138 FORESTRY OF WEST AFRICA. 



" Camwood is also imported much less than before, 

 from the same reason as that which has stopped 

 barwood; but it still comes in in small quantities, 

 mostly from the ports north and south (in the neigh- 

 bourhood) of Sierra Leone, such as Sherbro, Monrovia, 

 &c. This wood used to come in short logs, fifteen to 

 twenty-four inches long and five to twelve in diameter ; 

 but latterly the greater part of what has come forward 

 is in rooty, badly-shaped pieces, fit for nothing but to 

 cut up for dyeing purposes. Formerly_it was in great 

 request for high-class fancy turning, as the straight 

 clear logs I before mentioned were of smooth, even, 

 firm, close grain ; but of course roots are of no use for 

 such a purpose. 



" The colour when quite freshly cut is a pale 

 yellowish pink, which soon deepens into orange, and 

 then to a good red. This however in time darkens 

 until it is almost black. This wood fetches a good 

 price ; some was sold recently at £2g per ton." 



I addressed, on the same subject, Messrs. Gardner 

 & Sons, the widely-known timber importers of New 

 London Street, Mark Lane, and they were kind 

 enough to convey thus : — 



" Black ebony without sap, and usually cleft 

 without heart centre, averaging all the way from two 

 hundred to forty pieces to the ton, is worth here from 

 £4. \os. to ;^I3 per ton, according to sizes, colour, and 

 freedom from defects. 



" Camwood, for dyeing purposes, is worth about 



