"Buck to Basel"

The bulk of this report is printed as an annex to the 1878 Annual Report pp81-84. Additional points: Eisenschmid footnotes Buck's acoount of Akim agriculture that they plant yams, else they would have none for their annum yam custom. To his section about roads he expresses a little impatience with the English government which could do something for their betterment, it is only theirs to command. He also reports losing part of the contents of a box when it was spilt into the water near Abomosu - a carrier was crossing a stream on a submerged tree-trunk, and the water was up to his neck when the accident happened. In his section on trading he mentions that many of the Christians had asked him either for help to buy things to commence trading, or else for a letter of recommendation to a merchant firm on the coast, but he has helped only one man, who had been a merchant before his baptism. In describing the good impression made on him by Kwabeng he mentions that he found a swish house with shingle roof there - this surprised him since generally in Akim the fetishes have forbidden swish houses. Kibi produces not enough agricultur surplus to provide him with his daily Supplies in yams, eggs, hens. He had to take food with him on his last visit to Abomosu also - he could not even get plantains there. The Abomosu chief is heavily in debt, and would not sell the small piece of land the mission wanted because he was not being offered enough money for it. On the other hand he offered his whole stool lands - hours across for £60. One catechumen had been allowed to get baptised by the chief, and elders only on the understanding that he would share the money paid to him by the missionaries with his family (Buck writes that he told the 'good man' that it would not be difficult to keep to that contract). In the Kibi community he called the presbyters together and lamented that the community lies so far behind the other stations and Kukurantumi in economic achievement. They decided they should try to plant oil-palms, meantime to ensure earlier income, they should communally clear a patch for coffee which should be rented out to at least ten people, the rent from them going into the station fund for the needy. This was agreed - Buck remarking how helpful Deacon Date was in this sort of, respect, and also Salomo Botwe as a man whose influence helped.

17.06.1878

17.06.1878

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