Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 3.djvu/282

 the year is divided into two rainy seasons, with two intervening periods of dry weather. For strangers the most dangerous period begins in October with the north-east winds, corresponding to the harmattan of the Liberian coast. The exports, such as oil, dyewoods, gums, ground-nuts, wax, ivory, also show that the flora and fauna of the unexplored interior are much the same as in Liberia. The

only plant extensively cultivated is coffee, which is largely grown by a French house along the west bank of the Albi. Here are found three species of monkeys, including the chimpanzee; the elephant also is occasionally seen on the coast. But the hippopotamus, which formerly frequented the creeks and lagoons, has almost entirely disappeared, at least from the Assini district. Chaper has met the