is
the clearing up and cultivation of the land, which will be for some time
yet to come, tardy; as emigration to Liberia is very slow, and the
natives very unlike those of Yoruba--cultivate little or nothing but
rice, cassaba, and yams, and these in comparative small patches, so that
there is very little need for clearing off the forest. Neither have they
in this part of Africa any large towns of substantial houses, all of
which would necessitate a great deal of clearing; but instead, they
consist of small clusters of reed or bamboo huts in a circle, always in
the densest of the forest, which can scarcely ever be seen (except they
be situated on a high hill) until you are right upon them. The clearing
away of the mangrove swamps--which is practicable--will add greatly to
the sanitary condition of Liberia; but this also will take time, as it
must be the work of a general improvement in the country, brought about
by populating and civilizing progress.

_Treatment_

The treatment of the native fever must be active and prudential. But the
remedies are simple and easily obtained, being such as may be had at any
well-kept apothecary's shop. The _sulphate of quinia_, in moderate
doses, three or four times a day, with the usual attention to the
febrile changes, gentle _aperients_, _effervescent_ and _acidulous_
drinks, taking care to prevent acridness in the stomach. In my advice to
persons going to Africa, I shall speak more pointedly of the domestic or
social customs to be avoided.

Locality

I observed that all elevated places, as Monrovia and Freetown, subject
to severe visitations of disease, are situated near mangrove swamps;
consequently, from the _rising_ of the _malaria_, they are much more
unhealthy than those in low plains, such as Lagos and many other places,
_above_ which the _miasma_ generally rises for the most part passing off
harmlessly.

I left Cape Palmas, Liberia, on Thursday, 2 P.M. the 15TH of Sept., on
the British Royal Mail African steamer, "Armenian," Captain Walker, to
whom and his officers, I make acknowledgments for acts of kindness.

VII THE INTERIOR--YORUBA

Coasting. Cape Coast Castle, Bight of Benin

Thursday, the 20th of September, about noon, after stopping at
Cape-Coast Castle for twelve hours, on the Coast of Benin, the steamer
made her moorings in the roadstead, Bight of Benin, Gulf of Guinea, off
Lagos. I disembarked, going ashore with the mail-boat managed by
natives