TO TUMENTO, THE 'GREAT CENTRAL DEPÔT.'
March 4 was a sore trial to us both. We 'went down' on the same day and
by our own fault. We had given the sorely-abused climate no chance; nor
have we any right to abuse it instead of blaming ourselves. The stranger
should begin work quietly in these regions; living, if possible, near the
coast and gradually increasing his exercise and exposure. Within three
months, especially if he be lucky enough to pass through a mild
'seasoning' of ague and fever, he becomes 'acclimatised,' the consecrated
term for a European shorn of his redundant health, strength, and vigour.
Medical men warn new comers, and for years we had read their warnings,
against the 'exhaustion of the physical powers of the body from
over-exertion.' They prescribe gentle constitutionals to men whose hours
must do the work of days. It is like ordering a pauper-patient generous
diet in the shape of port and beef-steaks; for the safe system, which
takes a quarter of a year, would have swallowed up all our time.
Consequently we worked too hard. Our mornings and evenings were spent in
collecting, and our days in boating, or in walking instead of hammocking.
Indeed, we placed, by way of derision, the Krumen in the fashionable
vehicle. And we had been too confident in our past 'seasoning;' we had
neglected such simple precautions as morning and evening fires and
mosquito-bars at night; finally, we had exposed ourselves somewhat
recklessly to sickly sun and sweltering swamp. Four days on the burning
hill-side completed the work. My companion was prostrated by a bilious
attack, I by ague and fever.
'I thought you were at least fever-proof,' says the candid friend, as if
one had compromised oneself.
Alas! no: a man is not fever-proof in Africa till he takes permanent
possession of his little landed estate. Happily we had our remedies at
hand. There was no medico within hail; and, had there been, we should have
hesitated to call him in. These gentlemen are Government servants, who add
to their official salaries (400_l._ per annum) by private practice. For
five visits to a sick Kruboy six guineas have been charged; 5_l._ for
tapping a liver and sending two draughts and a box of pills, and 37_l._
10_s._ for treating a mild tertian which lasted a week. The late M. Bonnat
cost 80_l._ for a fortnight. Such fees should attract a host of talented
young practitioners from England; at any rate they suggest that each mine
or group of mines should carry its own surgeon.
Cameron applied himself diligently to chlorodyne, one of the two
invaluables on the Coast. We had a large store, but unfortunately the
natives have learnt its intoxicating properties, and during our absence
from Axim many bottles had disappeared. I need hardly say that good locks
and keys are prime necessaries in these lands, and that they are mostly
'found wanting.'
I addrest myself to Warburg's drops (_Tinctura Warburgii_), a preparation
invaluable for travellers in the tropics and in the lower temperates. The
action appears to be chiefly on the liver through the skin. The more a
traveller sees, the firmer becomes his conviction that health means the
good condition of this rebellious viscus, and that its derangement causes
the two great pests of Africa, dysentery and fever. Indeed, he is apt to
become superstitious upon the subject, and to believe that a host of
diseases--gout and rheumatism, cholera and enteric complaints--result
from, and are to be cured or relieved only by subduing, hepatic
disturbances. My 'Warburg' was procured directly from the inventor, not
from the common chemist, who makes the little phialful for 9_d._ and sells
it for 4_s._ 6_d_. Some years ago a distinguished medical friend persuaded
Dr. Warburg, once of Vienna, now of London, to reveal his secret, in the
forlorn hope of a liberal remuneration by the Home Government. Needless to
say the reward is to come. I first learnt to appreciate this specific at
Zanzibar in 1856, where Lieut.-Colonel Hamerton used it successfully in
the most dangerous remittents and marsh-fevers. Cases of the febrifuge
were sent out to the Coast during the Ashanti war for the benefit of army
and navy: the latter, they say, made extensive use of it. I have
persistently recommended it to my friends and the public; and, before
leaving England in 1879, I wrote to the 'Times,' proposing that all who
owe (like myself) their lives to Dr. Warburg should join in relieving his
straitened means by a small subscription. At this moment (June 1882)
measures are being taken in favour of the inventor, and I can only hope
that the result will be favourable.
The 'drops' are composed of the aromatic, sudorific and diaphoretic drugs
used as febrifuges by the faculty before the days of 'Jesuits' bark,' to
which a small quantity of quinine is added. Thus the tincture is
successful in many complaints besides fevers. Evidently skilful
manipulation is an important factor in the sum of its success. Dr. Warburg
has had the experience of the third of a century, and the authorities
could not do better than to give him a contract for making his own cure.
