"Haas to Basel"

Reports a surprise visit to Gyadam by Mader and about 20 pupils from the Catechists' Institute. They arrived at a time when the king of Gyadam was at odds with the king of Akropong through the latter’s protection of 2 of Agyeman’s subjects who had fled to Mampong Akwapim after being heavily punished for rebellion. In Mampong they had been causing difficulties for Gyadam people journeying through that area to Accra. A command from the colonial government for them to be send down to Commandant Freeman for judgment had been refused by the king of Akropong. There was a real possibility of war. The Mission was told to take Catechist Asante out of the town since he was from Akwapim, and when the missionaries tried to tell him (a) that he was safe with them because they did not mix in political matters and (b) that he should wait for the arbitration of the colonial government he impatiently and rudely closed the discussion. 9 people were baptised during Mader’s visit: (i) Kwagyeman, approximately 65 years old, baptised Jakobo. (ii) Kobin, approximately 30 years old, chose Daniel as his name. NB (i) and (ii) are described both from further inland. (ii) appears to have been working for the Mission since he is described as having suffered a serious accident while working as a sawyer. (iii) Kwasia, a Fante, once Haas’ cook, takes the baptismal name Edward, he is already literate. (iv) Kofi Set, now Johannes Seth, from Akropong, has worked as cook for Mohr, Christaller, Widmann in the past, and is now Haas' cook. (v) Kwame Nkrumah, son of the chief fetish priest of Gyadam, now a boy in Kromer’s house, new called Petro. (vi) Enimasko from Gyadam, 16 years old, had served a long time in Süss’s household, now called Joshua. (vii) Anapa from Gyadam, 16 years old, once in Süss’s household, crippled for some time now in his right thigh, now called Josef. (viii) Buabenn, 15 years old from Gyadam, carpentry apprentice, now called Johannes. (ix) Asong, a girl of 18 years old working in Haas’s house. She had been with one of the Kibi princes, who was in the Institute in Akropong, had failed from grace, but since had behaved well. New name Christiana Augustina Helena. There is more information about the actual process by which Süss purchased the hill on which they are now building. The cost was 6 ounces gold-dust, of which 5 has already been paid. But the people of Gyadam were to be permitted to continue to use the land for three years. Since the agreement there has been continual trouble with the king and people about the agreement. There seems to be considerable confusion at the time he wrote - Süss had gone off with all the documentary evidence of the purchase and payment and while the English government had sent an agent (Abraham Hesse) with 5 soldiers on being informed by Haas of threats to the mission property he could do little to help them

29.08.1859

29.08.1859

Text