Homeward Bound 261 



and a half metres wide and three metres long. The captain's 

 is the only cabin. 



I paid a visit to the great liane plantation of Patalongo, 

 in company with Dr. Mildbraed and IVI. Lemoine, Chef de 

 poste, a very droll, sociable fellow. So far as I am aware, 

 it is the only settlement where liane alone are cultivated. When 

 I was there there were as many as 320,000 Landolphia and 

 200,000 Clitandra seedlings on 800 ha of ground. The planta- 

 tions are partly situated in the clearings of the forest itself, and 

 partly in places which have been specially grubbed out ; the 

 latter, which admit the full influence of the sun, appear to be the 

 better adapted to the purpose. It is to be regretted that here, 

 too, the full development of the plantation is hindered in con- 

 sequence of the lack of permanent labour. Only the most 

 skilful hands can be utilised for the work, and the State engages 

 each man in most cases for a period of twelve months. 



The slow growth of the liane — which permit of no tapping 

 till they have been planted for twenty years — deals a death-blow 

 even to such a fine plantation as the one mentioned. In conse- 

 quence of the huge pecuniary outlay and lack of advantageous 

 return, the State has been forced to cease further attempts in this 

 direction, and to content itself with the cultivation of the rubber 

 tree. 



Meanwhile, all our loads had been stowed on board the 

 Delivrance, and we weighed anchor in the afternoon of the 

 loth of May. Soon the revolutions of the great stern-wheel were 

 driving us along the Aruwimi with an easy celerity to which 

 we had long been strangers. After a few hours of rapid journey- 

 ing, in the course of which we had to steer a very zig-zag course 

 in consequence of the frequent sandbanks, we anchored at 

 Mogandju and passed the night there, after a very entertaining 

 evening in the society of some very pleasant Belgian gentle- 

 men. 



Mogandju is the best-kept station on the whole length of the 

 Aruwimi. It is surrounded by extensive coffee and cocoa plan- 

 tations, and rubber trees are also cultivated. Attempts have 



