The second is, thanks to the practical training he
has received from the Basel Mission, a very fair artisan, cook, or
clerk, but also no good for plantation work, except as an overseer.
The third is a poor artisan, an excellent clerk, or subordinate
official, but so unreliable in the matter of honesty as to be nearly
reliable to swindle any employer. Lagos turns out a large quantity
of educated natives, but owing to the growing prosperity of the
colony, these are nearly all engaged in Lagos itself.
An important but somewhat neglected factor in the problem is the
nature of the West African native, and as I think a calm and
unbiassed study of this factor would give us the satisfactory
solution to the problem, I venture to give my own observations on
it.
The Kruboys, as the natives of the Grain Coast are called,
irrespective of the age of the individual, by the white men - the
Menekussi as the Effiks call them - are the most important people of
West Africa; for without their help the working of the Coast would
cost more lives than it already does, and would be in fact
practically impossible. Ever since vessels have regularly
frequented the Bights, the Kruman has had the helpful habit of
shipping himself off on board, and doing all the heavy work.