The enemy came on with treacherous gentleness--a slight rigor, a dull pain
in the head, and a local irritation. 'I have had dozens of fevers, and
dread them little more than a cold,' said Winwood Reade; indeed, the
English catarrh is quite as bad as the common marsh-tertian of the Coast.
The normal month of immunity had passed; I was prepared for the inevitable
ordeal, and I flattered myself that it would be a mild ague, at worst the
affair of a week, Altro!
Next morning two white men, owning that they felt 'awful mean,' left
Granton, walked down to Riverside House, and at 8 A.M. embarked upon the
hapless _Effuenta_. The stream rapidly narrowed, and its aspect became
wilder. Dead trees, anchored by the bole-base, cumbered the bed, and dykes
and bars of slate, overlaid by shales of recent date, projected from
either side. The land showed no sign of hills, but the banks were steep at
this season, in places here and there based on ruddy sand and exposing
strips of rude conglomerate, the _cascalho_ of the Brazil. This pudding is
composed of waterworn pebbles, bedded in a dark clayey soil which crumbles
under the touch. On an arenaceous strip projecting from the western edge
the women were washing and panning where the bottom of the digging was
below that of the river. This is an everyday sight on the Ancobra, and it
shows what scientific 'hydraulicking' will do. After six hours of
steaming, not including three to fill the boiler, we halted at Enfrámadié,
the Fanti Frammanji, meaning 'wind cools,' that is, falls calm. It is a
wretched split heap of huts on the left bank, one patch higher pitched
than the other, to avoid the floods; the tenements are mere cages, the
bush lying close to the walls, and supplies are unprocurable. In fact, the
further we go the worse we fare as regards mere lodgings; yet the site of
our present halt is a high bank of yellow clay, which suggests better
things. There is no reason why this miserable hole should not be made the
river-depôt.
On March 4 we set out in the 'lizard's sun,' as the people call the
morning rays; our vehicle was the surf-boat, escorted by the big canoe.
Enfrámadié is the terminus of launch-navigation; the snags in the Dries
stop the way, and she cannot stem the current of the Rains. The Ancobra
now resembles the St. John's or Prince's River in the matter of
timber-floorwork and _chevaux de frise_ of tree-corpses disposed in every
possible direction. After half an hour we paddled past the 'Devil's Gate,'
a modern name for an old and ugly feature. H.S.M.'s entrance (to home?) is
formed by black reefs and ridges projected gridiron-fashion from ledges on
either side almost across the stream, leaving a narrow _Thalweg_ so
shallow that the boatmen must walk and drag. During the height of the
floods it is sometimes covered for a few hours by forty feet of water,
rising and falling with perilous continuity.
Beyond 'Devil's Gate' a pleasant surprise awaited us. Mr. D. C. MacLennan,
manager of the Effuenta mine, [Footnote: The name was given by M. Dahse;
it is that of the first worker, Efuátá, a woman born on Saturday (_Efua_),
and the third of a series of daughters (_átá_).] stopped his canoe to
greet us. He was justly proud of his charge--a box of amalgam weighing 15
lbs. and carrying eighty ounces of gold. It was to be retorted at home and
to be followed within a fortnight by a larger delivery, and afterwards by
monthly remittances. The precious case, which will give courage to so many
half-hearted shareholders, was duly embarked on the A.S.S. _Ambriz_
(Captain Crookes); and its successor, containing the produce of a hundred
tons, on the B. and A. _Benguela_ (Captain Porter). Consequently the
papers declared that Effuenta was first in the field of results. This is
by no means the case. As early as November 1881 Mr. W. E. Crocker, of
Crockerville, manager of the important Wásá, (Wassaw) mining-property,
sent home gold--amalgam, and black sand [Footnote: I have before noticed
this 'golden sea-sand.' It has lately been found, the papers tell me, on
the coast about Cape Commerell, British Columbia. A handful, taken from a
few inches below the surface, shows glittering specks of 'float-gold,'
scales so fine that it was difficult to wash them by machinery. Mem. This
is what women do every day on the Gold Coast. The _Colonist_ says that a
San Francisco company has at length hit upon the contrivance. It consists
of six drawers or layers of plates punched with holes about half an inch
in diameter, and covered with amalgam. The gold-sand is 'dumped in;' and
the water, turned on the top-plate, sets all in motion: the sand falls
from plate to plate, leaving the free loose gold which has attached itself
to the amalgam, and very little remains to be caught by the sixth plate.
