FORESTRY OF WEST AFRICA. 57 



lately been attempting to obtain other oils from the 

 Coast, and it was only yesterday I received from the 

 hands of the oil presser the result of my most recent 

 experiment on the ground nut, which I am happy to 

 say is encouraging. I send you a sample of oil ex- 

 tracted from them. They are from the Gambia." And 

 he went on in the same letter to say, on the kernel 

 of the Elais guineensis : " I lately received from Cape 

 Coast a quantity of the palm nut from which the 

 palm oil is previously obtained, for the purpose of 

 examining the kernels to see whether they would not 

 yield an oil worth extracting. I send you a sample 

 of the nuts, and one of the candles made from the 

 stearine obtained from them." 



Here we have proof that, although the palm-oil 

 industry has existed since 1790, if not before, yet the 

 valuable palm kernel on the Gold Coast did not attract 

 attention until 1842 or 1843, when also the ground- 

 nut industry, at least in the Gambia, had its birth. 



Then, in proof of how little may mar or promote 

 trade in West Africa, I may relate here particulars of 

 an incident to which, if it has not owed its birth, yet 

 the palm kernel trade of the Gold Coast owes indeed 

 much of its youth and manhood. 



After the Proclamation of the Abolition of Slavery 

 in 1 874 (towards its end), my old friend Sir George 

 Strahan, then Governor of the Gold Coast Colony, 

 now of Hong Kong, made a tour of inspection through 

 Aquapim, Croboe, and the Valley of the Volta. His 



