18 ME, CHARLES BARTER ON THE 



cially the two kinds of Cola nuts, the produce of two distinct 

 trees, one with four cotyledons, called ^^ Fatah ^^ by the Eoulahs, 

 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 Eabba, 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 SterculiacecB here, are variable in 

 colour — cream-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 "Eatak" averages about 80 only. The value of cowries at 

 Rabba is 2500 for the dollar at 4s. 4^?. 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 witli Cola nuts : 

 these are carried pannier-fashion — a basket on each side, each 

 basket weighing on an average 50 lbs. Other caravan routes exist 

 into this part of Africa ; the principal one crosses the Kworra above 

 Busa, 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 

 Fhrynium, 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 Babba. 



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 Artocar'pean 

 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 



