RESEARCH IN BRITISH WEST AFRICA. 343 
The country from Lafia to Ogumi, a distance of about 12 miles, is covered 
with moderately thick bush which in a few places resembles the kurimi type of 
erowth. No streams are crossed on this trek. For about half-way, the River 
Okura runs practically parallel with the road at about 300-400 yards from it. 
About 3 miles 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 all 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 spripg, 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. palpalis and Chrysops silacea swarm 
around 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 should 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 until 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 uneven and undulating. The 
bush around the river at Dekina is very similar to that at Aiyangba, but tsetse 
are not nearly so abundant. At the river itself, G. palpalis was found, and 
further removed, in the more open park-like country, G. tachinoides 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 very 
steep sinuous rocky descent into the valley of the Niger, but the river itself is 
distant some fifteen miles. The town of Taketti stands on 2 stream of consider- 
able size which is bridged. No tsetse or other biting flies were seen at any oi 
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 Niger, 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 
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