p. 15 | West Africa by J. M. HYATT

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Nov 10, 1904

West Africa

By J. M. HYATT

ACCRA, GOLD COAST.—This leaves us in fair health. We are here for a little change. School is out now. I have been to Aburi, the much-talked-of place. It is more than twenty-five miles from here. A good road extends far beyond the place. I saw the chief personally, and had a long talk with him. I saw my breath in the morning while there, the first time since coming to Africa. Aburi is not the only desirable place, as there are a number of villages in this mountain range.

I made the trip on my bicycle, hence went to many of the villages in the mountains. The Basel Mission is very strongly established in this part. They have the largest store in Accra, and have schools in every village of any size for miles around Aburi. Many nice churches are to be seen in these villages. The chief offered us a place in Aburi for a house. He also spoke of his own land, about twenty miles from Aburi, on another road from Accra. There are many schools in different parts of this section, and more are being established by the Basel and Wesleyan Missions.

There are many things that make farm-work self-supporting here, such as raising cotton, palm-oil, rubber, besides food stuff. If we were to take up this work, we would receive much assistance from the government in trying to raise cotton, especially as a strong effort is being made to get cotton-growing started on the West Coast.

The Basel Mission has many German missionaries scattered all through this section. There are only a few at Aburi. From my talk with the chief, I think that we can get a farm for little or nothing. If I have time, I intend to see his land before I go back to Cape Coast. I find the people here in Accra very intelligent. I was out with some tracts, and in a few hours sold more than four dollars' worth. I also have one yearly subscription for our paper, and the promise of several more to be paid this week. Some have met me since reading the tracts, and say that they see plainly that the seventh day is the Sabbath. I believe that a strong effort here by a good force of workers would bring good results.

We are well received wherever we go. Here we were met at the landing by one of the leading native merchants. His friend, a lawyer of Cape Coast, had telegraphed him that we were coming. This man likes our papers. He gave me his son's address in London, that I might see that he received some good reading-matter.

This seems to be quite a healthy place. There is a good sea breeze blowing most of the time. The governor and other officers live here. There is not much bush, but mostly grassy plains. It seems good to get a little change. At the same time we are putting out the silent messengers. J. M. HYATT.