264 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



Leaving Maifoni on November 16, Talbot and I started 

 to complete tlie last portion of the survey, which was to 

 connect our line with Kukawa ^nd so finish the Nigerian 

 portion of the map. Gosling had preceded us along the road 

 on his return to Yo to shift the base camp to a site I had 

 already selected on the shore of the Lake. 



The survey work was now straightforward, comprising 

 chain work along an excellent government road, which con- 

 nects Maifoni with Kukawa. But progress was slow as every 

 inch of the way had to be measured between points fixed by 

 the theodolite, and sometimes intervening bush or crops had to 

 be cut down. In the latter case, compensation in cloth was 

 always paid to the owners. Altogether, we were about three 

 weeks covering a distance that under ordinary circumstances 

 would take five days. The road led through flat country the 

 whole way, a broad plain in fact, of rich dark soil, which is 

 widely cultivated with guinea-corn where the ground has been 

 cleared. For the rest, there are stretches of thin grass and 

 frequent groves of mimosa bush. Occasionally, the general 

 monotony of these small features is relieved by a group of 

 well-grown fig-trees, which mark the presence of water, 

 either in little pools or wells. But for them the country is 

 waterless. These wells and waterholes are to be found at 

 intervals along the road, and we always arranged to camp 

 near one each night. Some of the wells are deep, as much 

 as sixty and eighty feet. They are generally points of attrac- 

 tion for the life of the surrounding country. Sometimes 

 they are under the charge of a native, who lets down the 

 waterskin for the thirsty. At those near a village groups 

 of women are to be seen morning and evening waiting their 