So simple a process is eminently fitted for the Gold Coast.]--a total of
sixty-eight ounces to twenty-five tons.
After an hour's paddling we sighted a few canoes and surf-boats under a
raised clay-bank binding the stream on the left. This was Tumento
(Tomento), our destination; the word means 'won't go,' as the rock is
supposed to say to the water. The aspect of the Ancobra becomes gloomy and
menacing. The broad bed shrinks to a ditch, almost overshadowed by its
sombre walls of many-hued greens; and the dead tree-trunks of the channel,
ghastly white in the dull brown shade, look to the feverish imagination
like the skeleton hands and fingers of monstrous spectres outspread to bar
thoroughfare.
We landed and walked a few yards to the settlement. A 'Steam-launch'
sounds grandiose, and so does a 'Great Central Depôt'--seen on paper. And
touching this place I was told a tale. Some time ago two young French
employés, a doctor and an engineer, were sent up to the mines, and fell
victims to the magical influence of the name. Quoth Jules to Alphonse, 'My
friend, we will land; we will call a _fiacre_; we will drive to the local
Three Provincial Brothers; we will eat a succulent repast, and then for a
few happy hours we will forget Blackland and these ignoble blacks.' So
they toiled up the stiff and slippery slope, and found a scatter of
crate-huts crowning a bald head of yellow argil. Speechless with rage and
horror at the sight of the 'Depôt,' they rushed headlong into the canoe,
returned without a moment's delay to Axim, and, finding a steamer in the
bay, incontinently went on board, flying the Dark Continent for ever.
We housed ourselves in Messieurs Swanzy and Crocker's establishment at
Tumento. The climate appeared wholesome; the river brought with it a
breeze, and we were evidently entering the region of woods, between the
mangrove-swamps of the coast and the grass-lands of the interior.
At Tumento I met, after some twenty years, Mr. Dawson, of Cape Coast
Castle. The last time it was at Dahoman Agbóme, in company with the Rev.
Mr. Bernasko, who died (1872) of dropsy and heart-disease. He is now in
the employment of the Tákwá, or French Company, and his local knowledge
and old experience had suggested working the mines to M. Bonnat. Some
forty years ago the English merchants of 'Cabo Corso' used to send their
people hereabouts to dig; and more recently Mr. Carter had spent, they
say, 4,000_l_. upon the works. He was followed by another roving
Englishman, who was not more successful. The liberation of pawns and other
anti-abolitionist 'fads' had so raised the wage-rate that the rich placers
were presently left to the natives. We exchanged reminiscences, and he at
once started down stream for Axim.
As we were unable to work, Mr. Grant proceeded to inspect the concession
called 'Insimankáo,' the Asamankáo of M. Zimmermann. It is the name of the
village near which Sir Charles Macarthy was slain: our authorities
translated it 'I've got you,' as the poor man said to the gold, or the
cruel chief to the runaway serf. Mr. Dawson, who is uncle by marriage to
Mr. Grant, had also suggested this digging. Our good manager, now an adept
at prospecting, found the way very foul and the place very rich. It was
afterwards, as will be seen, visited by Mr. Oliver Pegler and lastly by
Cameron.
Amongst the few new faces seen at Tumento were two 'Krambos,' Moslems and
writers of charms and talismans. A 'Patent Improved Metallic Book,' which
looked in strange company, contained their 'fetish' and apparently
composed their travelling kit. Both hailed from about Tinbukhtu, but their
Arabic was so imperfect that I could make nothing of their route. These
men acquire considerable authority amongst the pagan negroes, who expect
great things from their 'grígrís.' They managed to find us some eggs when
no one else could. This Hibernian race of Gold Coast blacks had eaten or
sold all its hens, and had kept only the loud-crowing cocks. The presence
of these two youths convinced me that there will be a Mohammedan movement
towards the Gold Coast. A few years may see thousands of them, with
mosques by the dozen established upon the sea-board. The 'revival of
El-Islam' shows itself nowhere so remarkably as in Africa.
At Tumento Cameron found himself growing rapidly worse. He suffered from
pains in the legs, and owned that even when crossing Africa during his
three years of wild life he remembered nothing more severe. In my own case
there was a severe tussle between Dr. Warburg and Fever-fiend. The attacks
had changed from a tertian to a quotidian, and every new paroxysm left me,
like the 'possessed' of Holy Writ after the expulsion of 'devils,' utterly
prostrate. During the three days' struggle I drained two bottles of
'Warburg.' The admirable drug won the victory, but it could not restore
sleep or appetite.
