At this Cape Corso on the Gold Coast, is the principal Fort and Factory of our English Company, to which their Ships constantly resort, and receive orders either by themselves, or with Supercargoes, where else to proceed.
The Company about this time of our Voyage had raised by Subscription 392400l. and in December 1722, made a Call of 5 per Cent. allowing the Proprietors, as had been accustomed, a Dividend of 3 per Cent. In December 1723, they exposed to Sale 200000l. Stock at 30 per Cent. which shewed their Affairs had an ill Aspect, notwithstanding their late Flourishes; confirmed next Winter, when they petitioned the Government (I find in a Pamphlet printed a few Years since) that they were undone, and the African Trade lost, unless they were impower’d to scheme it over again: The Projectors for the Company righteously proposed, that if the Legislature would give a Sanction, they would engage to raise the Stock-jobbing Humour, and raise a Million, whereof they would be liberal.
The Factory consists of Merchants, Factors, Writers, Miners, Artificers and Soldiers; and excepting the first Rank, who are the Council for managing Affairs, are all of them together a Company of white Negroes, who are entirely resigned to the Governour’s Commands, according to the strictest Rules of Discipline and Subjection; are punished (Garison fashion) on several Defaults, with Mulcts, Confinement, the Dungeon, Drubbing, or the Wooden Horse; and for enduring this, they have each of them a Salary sufficient to buy Canky, Palm-Oil, and a little Fish to keep them from starving: for tho’ the Salaries found tolerably in Leadenhall-Street (50 to 90l. per Ann. a Factor; 50 an Artificer) yet in the Country here, the General (for the Company’s good) pays them in Crackra, a false Money which is only current upon the spot, and disables them from taking any advantage of buying Necessaries from Ships coasting down. If the Subjects should have other, it’s against the Interest of the Company to suffer its being laid out any where from themselves, because their Stock would by that means lie dead. So that for the Support of Nature, or perhaps indulging youthful Follies, these thin Creatures are obliged to take up of the Company, and in effect by it sign over their Liberty; none being admitted to depart, ’till he has adjusted all Accounts. When the Man is too sober to run in Debt, there are Arts of Mismanagement, or loss of Goods under his Care, to be charged or wanting. Thus they are all liable to be mulcted for Drunkenness, Swearing, Neglects, and lying out of the Castle, even for not going to Church, (such is their Piety:) and thus by various arbitrary Methods, their Service is secured durante bene placito.
The same Method he takes with the Town Negroes, who, inconsiderate Wretches, are continually scoring up for Goods or Drams, and thus become Pawns to the Company, i. e. liable to be sold when the General thinks fit.
The Director-General is Supreme, or first Person in the Factory, at 2000l. per Ann. Two other Merchants at 300l. and a Secretary at 200l. are what compose the Council for the Company’s Affairs; send Factors to their outer Forts, and Supercargoes on board Vessels to collect the Trade, who are to transmit and make up their Accounts here. The General supports a Table for them; a [22]Chaplain and Surgeon, who have orderly Meals, without any idle Bottles.
Tho’ the General has but one Vote in Business, yet it’s tacitly consented, from his better Allowance and Power as Governour, that he shall lead the others, who sign only for their Salaries: He therefore disposes solely of Preferments to the Factors and Writers, who, as they please or displease, may be continued at, or removed to their advantage. For, as on Service from the Fort they are allowed a Commission in Trade, additional to their Pay; so, in some of the outer Forts (such as Accra, or in a Ship) they make considerable Increase; while at others again, Anamaboo, or Dixcove, they find a great deal of Trouble, wet Lodging, Scarcity of Provision, and no Profit; and as these last outnumber the good, I observed most of our Factors to have dwindled much from the genteel Air they brought; wear no Cane nor Snuff-box, idle in Men of Business, have lank Bodies, a pale Visage, their Pockets sown up, or of no use, and their Tongues tied. One Cause of their Slenderness indeed, is a Scarcity of Provision; little besides Plantain, small Fish, Indian Corn, and a great deal of Canky, to be bought at Market.[23] Poor T——d was a Youth well recommended, and lived as long as he could. I had once some Business in his Office, when a Negro Woman came bawling about his Ears for a Plantain he had stole from her: He would feign have concealed the meaning of her Musick, but at length I understood it was the only Morsel he had eat for three days past; one night’s Debauch, and several Mulcts having run him out of Pocket. The next Occasion I had of enquiring after him, I heard, that being too narrowly watched in this illegal Traffick, he pined with a Vacuum of the Guts, and died; leaving this Advice to his Countrymen, rather to run a remote hazard of being hanged at home, than chuse a Transfretation hither.
Another Instance how well they live, was the Captain of their Soldiers, in my time stealing away from the Castle in the night, to make his Escape on board a Brigantine going off the Coast; but, unlucky Gentleman, was chased and brought back by the Weymouth next day: The General, by Canon Law, fined the Master of the Vessel, 70 Ounces for this Misdemeanor, besides corporal Punishment.
The General does not feel this Want, for altho’ here be a Scarcity of neat Cattle, Kid, or Fowl, (no body having any besides himself) he supplies this Want from other Parts, by their own trading Vessels, and Dashees from Masters of Ships, and neighbouring Nations; and for Vegetables, he has a large Garden without the Castle, first planted by Sir Dalby Thomas, a former Governour, abounding not only with their’s, but Fruits of English Growth, and entirely for his own use. Of Taggys, a sweet Nut, they make Emulsions, and boil to a Custard.
Cromers grow in Pods like Peas, but larger, rounder, and full of little Seed; this, and Tantarraboys, a Fruit red and yellow, that grows wild, they put into their black Soupee, made here in the best and cleanest manner, washing the Palm-nuts with warm water, to bring away the Strings.