traced the trade from Gambia to the Gold Coast, and we may fairly conclude
that all the metal comes from a single chain of Ghauts subtending the
maritime region.

Grand Bassam is included in the French _Côte d'Or_, but not in the English
Gold Coast, which begins east of the Ivory Coast. The Dutch was even
narrower, according to Bosnian: 'Being a part of Guinea, it is extended
about sixty miles, beginning with the Gold River (Assini) twelve miles
above Axim, and ending with Ponni, seven or eight miles east of Accra.'
Grand Bassam has only two European establishments. Eastward lies the
'Blockhouse' of M. Verdier, 'agent of the Government at Assini,' so called
from its battlemented roof. It is the old Fort Nemours, built in 1843. The
'Poste,' abandoned during the war of 1870, was let to Messieurs Swanzy; it
is a series of ridge-roofs surrounded by a whitewashed stockade. Both have
been freely accused of supplying the Ashantis with arms and ammunition
during the last war. Similarly the Gambia is said to have supported the
revolteds of Senegal. The site is vile, liable to be flooded by sea and
rain. The River Akbu or Komo (Comoe), with its spiteful little bar, drains
the realms of Amatifú, King of Assini. It admits small craft, and we see
the masts of a schooner amid the trees. The outlet of immense lagoons to
the east and west, it winds down behind the factories, and bears the
native town upon its banks. Here we discharged only trade-gin, every
second surf-boat and canoe upsetting; the red cases piled upon the beach
looked like a bed of rose-buds. The whole of this coast, as far as Axim,
is so dangerous that men land with their lives in their hands. They
disembark when outward-bound and re-embark when homeward-bound, and in the
interim they never tempt surf and sharks.

The _Senegal_ left Grand Bassam at 5.30 P.M., to cover the eighty-five
miles separating us from our destination. The next important feature is