CHAPTER V. The Ivory Coast

THE IVORY COAST

Thanks to Monsieur Auguste Chevalier’s very varied and extensive travels on the Ivory Coast, we have obtained very graphic descriptions of the belt of forest extending nearly 150 miles inland and parallel to the coast.

In his books Les Végétaux Utiles de l’Afrique Tropicale Française, Fasc. V., Première Etude sur les Bois de la Côte d’Ivoire, and Les Végétaux utiles de l’Afrique tropicale française, Fasc. VII (Première Partie), Documents sur le Palmier à Huile, on the vegetation of this French Colony, not only are there general descriptions of some of the best and most accessible forests, but also there are full descriptions of the individual trees, together with most of their botanical and most valuable vernacular names.

Considering that the area of the Ivory Coast is 130,000 square miles, and the forest belt about 150 miles wide, the mahogany industry should be still further developed than it is at the present time.

So far, on the average, the Ivory Coast has been noted for its figured mahogany, the Ports of Grand Bassam, Assinie (a town and river of Upper Guinea), and La Hou being the most noted, and having given almost their name to different classes of Ivory Coast mahogany. For several reasons this type of mahogany has fetched higher prices than that of the average from elsewhere. Sassandra, at the mouth of a similar named river, and also Cavally, on the Cavally, are minor ports for the shipment of mahogany.

First and foremost the wood obtained from what Monsieur Chevalier terms Khaya Ivoriensis is of a much more sheeny nature than that of either Khaya Senegalensis, Khaya grandis or Khaya Punchii.

In the next place, the method of working is most peculiar. Usually, individual natives cut a few trees at a time, standing nearest a waterway or lagoon; in fact, these were picked trees which the natives thought contained figured wood, and this had the effect of only a one- sided working of the forest, thus leaving many other valuable trees. On the average, the distribution of the numbers and of the various species is about the same as in other parts of West Africa. Apparently many of the ordinary trees have often been left standing, or at any rate most of those which are too inaccessible. A tree standing more than about a mile from water is too far for a native working almost single-handed, and only collecting a few labourers for hauling his logs to the waterway.

In recent years, however, British as well as French firms, with a larger amount of capital, have started to work the forests. Regulations have been drawn up by the local Government in a similar manner and of a similar nature to those in force generally on the West Coast of Africa. The Government also has built a railway passing through and near some of the forests north of Grand Bassam. Since its inception, a further impetus has been given to the mahogany trade. However, in the matter of water transport, the rivers of the Ivory Coast, such as the Tano, mostly flowing in British territory, but emptying itself into the sea at Assinie (the port for logs in French territory), the Yar or Abi, the Komoe, the Zini, and Bandana, the Sassandra and Cavally, can none of them be said to be at all good for the floating out of logs. La Hou is the port for the Bandana and Zini Rivers, after their junction; Sassandra is the port for the Sassandra and Cavally for the Cavally. At the mouth of each of them there is a shallow bar, and this in turn causes a bad surf, and in other parts the coast lacks harbours, and the formation of it is unsuitable for the shipment of timber. No doubt, as time goes on, an effective means will be invented for dealing with the passage of the logs through the surf, especially at the mouths of rivers. So far, from all accounts, the rivers themselves have not been cleared of snags and rocky obstructions for the transport of the timber. This factor again has reacted on the output, and many of the finest forests remain unworked. Owing to the fact of this accidental policy of only cutting the best mahogany trees, the intensive exploitation of the forests by cutting other species of trees (the timber of which has already found a market in Europe) has been greatly hindered. Among such timbers are the following:

Khaya Ivoriensis,

Chlorophora excelsa,

Lophira alata,

Afzelia microcarpa,

Entandrophragma macrophylla,

Canarium Schweinfurthii, or Occidentalis.

On the whole, English firms working on the Ivory Coast have been encouraged and not hindered, but some of the minor regulations appear to be rather irksome and vexatious in their working, and the firms have felt that their tenure of the forest rights was not quite so secure as elsewhere in West Africa.

The export duties placed on mahogany cut on the banks of the Tano in Gold Coast territory are almost of such a nature as to prohibit the profitable working of the Tano forests.

LIST OF TREES

(CHEVALIER’S.)

=Pandanaceæ.=

Pandanus candelabrum. Sometimes known as Screw Pine.

A well-branched tree, supported by aerial roots; leaves spinous and in dense spirals.

=Palmæ.=

Borassus flabellifer Ronier (Colons); Dendo (Attie); Makube (Fanti); Ekube (Agni).

