On the north side of Mount Irvine is a second nullah, the Eswá, which
flows, like the Besáon, through the dense growth of bush covering the
eastern uplands. A few minutes' walk along the right bank leads to a
broadening of the bed, a swamp during the Rains and a field of cereals in
the Dries. Thence we plunge into the jungle, and after a couple of hundred
yards come upon signs of mining. In the Eswá bed, where the gulch is
choked by two mounds or hillocks, appear the usual 'women's washings,'
shallow pits like the Brazilian _catas_, whence the pay-dirt has been
extracted. On the right bank, subtending the bed, their husbands have sunk
the usual chimney-hole to scratch quartz from the bounding-wall of the
reef. These rude beginnings of shafts reach a depth of 82 feet, and
perhaps more. All are round, like the circular hut of the African savage;
similarly in Australia the first pits were circular or oval. They are
descended in sweep-fashion by means of foot-holes, and they are just large
enough for a man to sit in and use his diminutive tool. The quartz is sent
up to grass by a basket, and carried to the hut. After a preliminary
roasting, the old custom of Egypt, it is broken into little bits and made
over to the women, who grind it down upon the cankey-stone which serves to
make the daily bread. In some parts of Africa this is men's work, and it
is always done at night, with much jollity and carousing.

I named this place the 'Axim Reef.' It had been taken by Dr. J. Ogilby
Ross, formerly district medical officer, Axim, and now preparing to
explore the regions behind the Ancobra sources. He allowed, however, his
prospecting term to elapse, and thus it has been secured by Mr. Grant for
Mr. J. Irvine. It taught us three valuable lessons.

1. Wherever _catas_, or 'women's washings,' are found, we can profitably
apply the hydraulic system of sluicing and fluming not by an upper