KESEAECH IX BRITISH WEST AFEICA. 343 



The country fi'om Lafia to Ogiimi, a distance of about 12 miles, is covered 

 with moderately thick bush which in a few places resembles the kui-imi type of 

 growth. Xo streams are crossed on this trek. For about half-way, the River 

 Okura runs practically parallel -n-ith the road at about 300-400 yards from it. 

 About 3 mUes from the town of Ogumi in a kurimi, where the natives obtain 

 their water, several G. palpalis were caught in the afternoon. From Ogumi to 

 Aiyangba, the road passes through the same type of country as that described 

 between Lafia and Ogumi, but there are more kurimis. 



The town of Aiyangba is large but scattered, as is the case in nearly aU the 

 towns in Bassa : it stands near the top of a slight elevation. The natives obtain 

 their water from a pool in a very dense kurimi some two miles distant from the 

 town. There is no running stream, but the pool, which must have its origin in 

 a spring, contains water more than sufficient for the town throughout the whole 

 of the dry season. The shade at this pool is very dense, and the temperature is 

 several degrees lower than in the open. G. paljjalis and Chri^sops silacea swann 

 aroimd the women drawing water ; of the latter species forty were caught in 

 one hour. The notes made with regard to the ford at Ogumi were still further 

 emphasised at Aiyangba. One G. palpalis was caught in the rest-house at 

 Aiyangba, and, as has been recommended for Lafia, this camp shoidd be removed 

 further from the kurimi towards the town. The only advantage of having it in 

 its present position is the proximity of the water supply, but this must essentially 

 be considered as secondary to the avoidance of tsetse. 



After leaving Aiyangba no further water is seen untd Dekina is reached. 

 The first part of the road passes through dense bush immediately followed by a 

 long stretch over a bare laterite outcrop, while towards Dekina the country is 

 more park-like in character, and the road is very imeven and undulating. The 

 bush aroimd the river at Dekina is very similar to that at Aiyangba, but tsetse 

 are not nearly so abimdant. At the river itself, G. palpalis was found, and 

 further removed, in the more open park-like country, G. tacliinoides occurs. 

 The town of Dekina contains three separate settlements, Hausa. Igbara and 

 Bassa Como, comprising in all between 300 and 400 huts. It was the head- 

 quarters of the province before Ankpa. 



The country towards Taketti continues park-like or wooded, but there is a 

 considerable amount of rocky ground. Two streams occur on this road, one at 

 the village of Olowa about four miles from Dekina, and another at Ajebela, five 

 miles further on. About two and a half miles from Taketti, there is a verv 

 steep sinuous rocky descent into the valley of the ilsiger, but the river itself is 

 distant some fifteen miles. The to'wn of Taketti stands on a stream of consider- 

 able size which is bridged. Xo tsetse or other biting flies were seen at any of 

 the streams crossed on this journey. 



The road from Taketti to Ghebe is good and passes through undulating park- 

 like country, but not far from Ghebe a deep broad river, probably a creek from 

 the Benue, with outlet into the Xiger, has to be crossed by canoe. There is 

 considerable cultivation around this region. 



Ghebe is a large town of over 1,200 inhabitants, and from its situation, almost 

 opposite Lokoja, with which there is considerable trade, is probably the most 

 22036 E 