=Liliaceæ.=

Dracæna Perrotetti. Nkiebe (Mbonoi); Adjonde (Ebrie).

=Ulmaceæ.=

Celtis integrifolia. Mgua (Abe); Tongo (Bondoukou).

=Moraceæ.=

Antiaris toxiaria. Ake (Mbonoi).

Chlorophora excelsa. Corkwood (English); Akede (Abe); Bakana (Fanti); Guele (Bondoukou); Elui (Agni); Bonzo (Bambara); Agui (Ebrie); Odum (Appollonien).

Ficus Goliath. Abono (Mbonoi).

Ficus Guineensis. Aturn (Mbonoi).

Ficus sp. Mekhi (Attie); Diangue (Agni); Karfa (Bambara).

Pontya excelsa. Metchi (Attie); Triwa (Agni).

Morus mesozygia. Bana (Attie); Cecerui (Agni).

Musanga Smithii. Parasolier (Colons); Loho (Abe); Guima Djuna (Bondoukou); Egui (Agni); Congo-congo (Gabonais).

Myrianthus arboreus. Agnon (Abe); Atolaie (Mbonoi); Agniere (Ebrie).

Myrianthus serratus. Nianga-magui (English); Diancangue (Attie); Nianga (Agni); Nianga-magui (Indenie).

Treculia africana. Izaquente Portugais (Colons); Yukugo (Bondoukou).

=Olacaceæ.=

Coula edulis. Atsan (Attie); Bogüe (Agni); Akion (Ebrie).

Ongokea Klaineana. So (Abe).

Strombosia pustulata. Myole Polie (Abe); Patabua (Bondoukou); Fognian (Mbonoi).

=Octoknemataceæ.=

Octoknema affinis. Guangua (Attie).

=Anonaceæ.=

Cleistopholis patens. Kotopuan (Attie); Bofu (Fanti); Eutie (Agni).

Enantia chlorantha. Mbawe (Abe); Esuro (Attie).

Monodora myristica. Mbang (Attie); Efuen (Agni); Hane (Ebrie).

Stenanthera hamata. T’sainfi (Attie); Surua (Agni).

Pachypodanthium.

Xylopia æthiopica. Ethiopian pepper (Colons); Fonde (Attie); Efomu (Agni); Endiar or N’diar (Wolof).

Xylopia parviflora.

=Myristicaceæ.=

Cœlocaryon oxycarpum. Kinkonawon (Mbonoi).

Pycnanthus Kombo. Walehe (Abe); Hetere (Bondoukou); Etama (Agni); Anaküe (Mbonoi); Edna (Appolonien).

=Capparidaceæ.=

Buchholzia macrophylla. Mon (Attie); Akotompo (Fanti); Amizi (Agni); Do (Trepo).

=Rosaceæ.=

Chrysobalanus ellipticus. Hanfuru (Agni).

Parinarium robustum. Aroba (Mbonoi).

Parinarium tenuifolium. Simua (Attie); Gatesima (Mbonoi).

=Leguminosæ.=

Albizzia fastigiata. San (Attie); Piampian (Fanti); Kuanguan (Agni).

Albizzia ferruginea.

Albizzia gigantea. Turndogo, Bosole (Bondoukou).

Albizzia rhombifolia. Küe (Attie); Pranpran (Fanti); Kure (Agni).

Afzelia microcarpa. Asemigniri (Mbonoi).

Aphanocalyx sp. Redwood (Colons); Taceribe (Mbonoi); Arabmetu (Adionkron).

Baphia nitida. Camwood (English); Tte (Attie); Ekuro (Fanti); Exin (Agni); Eseme (Mbonoi).

Berlinia acuminata. Beguan (Attie); Gueguirotta baka (Agni).

Cynometra Vogelii. Tiupe (Attie).

Cynometra cryptosepalum. Kiukuesin (Attie); Patapara (Agni).

Daniellia oblonga. Trakuan (Attie); Kuangua (Agni).

Dialium Dinklagei.

Dialium Guineense. Fe (Attie); Warie (Agni).

Erythrophlœum Ivoriensis. Amerere (Agni).

Erythrophlœum Guineense. Erüi (Agni); Teli (Bambara); Aranhe (Mbonoi).

Lonchocarpus sericeus. Acacia de Gabon (Colons); Akuosi, Amba (Fanti); Ekopa (Agni).

Macrolobium Palisoti.

