94 



A large amount of work has been done by filling up rock pools 

 with small broken stones, and, even where the traffic is great, this 

 when strengthened with cement will prove to be permanent. 



The work is so far incomplete that it is essential that at least one 

 other complete wet season should be spent here. Constant European 

 supervision is necessary, and one man is not sufficient for the purpose. 

 There should be at least two Europeans engaged in the supervising ; 

 and a larger staff of workmen (quite twice the present) would, I think, 

 be required, as so much of the work will require redoing, and there 

 are other places to deal with. 



Towards the foot of Mount Aureole there are in places numerous 

 springs from which the water is constantly running. Pits, usually 

 shallow, have been dug in this district, and in these Anopheles larvae 

 are constantly found. Some of them will be difficult to deal with by 

 cuttings alone ; and the more permanent should, I think, be con- 

 verted into covered wells with an overflow, underground say two 

 feet below the surface leading into a drain to the nearest stream. 

 None of these places have, as yet, been dealt with. 



There is one similar place in the Grassfields District, and I feel 

 sure that there are others both near the Wilberforce Barracks and 

 near Kissy. The constant rains and the general waterlogged condi- 

 tion of the ground prevent more definite information being obtainable 

 till there is some continued fine weather. Such places are common, 

 and are the important ones in the hilly districts of Central Africa. 



In a few of the wells, which are so numerous in many districts of 

 Sierra Leone, Anopheles (costalis) larvae were found in numbers. 

 Though I do not think from previous experience that these will at 

 any season in the year be of very great importance, still they are an 

 additional source. In none of the broad public wells which contain 

 fish were larvae found, and on placing a few fish in one of the infested 

 wells the larvae speedily disappeared, but many of the fish died. 



Covered wells in any case are safe ; but to so repair the numerous 

 broken-down wells and provide them with covers would be costly and 

 uncertain, as the covers would not be used in many cases. 



I am informed that there would be serious difficulty in closing 

 these private wells, and in substituting for them a smaller number of 

 public ones, but that when a good town water supply is obtained much 

 could be done in this direction. Such a water supply, it is expected, 

 will be shortly sanctioned. 



