New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-29


scope unavoidable difficulties in the production
of any cOaborative volume, Major Guggisberg /
\ remarks that in the present instance there has
been at least one notable advantage; he has
! been able 10 furnish experience and authority
To the record: his wife has furnished enthu- 1
s-asm and an appreciation OF the novel and pict- /
uresque. The major is oldtimer on the Gold /
Coast: for his wife the expedition described was
the first The combination is a truly happy one |
for the reader.
The major had charge Of the geodetic survey, /
and many OF its operations during the year 1896
along the interior boundaries Of the colony.
During a considerable part Of this inland EXP
dition the authors were quite alone with their 1
corps Of natives for time precious. and as 1
many surveying parties possible had 20 be |
distributed over the territory. Mrs Guggisberg /
assisted her husband in taking the readings; |
she sat beside him in state during the Official |
paavers with the OmdHhinS, or chiefs Of Ashanti /
land: she transported through the bush in |
chair hammock on the heads Of native boys
size had in short, a quite unique opportunity 10
learn the life Of the coast from the inside. And
she loves il. declaring that the damp. close |
atmosphere, the monotonous gloom, the discom- |
forts Of camp life in the bush-ants. cenupedes, |
scorpions snakes and singing winged things OF
every description-are as nothing 10 the beauty |
Of tat grand and wonderful forest, the freedom |
hing among people living God meant they
sbuld live" Yes. she entirely approves Of
Tslygamy-for the African.
= The Gold Coast, on the map Of Africa. APP
YTesrs a small check In the middle OF the |
West African 'overhang." facing south the |
CUT = Guinea. With three hundred miles OF
reefy Goean frontage interior OF dank bush
and arid prairie. and one Of the most eneryating
china ties in the world. the country has been slow
,osr
s-sls long the shore dilapidated forts, once
kxxsed as headquarters I'm the slave trade-Mrs.
LRugysberg visited slave herding cells in Chris
" tanslorg Castle where the walls were twenty
feei thick Nith only one small grated window
for light and air The official parsphernalia OF
th' Ashanti tribes still bears the trophies OF
cannibalism-jaWbones. scalps and the like;
human sacrifices have not long been out OF date.
and the fetch is stin paramount. But steadily
English rule is working a transformation Since
tie horrors OF Coomassie. in 1890. there has
been serious outbreak among the natives; a
railroad has been constructed through the bush
r. connecting the coast with the capital OF Ash
anti: the cultivation Of cocoa and Para rubber
has been widely undertaken and is proving sue
eessful. and mining activities. though much in
Jured by the boom OF a decade since, now
being carried forward on a rational and promis
ing scale In 1907 the average gold export a
month-and this from less than half dozen
mines-amounted more than SJDoUo
Daily life Accra. where the majors head
quarters were, in the old cantOnments. bears a
great resemblance. one imagines. to the daily
,Gs 81 any English garrison town within the
tropics. II is very British. In climate so
humid that water can be wrung from window
curtains and so hot that II is unsafe 10 90 out
O. doors between and O'Clock without he'll
met polo, cricket and golf recreatiOns as
siduously cultivated Social events are frequent
-fifin at the club, matches and lat homes"
Evening dress is de TigUerr, though gloves and
shoes may be ruined overnight with mildew and
elmer coats turn green. Butter, milk and meat
come mostly out Of tins. Fifteen gallons OF
water day being the entire allowance at the
eautouments the bath water is used success
s.ycly 10 scrub floors. TO wash carriages and TO
water plants.
few miles back from Accra-the line is so
definite as 20 be marked by painted possible
gins the country into which no horse may vent
IRE because Of the tsetse fy. All transporta-
tiou into the interior, save along the railroad
line. ls on the heads OF natives Food for the
entire Journey must be packed away In chop
loxes"; and when these are added 20 surveying
outfits. tents. hammocks, camp supplies. extra
ooil lng and emergency kits il viii be seen that
a considerable troop OF carriers is required for
even q modest expedition. But the West