We progressed slowly enough, as we delayed to botanise, to net
butterflies, [Footnote: Our large collection all came to grief, because we
had neglected to carry camphor. The hint may be useful to those who follow
us.] and to shoot for specimens. The path crossed and recrossed the Impima
rivulet, which in parts was dammed and double-dammed; its bed of
quartz-gravel and red ironstone again suggested deep digging. After a two
hours' stroll we traversed the snaking course by a rude bridge, and
presently came to the half-way plantation, Impatási: it is faced by a
dwarf clearing, and we noted a fine clump of bamboo-cane. The next village
was Edu-Kru, marked upon the maps 'Edu.' We then passed over the dry bed
of the Bujiá wady, which looked as 'fit' as the Impima; and, at about
twenty-five yards north of the bed we breasted the rough ascent of the
Apatim Hill.

Here we turned to the right and found Mr. Grant's trial-shaft. It had been
sunk amongst a number of round holes dug by the native miner, and it
appeared to us that they had been working the southern butt-end of the
eastern reef. He had preferred it to another pit sunk a little distance
from the centre by a man named Jones, whose venture yielded the poorest
results. Cameron drew my attention to the necessity of 'hydraulicking'
this hill-side; and from three pounds of its yellow clay, gathered at
random, we washed about fourpence worth of gold-dust, upwards of 8_l_. a
ton. Other specimens assayed 1 oz. 13 dwts. and 13 grains. The quartz at a
little lower than a fathom had yielded poorly, [Footnote: Messieurs
Johnson and Matthey found only 0.650 oz. gold and 0.225 silver.] but
better results were expected from a deeper horizon.

A few minutes of uphill-walk led us to the little Apatim village, our
objective. We had spent three hours and a half over a distance which would