My aneroid
showed the height of the crest to be 260 feet above sea-level, and about
160 above the valley. Mr. Wyatt has raised it to 1,400 feet--a curious
miscalculation.
At Effuenta I found Mr. MacLennan, the manager whom we last met at Axim.
Owing to the drowned-out state of 'Government House' he had given
hospitality to Messieurs Higgins and Roulston, and I could not prevent his
leaving his own sleeping-room for my better accommodation. I spent two
days with him inspecting the mine and working up my notes; during this
time Mr. Bowden, of Takwa, and Mr. Ex-missionary Dawson passed through the
station; and I was unfortunate in missing the former.
'Effuenta House' is a long narrow tenement of bamboo and thatch, divided
into six or seven rooms, and built upon a platform of stone and swish
raised seven feet off the ground. All the chambers open upon a broad
verandah, which shades the platform. The inmate was talking of rebuilding,
as the older parts were beginning to decay. He had just set up in his
'compound' two single-room bamboo houses, with plank floors raised four
feet off the ground; these were intended to lodge the European staff.
Other bamboo huts form the offices and the stores.
Pages:
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307