Page:Travels in West Africa, Congo Français, Corisco and Cameroons (IA travelsinwestafr00kingrich).pdf/669

 white men living there are fewer and more scattered than on the West Coast or in the Rivers. There is another plan which might work well for Lagos and the Oil Rivers, and that is to have hospital hulks anchored outside. The experience of the French guard-ship Minerve seems to show that this would be a repaying plan, particularly if it were not combined with the French therapeutic methods, which have an immense amount of dash and go in them, and I dare say if a man were in rude health he might undergo them with little permanent injury to his constitution.

The next excitement after cruising in the bay was the arrival of the Nachtigal early in the morning. Of course I packed furiously, and when I was quite ready found her arrival had nothing to do with going to Calabar; she had brought round the Governor from Cameroons, he having been, I am sorry to say, nearly dead with fever. With him came my old friend Doctor Plehn, and I heard sad news of the numbers of bad fever cases in Cameroon River since I had left it, and the Doctor, who had been anxiously expected here for some time, flew hither and thither and rapidly repaired the health of Victoria.

Herr von Puttkamer kindly asked me to breakfast on board the Nachtigal, and confirmed Herr von Lucke’s statement about my being welcome to go round in her to Calabar. He said as soon as he got back to Cameroons he should be sending her round with the Commissioner.

I had a very pleasant afternoon, and got a good deal of material for a work on the Natural History of Governors which I do not intend to publish, but I will just state that all the West Coast Governors, whatever may be the nation they represent, are exceedingly good society. The Governor of Cameroons I consider the best; he is the most experienced, for one thing. He was Governor in Togo before he came to Cameroons, and also was for some time in Lagos and on the Niger; but that is another story, and although a highly diverting one, we will not go into it here. But for fear there should be a rush of people out from home to enjoy the charms of the society of West African Governors, I will remark that they have their faults. They are awfully bad for your clothes. It