of hundreds oi carriers. This carrying trade has produced an extraordinary flow of free labor into the whole hinterland oi die Gold Coast. At Adawo. I buying station nearly ]•"> milps from the rail head, one firm alone employs in the season carriers, who cover the distance to the rail' station at Pakro once and frequently twice a day with a 190-pound bay of cocoa.

Tiio fa nit- of the Gold Coast carrier traffic has spread far into the northern regions of the country, with the result that the result that the recognised caravan mutcis now come right down through the Northern Territories. These carriers many of them from around and even beyond Lake Chad, drive herds oi cattle down to the Gold Coasi colony about harvest time. They sell the cattle and then carry cocoa for tho season. When the main harvest is over and there is little cocoa carrying, they purchase loads of kola nuts, which they take hack with them to the Jar interior and sell en route at a considerable profit. Many of J lie native farmers within 38 miles ol Accra prefer to sell their cocoa at, a higher price at the port of embarkation, and so have created the interesting of "bAfol rolling." In the cocoa season strong-bound anl ponderous casks are tilled with the owns anil mlied t" the seashore. Travelling along the isomowhat primitive roads one meet-, ; it frequent intervals perspiring natives struggling with the barrel which, tilled with cocoa, weighs wnsidprably over a quarter of a ton. ™ a 'hire in en roll two casks, Me relieving the other. Occasionally 'ho loss, due to accidents, is eouft'ideriw.