Milletia sp. Vandaküe (Attie); Bakahehessi (Agni); Ekimi (Mbonoi).

Parkia Agboensis. Lo (Abe); Dogo (Bondoukou); Asama (Mbonoi).

Pentaclethra macrophylla. Owala (Gabonais).

Piptadenia Africana. Bon (Attie); Nainvi (Bondoukou); Kuangua iniama (Agni).

Piptadenia Chevalieri. Lo (Attie).

Pterocarpus esculentus. Totohote (Attie); Assihaoto (Agni).

Tetrapleura Thonningii.

=Pandaceæ.=

Porphyranthus Zenkeri. Tebo (Attie); Akwankusuma (Fanti); Akuana (Agni).

=Linaceæ.=

Phyllocosmus Africanus.

=Humiriaceæ.=

Saccoglottis Gabunensis. Amuan (Attie).

=Rutaceæ.=

Fagara macrophylla. Hanwego (Bondoukou); Kengüe (Mbonoi).

Zanthoxylum parvifolium. M’Bon (Attie); Kanton (Fanti); Hendje, Hengué (Agni).

=Simarubaceæ.=

Hannoa Klaineana. Haiefai? (Abe); Neube? (Attie); Hete bake (Mbonoi).

Irvingia. Akwabu (Mbonoi); Lubigniati (Adionkron).

Mannia Africana. Hate (Attie); Sotibia (Fanti); Bomoku (Agni); Akodo (Mbonoi).

=Burseraceæ.=

Canarium Occidentalis. Okume d’Ivoire (Colons); Segna (Attie); Krendja Haigue (Agni).

=Meliaceæ.=

Bingeria Africana. Hakue (Attie); Hague (Agni).

Carapa microcarpa. Dona (Abe); Kuli pia (Bondoukou); Kobi (Bambara).

Carapa velutina. Bibiabe (Attie); Akumasse (Fanti); Sorowa (Agni).

Charia Indeniensis. Zacoba (Attie); Zacoba (Agni).

Entandrophragma ferruginea. Locobo (Attie); Tiamatiama (Agni).

Entandrophragma macrophylla. Baka-biringui (Abe); Lokoba (Attie); Kaiguigo (Bondoukou); Makua (Mbonoi); Tiamatiama (Appolonien).

Entandrophragma rufa. Cedrat (Colons); Kaiguigo (Bondoukou).

Entandrophragma Septentrionalis. Baka-birin-gui (Abe); Keiwgo (Bondoukou).

Khaya Ivoriensis. Bariba or Biribi (Colons); Ekuie (Abe); Lokobua (Attie); Dukuma Dugura (Agni); Humpe (Ebrie); Tiamatiama (Appolonien).

Pynærtia Occidentalis. Hainde (Agni); Kassekui (Mbonoi); Dubiri Keguigo (Appolonien).

Trichilia Candollei. Tanna (English); Fe (Attie); Tenuba, Tanuba (Agni).

Trichilia cedrata. Ngnanake (Abe); Mbosse (Agni); Anokue (Mbonoi).

Trichilia acutifoliata.

=Euphorbiaceæ.=

Macaranga Heudelotii. Abo (Attie); Eson (Fanti); Ekna (Agni).

Mæsobotrya Stapfiana. Senan (Attie); Emuinguim (Fanti); Asa bogüie (Agni).

Oldfieldia Africana. African Teak (English); Fu (Attie); Etüi (Agni).

Ricinodendron Africanus. Hobo Hapi (Abe); Isain (Attie); Sosaü (Fanti); Haipi (Bondoukou); Haipi (Agni); Poposi (Mbonoi); Poposi (Ebrie); Nbob (Moyen Cavally).

Uapaca Benguelensis. African Oak (English); Chêne d’Afrique (Colons); Rikio (Abe); Niondobi (Bondoukou); Cosomon (Bambara); Sannaba (Mbonoi).

Uapaca Bingervillensis. Rikio (Abe); Na (Attie); Kayo (Bondoukou); Elekhua (Agni); Orobo (Mbonoi).

Alchornea sp. Bonyurome (Mbonoi); Aguaya (Ebrie); Tatairo (Moyen Cavally).

Baccaurea Bonneti. Habizacue (Attie); Kuatiecuale (Agni).

Bridelia speciosa. Chicue (Attie).

Hasskarlia didymostemon. Nguepe (Attie); Echirua (Agni).

=Anacardiaceæ.=

Hæmatostaphis Barteri. Vi (Abe); Esanke, Esangue (Attie).