Seeing how matters stood, and how easily bad might pass to worse, I
proposed the proceeding whereby a man lived to fight another day. We were
also falling short of ready money, and the tornadoes were becoming matters
of daily occurrence. After a long and anxious pow-wow Cameron accepted,
and it was determined to run down to the coast, and there collect health
and strength for a new departure. No sooner said than done. On March 8 we
left Tumento in our big canoe, passed the night at Riverside House, and
next evening were inhaling, not a whit too soon, the inspiriting
sea-whiffs of Axim.
The rest of my tale is soon told.
Cameron recovered health within a week, and resolved to go north again.
His object was to inspect for the second time the working mines about
Tákwá, and to note their present state; also to make his observations and
to finish his map. He did not look in full vigour; and, knowing his
Caledonian tenacity of purpose, I made him promise not to run too much
risk by over-persistence. After a _dîner d'Axim_ and discussing a
plum-pudding especially made for our Christmas by a fair and kind friend
at Trieste, he set out Ancobra-wards on March 16. He would have no Krumen;
so our seven fellows, who refused to take service in the Effuenta mine,
were paid off and shipped for 'we country.' The thirty hands ordered in
mid-January appeared in mid-March, and were made over to Mr. MacLennan. My
companion set out with faithful Joe, Mr. Dawson the stuffer, and his dog
Nero. I did not hear of him or from him till we met at Madeira.
My case was different. I could not recover strength like my companion, who
is young and who has more of vital force to expend. This consideration
made me fearful of spoiling his work: a sick traveller in the jungle is a
terrible encumbrance. I therefore proposed to run south and to revisit my
old quarters, 'F.Po' and the Oil Rivers, in the B. and A. s.s. _Loanda_
(Captain Brown), the same which would pick up my companion after his
return to Axim.
Life on the coast was not unpleasant, despite the equinoctial gales which
broke on March 19 and blew hard till March 25. I had plenty of occupation
in working up my notes, and I was lucky enough to meet all the managers of
the working mines who were passing through Axim. From Messieurs Crocker
(Wásá), MacLennan (Effuenta), Creswick (Gold Coast Company), and Bowden
(Tákwá [Footnote: Alias the African Gold Coast Company, whose shareholders
are French and English. It has lately combined with the Mine d'Or
d'Abowassu (Abosu), the capital being quoted at five millions of francs.
Thus the five working mines are reduced to four, while the 'Izrah' and
others are coming on (May 1882).]) I had thus an opportunity of gathering
much hearsay information, and was able to compare opinions which differed
widely enough. I also had long conversations with Mr. A. A. Robertson,
lately sent out as traffic-manager to the Izrah, and with Mr. Amondsen,
the Danish sailor, then _en route_ to the hapless Akankon mine. Mr. Paulus
Dahse, who was saved from a severe sickness by Dr. Roulston and by his
brother-in-law, Mr. Wulfken, eventually became my fellow-passenger to
Madeira, where I parted from him with regret. During long travel and a
residence of years in various parts of the Gold Coast he has collected a
large store of local knowledge, and he is most generous in parting with
his collection.
But, when prepared to embark on board the _Loanda_, which was a week late,
my health again gave way, and I found that convalescence would be a long
affair. Madeira occurred to me as the most restful of places, and there I
determined to await my companion. The A.S.S. _Winnebah_ (Captain Hooper)
anchored at Axim on March 28; the opportunity was not to be lost, and on
the same evening we steamed north, regaining health and strength with
every breath.
The A.S.S. _Winnebah_ could not be characterised as 'comfortable.' Mr.
Purser Denny did his best to make her an exception to the Starvation rule,
but even he could not work miracles. She is built for a riverboat, and her
main cabin is close to the forecastle. She was crowded with Kruboys, and
all her passengers were 'doubled up.' A full regiment of parrots was on
board, whose daily deaths averaged twenty to thirty. The birds being worth
ten shillings each, our engines were driven as they probably had never
been driven before, and the clacking of the safety-valve never ceased.
The weather, however, was superb. We caught the north-east Trade a little
north of Cape Palmas, and kept it till near Grand Canary. On April 13,
greatly improved by the pleasant voyage and by complete repose, I rejoiced
once more in landing at the fair isle Madeira.
And now _Cameronus loquitur_.