THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA. 607 



The Palm Oil season . commences in the early part of March; the oil 

 becomes plentiful in April, and continues to be so until September, when 

 it declines ; and from October till March it is, properly speaking, out of 

 season, although small quantities of it may be procured in these months. 



In the foregoing remarks as to the season and climate, I beg to be 

 understood as speaking of the New Calabar and Bonny Eivers only, and 

 now proceed to consider the best means of preserving the health of the 

 crews of vessels trading there. Masters of vessels should be on their 

 guard against shipping plethoric or lusty men to go to the Oil Rivers of 

 Africa. Drunkards are still worse subjects than these ; for if a man 

 undermines his constitution by intemperance in England, he cannot repair 

 it in Africa. I have too frequently remarked that human skill is of little 

 avail in saving the life of a drunkard when once attacked with African 

 fever. The fact is, a drunkard is predisposed to sickness, and soon falls a 

 victim to the climate. The plethoric or lusty man, if he has not tampered 

 with his constitution, has a rather better chance ; but should he for- 

 tunately recover from the fever, he is often annoyed with attacks of ague 

 all the passage home, and does not recover until he arrives in England. 

 Thin, raw-boned subjects are the best for the coast of Africa ; selected 

 from men who have made several voyages to the West Indies, as they are, 

 in some degree, seasoned to a warm climate ; those who have never 

 made voyages to tropical climates should be decidedly rejected. 



As a precaution for preserving the health of the crew, the vessel should 

 be housed over as soon as possible after her arrival in the river. Plenty 

 of mats should be procured, and a good, substantial, tight house be at once 

 made, to shelter the crew, and preserve the vessel from the weather. 

 Every care should be taken to make the house perfectly water-tight, as 

 well for the comfort and health of the seamen, as for the advantage of 

 working the palm oil in wet weather. An overstrained economy in the 

 purchase of a few mats is highly reprehensible. The seamen will generally 

 hang hammocks under the house ; and, if well sheltered from the 

 weather, will enjoy better health than they would by sleeping below in 

 the steam emitted from the oil. In these rivers it is presumed that the 

 Kroumen do all out-duty required in the boats, &c. ; for a European should 

 not be allowed to put his foot over the side, either for the purpose of 

 visiting or going ashore, even on ship's duty (unless unavoidable), as it 

 infallibly leads to dissension and drunkenness from the worst of spirits ; 

 and a drunken fit in Africa is the almost sure forerunner of sickness, and 

 probably death. 



AU vessels should keep a sufficient quantity of English water on board 

 for use in the country, as the Bonny and New Calabar water has an im- 

 mense quantity of animalculae, is very unpleasant to the palate, and 

 injurious to health. Cocoa is an excellent and nutritious article of diet ; 

 and the crew should be well supplied with yam.s, which are the only 

 vegetable, excepting corn and plaintains (the latter not plentiful), that can 

 be procured in these rivers. 



If the crew unavoidably get wet, they should immediately rub them- 

 selves thoroughly dry with coarse cloths, and put on dry clothes. The 

 forecastle should be frequently cleaned out with a solution of chloride of 



