Here again appeared a large block of greenstone deeply grooved by the
grinder. Thence we debouched upon the surf-lashed shore, tripped over by
the sandpiper and the curlew and roped by the bright-flowered convolvulus.
Streaks of the auriferous black sand became more frequent and promising as
we advanced.
We ran close to Akromasi, or One-tree Point, upon whose flat dorsum linger
the bush-grown ruins of a fort. It was named Elisa Cartago by its
founders, the Portuguese, who were everywhere haunted by memories of the
classics. Bowdich [Footnote: Folio, p. 271.] is eminently in error when he
places the remains 'at the extreme navigable point of the river,' and
opines that the work was built by Governor Ringhaven (Ruyghaver), buried
at Elmina in 1700. He was misinformed by Colonel Starrenberg, a Dutch
officer who canoed three days up the Bosom Prah River, a fact probably
unknown to Commodore Commerell. Bosman [Footnote: Letter I. 1737.] shows
'Elisa Cartago op den Berg Ancober,' crowning the head of Akromasi Point,
with a road leading up to the palisades which protect the trade-houses.
Lieutenant Jeekel, [Footnote: Map of the former Dutch possessions on the
Gold Coast (districts of Apollonia, Azim, Dixcove, Sekondi, Chama, and
El-Mina), by Lieut.
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