To the Gold Coast for Gold | Page 2

by British officers, and their reports and itineraries never failed
to contain, with a marvellous unanimity of iteration, the magic
word--Gold.
The fraction of country, twenty-six miles of seaboard out of two
hundred, by a depth of sixty--in fact, the valley of the Ancobra
River--now (early 1882) contains five working companies. Upwards of
seventy concessions, to my knowledge, have been obtained from native
owners, and many more are spoken of. In fact, development has at
length begun, and the line of progress is clearly traced.
At Madeira I was joined (January 8, 1882) by Captain Cameron, R.N.,
C.B., &c. Our object was to explore the so-called Kong Mountains,
which of late years have become quasi-mythical. He came out
admirably equipped; nor was I less prepared. But inevitable business
had delayed us both, and we landed on the Gold Coast at the end of

January instead of early October. The hot-dry season had set in with a
heat and a drought unknown for years; the climate was exceptionally
trying, and all experts predicted early and violent rains. Finally, we
found so much to do upon the Ancobra River that we had no time for
exploration. Geography is good, but Gold is better.
In this joint book my energetic and hard-working friend and
fellow-traveller has described the five working mines which I was
unable to visit. He has also made an excellent route-survey of the
country, corrected by many and careful astronomical observations. It is
curious to compare his work with the sketches of previous observers,
Jeekel, Wyatt, Bonnat, and Dahse. To my companion's industry also are
mainly due our collections of natural history.
We are answerable only for our own, not for each other's statements.
As regards my part, I have described the Gold-land as minutely as
possible, despite the many and obvious disadvantages of the
'photographic style.' Indeed, we travellers often find ourselves in a
serious dilemma. If we do not draw our landscapes somewhat in
pre-Raphaelite fashion, they do not impress the reader; if we do, critics
tell us that they are wearisome longueurs, and that the half would be
better than the whole. The latter alternative must often be risked,
especially in writing about a country where many at home have friends
and relatives. Of course they desire to have as much detail about it as
possible; hence the reader will probably pardon my 'curiosity.'
The Appendix discusses at some length the various objections made to
the Gold Coast mines by the public, which suffers equally from the
'bull' and the 'bear' and from the wild rumours set afloat by those not
interested in the speculation. I first dispose of the dangers menaced by
Ashanti invasions. The second number notices the threatened
labour-famine, and shows how immigration of Chinese, of coolies, and
of Zanzibar-men will, when wanted, supply not only the Gold Coast,
but also the whole of our unhappy West African stations, miscalled
colonies, which are now starving for lack of hands. The third briefly
sketches the history of the Gold-trade in the north-western section of
the Dark Continent, discusses the position and the connections of the

auriferous Kong Mountains, and suggests the easiest system of 'getting'
the precious metal. This is by shallow working, by washing, and by the
'hydraulicking' which I had studied in California. The earlier miners
have, it is believed, begun at the wrong end with deep workings, shafts,
and tunnels; with quartz-crushers, stamps, and heavy and expensive
machinery, when flumes and force-pumps would have cost less and
brought more. Our observations and deductions, drawn from a section
of coast, will apply if true, as I believe they are, to the whole region
between the Assini and the Volta Rivers.
I went to the Gold Coast with small expectations. I found the Wásá
(Wassaw) country, Ancobra section, far richer than the most glowing
descriptions had represented it. Gold and other metals are there in
abundance, and there are good signs of diamond, ruby, and sapphire.
Remains to be seen if England has still honesty and public spirit
enough to work this old-new California as it should be worked. I will
answer for its success if the workers will avoid over-exclusiveness,
undue jealousy and rivalry, stockjobbing, and the rings of 'guinea-pigs'
and 'guinea-worms.'
RICHARD F. BURTON.

CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME.
CHAPTER
I.
PRELIMINARY: TRIESTE TO LISBON
II. FROM LISBON TO MADEIRA
III. A FORTNIGHT AT MADEIRA
IV. MADEIRA (continued)--CHRISTMAS--SMALL
INDUSTRIES--WINE--DEPARTURE FOR TENERIFE

V. TO TENERIFE, LA LAGUNA, AND OROTAVA
VI. THE ROUTINE ASCENT OF MOUNT ATLAS, THE 'PIKE' OF
TENERIFE
VII. THE SPANISH ACCOUNT OF THE REPULSE OF NELSON
FROM SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE
VIII. TO GRAND CANARY--LAS PALMAS, THE CAPITAL
IX. THE COCHINEAL--THE 'GALLO'--CANARY 'SACK'--ADIEU
TO THE CANARIES
X. THE RUINED RIVER--PORT AND THE TATTERED FLAG
XI. SIERRA LEONE: THE CHANGE FOR THE BETTER