136 
SEARCHING FOR GOLD DUST. 
Mr. Freeman, missionary, an active and useful man 
from all that could be learned, as well as a consistent 
Christian, who had already made himself well known by 
his mission to Kumassi, was proceeding steadily with 
his labours among the Fantis — and seemed to have some 
hope of their improvendent. 
While rambling about the town, we found several 
women engaged in washing the sand left in the little 
cluinnels caused by the late rains ; from which they 
procured a small quantity of gold dust. Roscher pur- 
chased a small but pure sample at a moderate price. 
It is to be feared that this searching after the gold 
is one of the employments which militates against the 
improvement of the natives. It is a speculative one, 
sometimes yielding a fair day’s return, at others 
nothing ; but as the whole labour falls on the women, 
the lazy Fanti looks on unconcerned, since the expendi- 
ture of the proceeds is usually on his own tastes and 
pleasures — drinking and smoking. 
The natives have several ways of adulterating the 
gold dust, with filings of copper, brass, &c., it is then 
called Krakra, but English merchants, by long experience, 
easily detect it. 
The Akim gold is considered the best, having only 
from four to seven per cent, dross ; the next in quality 
is that from Accra, while that of Capo Coast is the 
least valuable, having sometimes from fifteen to twenty 
per cent, dross. 
