Observers' Field Reports 139 



square red brick fort on the south bank of the Nyong River. There are three trading 

 factories, where rubber, chiefly, is bought from the natives in exchange for money, cloth, 

 or salt. Abong-Mbang is the head of navigation of the Nyong, which springs from the 

 swamps to the east and south. The actual channel was but 10 meters wide here and 

 winds through swamps of high grass like those found throughout the 200 miles of voyage 

 downstream. The water is clear, but of a blackish color, and has a gentle current. The 

 descent from Abong-Mbang to Onana-bessa can be made in about 6 days, while the 

 ascent takes 10 or 12. A fine large canoe was very kindly provided by M. Blat, and a 

 comfortable and interesting trip of 5}4 days' travel was made commencing December 17. 

 The tsetse fly is numerous in places, and plague the traveler every minute of the day. 

 Opinion is divided as to whether there is any sleeping sickness along the river. At Ayos, 

 on a hilltop some 50 miles west of Abong-Mbang, are the remains of the German sana- 

 torium which was erected for cases of sleeping sickness. After 2}4 days' paddle, the post 

 of Akonolinga was reached, where there are several trading factories, and where for the 

 first time since the party left Yaounde July 2, telegraphic communication with the coast 

 was possible. Beyond Akonolinga the river becomes very sinuous, twisting its way 

 through steep timbered hills. The rivers of the Cameroun are not very scenic, but the 

 Nyong in this part of its course is quite pretty. It is 100 to 150 meters wide in this 

 stretch. The marks of flood water on the banks showed that the stream had fallen about 

 3 feet since the end of the wet season in November. A few rapids were passed just above 

 Onana-bessa, which is the lower limit of navigation on this stretch, the river from that 

 point entering the hilly coastal area and falling some 2,000 feet in the remaining 130 miles 

 of its course to the sea. 



The American mission station at Olama was reached after a 4-mile walk from Onana- 

 bessa on the evening of December 23, and a very happy Christmas was spent with Rev- 

 erend and Mrs. A. B. Patterson, whose kindness and cordial hospitality were very much 

 appreciated. At the invitation of Reverend Mr. Patterson, it was decided to make a 

 stay here while awaiting a steamer sailing south from Douala, and thus the preparation 

 of the report and the reduction of the observations were made under very favorable 

 circumstances, at a cool mission station 2,000 feet above sea-level, in many ways pref- 

 erable to the humid, enervating coastal town. 



On January 12, I left Olama for Douala by way of Makak and Eseka, intending to 

 catch the French mail-boat L'Afrique which was due at Douala about January 22. From 

 Makak to Eseka the road is very hilly, but this section soon will have a light railway 

 service. The French are pushing forward the continuation of the railway to the Nyong 

 River, whence a motor service will link up Yaounde with the rail-head. Eseka (see view 

 5 of Plate 3), the present terminus of the Cameroun Central Railway, 110 miles from 

 Douala, is about 60 miles from Olama and was reached by noon of January 14. The 

 first day a small bush track was followed over hilly country with frequent villages and 

 farms, and by evening the main motor road from Makak to Ilik-ngumu (on the Kribi- 

 Yaounde motor road) was reached. 



At Eseka the party bade farewell to the Cameroun bush and travel by carriers, 

 completing the journey to Douala by rail after observations had been made. I arrived 

 at Douala January 17, and learned that the steamer L'Afrique was a total wreck near 

 Bordeaux, with a loss of over 400 fives. M. Carde, the Governor, very courteously 

 allowed me to proceed south in the French cruiser Regulus, which sailed January 24. 

 Meanwhile, the report and reduction of cahiers were completed, and the necessary 

 arrangements made for leaving. 



Throughout the field work I had been accompanied by a cook-boy, a Bulu named 

 "Mba," who rendered fair service. The work and travel proved most interesting, 

 especially in the north Cameroun. I enjoyed good health, except occasional feverish 



