The Kru quarters are at
the western base of the hill; a few hands, however, live in the two little
villages upon the Takwa rivulet. The Sierra Leone and Akra artificers
occupy their own hamlet between the Kru lines and the stamps. Last year
there was a garden with a small rice-field, but everything was stolen as
soon as it was fit to gather.
Next morning Mr. MacLennan led me to the diggings. This concession, which
is the southernmost but one upon the Takwa ridge, contains one thousand by
two thousand fathoms; and desultory work began in 1880. The rock, a
talcose gneiss, all laden with gold, runs along the whole length of the
hill, striking, as usual, north 6? east (true). In places it forms a
basset, or outcrop, cresting the summit; and the eastern flank is cliffy,
like that of the Tebribi. To get at the ore three shafts have been sunk on
the western slope of the ridge just below the highest part, and a passage
is being driven to connect the three. A rise for ventilation, and for
sending down the stone, connects this upper gallery with a lower one; and
the latter is being pushed forward to unite the three tunnels pierced
horizontally near the foot of the hill, at right angles to the lode.
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