6 THOMPSON YATES AND JOHNSTON LABORATORIES REPORT 
The deep wells occur as public wells, built by the Government. In the streets in various 
parts of the town there are about a dozen altogether. Similar wells are present in some 
of the European and native traders' compounds. They are on the whole well built of 
stone and steined with cement for a good distance down. A wall two feet high 
generally surrounds the well, but unfortunately very few of them are covered in. Of 
fifty-five private wells examined only thirteen were properly covered ; of the public 
wells, one only. Thus it is an easy matter for these' wells to become foul ; this is 
generally due to sticks, half-peeled oranges, pawpaw rinds, and other rubbish thrown 
in by children. The depth of these wells varies from fifteen to twenty feet. The 
second class of well, the small tub well, occurs chiefly in the native compounds and 
in the gardens of the Europeans. They are very shallow, a hole being dug about 
three feet in the ground by a native and a barrel inserted into it, in which water 
collects. The rim of the tub may be flush with the ground, but it is generally about 
four to six inches above. Close to these small wells in the native compounds, in 
many instances scarcely four yards away, occur the cess-pit or midden and the 
screened-ofF personal wash-place. It is not difficult to understand how easily polluted 
these wells become. Many of the natives appreciate this, and on enquiry will tell 
you that they go to the public wells to get water for drinking purposes. 
Climate of Bathurst. — With regard to climate, Bathurst represents a contrast 
to other parts of the Coast. Its situation on an island surrounded almost on all 
sides by a broad expanse of water tends to modify the extreme heat and dampness 
met with in other parts of the Coast. The dry season commences at the end of 
October and ends at the beginning of May. During these months the harmattan 
blows from the interior, and great variations between the maximum and minimum 
temperature may be recorded, a temperature of ioo° during the day, while at night 
it is not unusual to have a temperature of 6o". These months are very trying to 
the native population, and many cases of bronchitis and pneumonia occur amongst 
them. During this season practically no rain occurs. The wet season sets in in 
June and ends in September. In the months before and after this period, that is 
April and October, some heavy showers may occur. In these months the tempera- 
ture is much more even. The highest maximum recorded in the shade never reaches 
ioo J , at least has not done so for the past five years ; it is generally about one or two 
degrees above 90°. The lowest minimum temperature recorded for these four months 
keeps about 70°. Chart (I) gives a record of the temperature of the maximum and 
minimum for 1900. For the last five years charts constructed in a similar way show 
practically the same curves. The rain-fall of Bathurst does not vary much above 
fifty inches, and this occurs in the four months, June, July, August, September. In 
October the wet season ends. After October rapid drying takes place. The wet 
season, owing to the great humidity and absence of any appreciable variation in 
atmospheric temperature, is exceedingly trying to Europeans. 
