342 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



Volla are hippopotami, and in some of the 

 mountain ranges elephants are not uncommon. 

 Baboons, and monkeys of different kinds, are very 

 numerous, and great numbers of black monkey- 

 skins are exported to England for ladies' muffs. 

 The distant hills of Aquapim and Kroboe are 

 plainly visible from the ramparts of Fort James, 

 and the surrounding country looks well in com- 

 parison with most places on the Coast. I should 

 very much have liked a month's trip in the interior 

 with the Commandant — who seems to be the right 

 man in the right place, for he has gained con- 

 siderable influence in the country — but it could not 

 be managed. 



As the sun was going down the steamer fired a 

 gun — the signal to return on board — and bidding 

 adieu to as good a " camarade " as ever shared a 

 crust with a chum, with as hearty a shake of the 

 hand as if we had known each other all our lives, 

 we stepped into the canoe, and just got on board as 

 the anchor was a-trip and the second gun fired. 

 A few minutes later we were under full steam for 

 Lagos, the Hell of Earth. 



