Liberia ^ 



After its bend to the south-east the Cavalla Is generally 

 known as Diugu or Duyu. From its supposed junction with 

 the Nuon it flows in a south-easterly direction for about a 

 hundred and fifty miles, and then turns abruptly to the south- 

 west and south, receiving an important affluent at Fort Binger, 

 and a little farther on being joined by the Duobe. This last 

 river seems to have its ultimate source on the northern flanks of 

 Mount Bo, a lofty peak of the Satro Mountains. The Duobe 

 flows nearly parallel with the assumed course of the main 

 Cavalla, and receives a large number of affluents from the 

 northern flanks of a more or less continuous mountain range 

 (heavily forested) known as Satro on the west, Nidi, Nedi, or 

 Niete in the centre, and Kelipo in the east, each prominent 

 peak having its individual name. Mount Keta in Kelipo is 

 said to be 6,000 feet high. Below its confluence with the 

 Duobe, the Cavalla receives the Neka on the east and the 

 Bwe on the west ; and below that the Nokba and the Kiki, 

 which is its last affluent before it reaches the sea. The Kiki 

 has some length of course, as it rises on the southern slope of 

 the KeHpo Mountains, and flows for about fifty miles south- 

 east before it joins the Cavalla. 



The Cavalla is navigable for boats from its mouth for 

 about eighty miles up-stream. Except near the coast, it flows 

 through the most densely forested countries of Liberia, and, 

 according to the French, past tribes of people who are 

 ferocious cannibals of well-developed physique. Yet these 

 races — which seem, from the very little we know of them and 

 their languages, to be distantly related to the Kru stock — have 

 developed a certain amount of civilisation. They are industrious 

 and skilful agriculturists, and their houses are well built. The 

 Cavalla is crossed in many places by wickerwork bridges of 

 lianas and palm midribs. In some of these districts the natives 



480 



