18 MR. OHARLES BARTER ON THE 
cially the two kinds of Cola nuts, the produce of two distinct 
trees, one with four cotyledons, called * Fatak” by the Foulahs, 
the other with two cotyledons, called * Gonja ” by the same people ; 
the latter I have seen no living trees of; but it is said to come from 
the Ashantee country. The nut from which the present plant 
was raised I procured from a caravan at Rabba, on their return 
from the coast. The species with four cotyledons is the tree I 
mentioned formerly as existing at Fernando Po; I find it common 
in many parts of the lower Niger, abundant at Onitsha; it occurs 
also at Prince’s Island, and is apparently a common tree along the 
coast. The flowers, like other Sferculiacec here, are variable in 
colour — eream-coloured, greenish-yellow, and pale-red. Both 
these species appear to be carried in about equal quantities into 
the interior; but the nut with two cotyledons is the most prized. 
* Gonja" in the Nupe country is worth about 100 cowries each nut, 
while * Fatak"' averages about 80 only. The value of cowries at 
Rabba is 2500 for the dollar at 4e. 4d. Immense quantities of 
Cola nuts pass during the dry season from the coast to the inte- 
rior. Caravans pass Rabba on the Kworra about half the year; 
of them about 1000 donkeys monthly are laden with Cola nuts: 
these are carried pannier-fashion—a basket on each side, each 
basket weighing on an average 501bs. Other caravan routes exist 
into this part of Africa ; the principal one crosses the Kworra above 
Виза, direct for the Hausa country. Cola nuts are not much 
carried in the pod—this method is too cumbersome; but as it is 
necessary to keep them moist, and protected from the dry winds, 
the baskets are well protected with the leaves of a species of 
Phryniwn, which keeps moist, and does not readily decay. Steamers 
running up this river might take some tons of Colas from the 
lower Niger, and dispose of them with advantage at Rabba. 
The plant in case, called “ Bitter Cola,” is very different from 
ordinary Cola. I purchased dry nuts a long time since in the 
markets of the Borgu and Nupe countries, but could then ascer- 
tain nothing more than its coast origin. The seeds are much valued 
by the people for their medicinal properties, and command a higher 
price than Cola; the nuts are intensely bitter, but not astringent 
as common Cola. This tree I have not seen, but it grows at 
Onitsha and at Fernando Po; the fruit is about the size of a small 
peach, rose-coloured, and very pretty. The large Artocarpean 
noticed by Vogel in 1845 (the “ Oqua ” of the Eboe), I send many 
plants of, and have some 200 others planted out at Fernando Po. 
Its enormous fruit is very curious, but, I fear, as a fruit of little 
