30 COCOA 



a chain of factories consists of European agents and 

 assistants, together with a number of native clerks. 

 On behalf of each directorate one European agent 

 has charge of the Accra district, another of the 

 Coomassie district; the assistants may be deputed by 

 the agent whom they are under to help at his district 

 factory, or they may be sent by him into the Bush 

 to take charge of, or act as second-in-command of, 

 a sub-station. 



Our host is the Accra district agent for the pur- 

 chase of cocoa beans in the joint interests of two 

 of the oldest and best known English firms of cocoa 

 and chocolate manufacturers, Messrs. J. S. Fry and 

 Sons, Ltd., Bristol, and Messrs. Cadbury Bros., Ltd., 

 Bournville, Birmingham. 



CHAPTER VI 



OFF TO THE BUSH 



WE are going by train from Accra to Tafo, the main 

 artery of the most extensive cocoa-growing district 

 in the Gold Coast. Although the whole distance to 

 railhead at Tafo is only about sixty-six miles, we are 

 not travelling straight through; our plans are made 

 for breaking the journey at the principal cocoa stations 

 en route, and staying at one and another of them long 

 enough to enjoy a variety of excursions on foot and 

 by motor to neighbouring and outlying scenes of 

 activities connected with the cultivation of cocoa, 

 the preparation of the beans for market, and the 

 disposal of the crop. The country in which the cocoa 

 farms are situated is usually spoken of as " the Bush," 

 because it was practically all jungleland not long ago, 



