The sun., 1908-05-10
MAP MAKING N JUNGLES.
Experiences OF . Surveying Party In West
African Tropical Forests.

| MAI MdhiNG IN OUNbLES.
Experiences OF . Surveying Party In West
African Tropical Forests.
Major F. @. Guggisberg, R. e.. IL now
busy preparing the final sheets Of the map
Of the Gold Coast Colony and Ashanti. the
production Of which may be said TO rep
resent over six years Of patient work, says
the london Standard. Probably no man
knows more about the West Coast OF Africa
than this we'll known surveyor Of the Royal
Engineers. He has tIaversed its great
forests with his white assistants and their
black carriers. settled land disputes with
native kings and chiefs, and in his wand
erings in these strange negro kingdoms he
has witnessed many unfamiliar sights and
encountered not few adventures.
In describing his experiences Major
Guggsberg gave an interesting glimpse
OF a surveyors life in the great tropical
forests OF West Africa. The country is
very rough and the climate abominable.
he declared. In the great forest, which
extends for some 800 miles from east 10
west, and varies in width from 100 miles
on the east TO 800 miles on the west. the
work was exceedingly trying. II is only
| some five degrees north Of the line and
! one appears to feel the effects OF the sun
more here than in countries even nearer to
the equator. There Is an intense damp
ness about the atmosphere with the result
that ones clothes are never dry.
In the forest itself the surveyors had
literally 10 cut their way through II foot by
4 ha M IN ~ a hai0kt NJ
is0 feet, and from their upper portions
branch Of huge umbrellalike limbs stretch
ing out horizontally for distances Of from
twenty TO fifty feet. From tree to tree
stretch ropelike creepers as thick as large
hawsers. Then comes the underground.
30 thick as TO be impenetrable to any one
unarmed with axe and maohete. The sun
Is practically blotted out. This under
growth consist Of all kinds Of small trees,
bushes shrubs, Creepers, thorns and
prickly plants, running up TO a height In
some cases Of more than sixty feet.
The whole forest teens with insect life.
Snakes, scorpions centipedes and almost
every creeping thing one could name are
found In II, while In the branches Of the
trees may be seen parrots. green pigeons
and a host OF smaller tropical birds. many
Of the latter possessing the most beautiful
plumage. The noise Is simply deafening.
particularly In the early morning and late
afternoon. Except for the native sheep and
COWS In the village clearinRs thers Is prac-
tically no animal life In the forests and
horses cannot live there owing to the pres
ence Of the tsetse fly.
At one period Of the work Major GuRgis-
berg had eighty white men and one thou
sand natives under control, and the immense
amount Of work required in organizing an
expedition Of this size can readily be imag-
ined when II is remembered that practically
no stores Of any kind could be obtained
inland. The expedition was divided into
twelve parties, each carrying an eight
months supply Of food and various neces-
stiles Of life on the heads Of carriers. Every
thing from a bed 10 frying pan, from
timed meat TO the last ounce OF pepper,
from a medicine chest TO pipe Of tobacco,
had TO be foreseen. purchased and packed
in suitable loads eight months ahead and
in addition 10 this arrangements made for
the execution Of work, carrying out Of
postal services and supply OF money for
the whole period.
All this organization fell 10 the lot Of
the director and one or two assistants
during June 10 August every year which,
being the rainy season on the coast, we're
spent by the stan In England, and the fort
for drawing up the programme Of work
and issuing the necessary orders for its
execution.
Work In the bush, as the great forest is
called, was no light employment. At 445
In the morning the surveyor was called by
his black boy, and while he partook OF his
breakfast II he wanted any, his tent was
struck The head man then looks after
the black carriers, who are sent on in ad-
vance with the provisions all timed stuff
and II there Is any cutting 10 be done
that day in advance OF these go a party Of
say, fifteen men, under head man, armed
with axes and machetes, who literally chop
their way through the forest in the direc-
tion II is desired TO make the survey. The
general principle Of cutting Is 10 cut the
undergrowth and smaller trees down until
the party stumbles across large tree that
would take too long 10 fell and then TO
change the direction Of the line, which
means that the path bends q little 10 the
right or left as II proceeds, giving II more
or less ziRzag character
The path thus made for the surveyor is
merely narrow lane few feet in width.
As soon as the paths are cut the surveyor
comes along with his table and theodolite,
measures the angles and lengths Of the
lines, which are reduced by calculations TO
a form from which map can be made.
At every three to FIVE miles permanent
mark" with a distinguishing number TO
act as a beacon, is erected, and also 10
preserve the azimuth observed there.
At every five or ten miles angular meas
urements In the traverse lines are corrected
by star observations, which means that
the surveyor has 10 be up till or o'clock
in the morning finding his latitude and
bearing astronomcally.
Naturally Major Guggisberg met many
native kings and chiefs. He often had TO
consult them 10 settle boundary disputes.
He soon discovered that they love cere-
mony. and things had TO be done in GER
tain amount Of style. The dusky monarchs
met the white man under the great palaver
trees. when the grievances we're fully and
elaborately discussed and with hardly an
exception amicably settled. The chiefs
on these occasions were dressed In the most
picturesque garments and wore heavy gold