The Kruboys in the north and the Kabinda boys in the south have been described as the Irishmen of West Africa: they certainly do the most work; and trading-ships would find it almost impossible to trade without them. During the last twenty years they have not improved in efficiency even on board men-of-war. In 1861-65 the gangs with their headmen willingly engaged for three years. Now they enlist only for a year; they carefully keep tallies, and after the tenth monthly cut they begin to apply for leave. Thus the men's services are lost just as they are becoming valuable. It is the same with the Accra-men. When the mines learn the simple lesson _l'union fait la force_ they will combine not to engage Krumen for less than two years. There are two great centres at which Kruboys are hired. The first is Sierra Leone, where they demand from all employers what the mail-steamers pay--the headmen half-a-crown and the hands a shilling a day besides rations. The second is the Kru coast. In 1850 the 'boys' received 5_s._ per mensem in goods, which reduced it to 3_s._ They had also daily rice-rations, 'Sunday beef,' and, at times, a dash of tobacco, a cap, a blanket or a waist-cloth. In 1860 the hire rose to 9_s._ in kind, or 4_s._ 6_d._ in coin. About this time cruisers began to pay them the monthly wages of ordinary seamen, 1_l._ 10s., with white man's rations or compensation-money, amounting to another 12_l._ a year. In 1882 headmen engage for the Oil Rivers at 1_l._, and 'boys' for 10_s._ to 12_s._ For the gold-mines of Wasa they have learned to demand 1_s._ 3_d._ per diem, and at the cheapest 1_l._ a month, the headmen receiving double. The Kru-market does not supply more than 4,000 hands, and yet it is already becoming 'tight.' In a few years demand will be excessive. [Footnote: The usual estimate of the Kru-hands employed out of their own country is as follows:-- For the Oil Rivers: 150 each for Brass and Bonny, New Calabar and Camarones; 150-200 for the Niger, and 150 for Fernando Po and the Portuguese Islands 1200-1500 At Lagos 1000 On board the 25 Bristol ships, at 20 each 500 For nine to ten ships of war 200 For ten mail-steamers 200 In the mines: (May, 1882) Izrah 7, Akankon 14, Effuenta 120, the two French companies 200, the Gold Coast 100, and Crockerville 20 461 ---- Total 3861; say 4000] The following notes were given to me by the managers of mines, whom I consulted upon the subject.