The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-08-14


columbus is believed to have don
some of his apprentice exploring alon
the Gold Coast shores before he sc
sail for America, and many an eman
cipated slave of our southland cOul
find his family tree among the ma
tives of this British colony. The gold
en- age of the Gold Coast, commercial
ly considered, was in the days of flour
ishing slave trade, and the oil fields
promise again to outbuy the entire
product Of gold grains winnowed from
the sands of the many rivers Of this
region.
A Forest FairyIand.
"When you read that threee-fourths
Of the colony is covered with thick
forests you get very inadequate
idea of what you would see could you
look upon the amazing Businesses OF
Bombax trees, piercing the skyline at
100 feet, with columnar trunks, free
from branches below the top quarter
length. The trees you know best are
like icebergs in that their bases, or
root systems, are under the surface.
| These foreign giants remind you Of
your children's Christmas tree, but
tressed by what look to be huge tri-
angular supports. Should you dig be-
meath one Of these buttresses you
would find tiny tendrils, such as those
which might nourish sapling. In
the spaces between these buttresses
natives sometimes pitch primitive
| tents.
"The impression Of forest Of tele-
phone poles is further conveyed by
great cables sagging from tree to tree
These 'creepers' are popularity known
as monkey-rope, appropriately enough,
since many varieties Of monkeys are
to be found in these forests.
with the exception of the hori-
zontal network of 'monkey-rope' these
thickets are vertical forests as truly
as New York has been called Yer
teal City They furnish mute ex-
ample of inanimate objects valorous-
ly striving for their places in the sun
light.
II UudllY, 81 Lei lAAC 10 luC CqudtOAA oA
soil, that nature is far from satisfied
with the plant life which cutters the
soil and cranes it's foliage aloft to get
a speck Of sunshine, but nourishment
is afforded a second crop Of parasitic
plants, such as the orchids which
grow from the branches of the Bonn
bax trees.
"The Gold Coast colony stretches
along some 27O miles of harborless
coast, and extends back for about
half that distance to the border Of
Ashanti
A Primitive System.
"Of the estimated population Of
million, fewer than 1000 are EYTQ-
pxxnns. The most noted Of the native
peoples are the Fanti, whose women
of light brown skin are pretty. Their
favorite perfume is distilled from the
excrement of snakes. Shark flesh, sun
dried, Is a favorite edible. Among |
them, as among many primitive fight
ing peoples, mothers are held in high
esteem. Property is inherited by the
oldest son Of the oldest sister. Land I
is held in a communal fashion, the
possession of a gold stool being the
badge Of a chiefs authority to the
lands over which he holds sway. Areas
are assigned to families, but they re-
vert to the community upon the hold
er's death.
"Trees, plants, animals, snakes and
Insects are found in amazing variety.
Here, as in many other verdant tr0p-
cal regions, flowers are not nearly so
abundant. The animate curiosity Of
he Gold Coast is the driver-ant, which
,lso constitutes its worst pest. The
lriver-ants constitute the standing
lrmy of the insect world.
"A crack regiment Of driver-ants,
says the Oxford survey Of
he English empire, marches in close
ormation, perhaps IL abreast, form
ny q line some two inches wide, the
oldiers being distributed along the
tanks and at regular intervals
mOngst the workers, on much the
anne plan as that laid down for
British column in thick country. The
orce travels at the double, and gen.
rally at night, taking as straight
Inc as possible and selecting all avail
Bile cover, an advance party having
lready prepared the way. These in
Gets construct tunnels In exposed
pots, perhaps 80 feet in length with /
height and breadth which may be
S much as one inch, and provided Il
18th airshafts Every animal makes d
7ay for them, for they will attack
nything in their path, even fire, their h
gstem Of communication enabling
lem to send reinforcements to any \
lreatened point