186 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 
and all payments. The executive work outside is carried out by the 
Forest Guards, Foresters, and Rangers, who require constant super- 
vision. Owing to the distance, only some of them can report at 
Forest Headquarters each month, and the rest must be seen when 
the Forest Executive Officer makes his tour of inspection. If possible, 
travelling should take the place of indoor work for at least ten days 
a month. 
At first sight, on examining the tropical forest, it appears like a 
very mixed collection of different kinds of trees; on closer inspection, 
however, similarities and contrasts are apparent, such as Ebony, 
Diospyros mespiliformis, with its thin, black scaly bark, and that 
of the somewhat regularly, deeply fissured bullet-wood tree, Mimusops 
multinervis, and its white latex, which the former does not exude. 
In walking through a forest, it is normally best to make the 
carriers precede. Owing to their tendency to lag, and their desire 
to sit down at inconvenient times, it is an advantage to have them 
in front. Frequently one may have to stop and examine a flower 
or leaf, and it only adds to the carriers’ labour if the whole column 
has to stop whilst seeds and specimens are being collected. A march 
of about 15 miles is sufficient, and takes up the better part of the 
day, if an examination of the forests is being made on the way. In 
most parts villages are eight to ten miles apart, sometimes nearer ; 
so the carriers can stop and purchase food. In the larger forests, 
however, a distance of over 20 miles is sometimes covered without 
sight of a house; in that case the people of the last village are asked 
to bring food for the carriers, and the carriers themselves are given 
a day’s food as well, which has to be cooked on reaching camp. In 
some places the chiefs provide food (yams, etc.), which is distributed 
to the carriers, or in some places 3d. a day per head is allowed them 
for purchasing food. So long as the carrier gets food and his load 
is not excessively heavy, he is quite cheerful and walks well. He will 
pick his way in mud, over roots, and up the steepest rocks in the hill 
forests. 
Current wages vary from 9d. to ls. a day, the head-man getting 
from Is. to 2s. a day. Local felling-permits being issued both by 
the District and Forest Officers to natives for felling timber for local 
use, at District Stations a call is paid the District Officer to discuss 
current forest questions and examine the permit books. At the same 
time there is an opportunity of seeing what further development of 
forest work is possible in the district. The local Forest Guards, 
Foresters, or Forest Rangers report themselves, usually giving a very 
good account of the local forest conditions. Since the demand for 
local timber has been growing, a stop may have to be made to 
supervise the marking or girdling of suitable trees for bridge-building 
under the auspices of the Public Works Department. On a journey 