Lannea acidissima. Ngolo ngoloti (Abe); Tchiko (Attie); Kakoro (Fanti); Durgo, Duroko, Duko (Bondoukou); Borepore (Agni).

Lannea sp. Ebruke (Attie); Bembe (Bambara).

Spondias lutea. Ngua (Abe); Ningo (Bambara); Haperrie (Mbonoi).

=Icacinaceæ.=

Leptaulus daphnoides. Paradedi (Attie); Eborodumuen (Agni).

=Sapindaceæ.=

Blighia sapida. Sago (Bondoukou); Finzan (Bambara).

Deinbollia Indeniensis. Ngua, Abo (Attie); Ekosuba, Zenna, Kerenya (Agni); Kaüsa (Indenie).

Placodiscus pseudostipularis. Para dakue (Attie).

=Tiliaceæ.=

Duboscia macrocarpa. Pianro (Agni).

=Bombacaceæ.=

Bombax Buonopozense.

=Sterculiaceæ.=

Cola cordifolia. Awa (Attie); Amhio (Bondoukou); Dabudabu (Agni); Ntaba (Bambara).

Cola mirabilis. Gnibi (Attie); Kamou aguire (Agni).

Cola proteiformis. Kouanda (Attie); Kokotsi (Fanti); Guiangon (Agni).

Cola vera. Awasse (Abe); Lo (Attie); Buesse (Mbonoi); Hapo (Ebrie); Guere (Neyau); Guresu (Bete); Hure (Plapo); We (Trepo); Halu (Adionkron).

Pterygota cordifolia. Ape (Attie); Sounoum (Fanti); Ware Borf ware (Agni).

Sterculia oblonga. Azodo (Abe).

Sterculia tragacantha. Porepore (Abe); Botapia (Attie); Lomburu (Bondoukou); Kotokie (Indenia).

Triplochiton scleroxylon. Hofa (Abe); Samba, Sankamba (Bondoukou); Batabua (Agni); Wa-wa (Appolonien); Wa-wa (Indenia).

=Scytopetalaceæ.=

Rhaptopetalum Tieghemi. Mosangui (Attie); Djo Arbi (Mbonoi).

=Ochnaceæ.=

Lophira procera. Nokue (Attie); Esore (Agni).

=Guttiferæ.=

Allanblackia parviflora. Wohotelimon (Abe); Bissaboko (Attie); Akumase (Fanti); Alabenun (Agni); Wotobe Ewotebo (Mbonoi).

Garcinia polyantha. Mamie Kini (Agni).

Ochrocarpus Africanus. African Apricot (Colons); Quelipe Kelipe (Bondoukou).

Pentadesma leucantha. Piche Aboko (Attie); Allahbanunu (Agni).

Symphonia globulifera. Arquane (Mbonoi).

=Flacourtiaceæ.=

Homalium Africanum. Akouibia (Fanti); Akoima (Agni).

Scottellia coriaceæ. Bakaza (Attie); Aburuhi (Fanti).

Scottellia Kamerunensis. Akosica (Abe); Edde (Mbonoi).

=Rhizophoraceæ.=

Rhizophora racemosa. Paletuvier rouge (Colons); Ntagne (Attie); Koghia bera (Fanti); Ende (Agni).

=Combretaceæ.=

Anogeissus sp. Kakaleka (Bondoukou); Krekete (Bambara).

Combretodendron viridiflora. Kati (Abe); Esive (Mbonoi).

Terminalia altissima. Pe (Abe); Fram (Bondoukou); Frake (Agni).

Terminalia Ivoriensis. Satinwood (English); Mboti, Buma (Attie); Tuhidja (Bondoukou); Framine (Agni); Fela (Bambara); Cauri (Mbonoi).

=Myrtaceæ.=

Eugenia syzygium. Amerere (Agni).

=Melastomaceæ.=

Memecylon polyanthemos. Taisin (Attie); Tai (Agni).

=Ebenaceæ.=

Diospyros sanza. Nguobi, Kusibiri (Attie); Sanza, Minika, Asun, Seka (Agni).

=Oleaceæ.=

Linociera Mannii. Akodiombi, Zakuebiembi (Attie); Akokotsua (Fanti); Aqua egbua (Agni); Akoriie (Indenie).

=Loganiaceæ.=

Anthocleista nobilis. Buro-Nuro (Mbonoi).

=Apocynaceæ.=

Alstonia Congensis. Kokue (Attie).

Conopharyngia crassa. Choka (Attie); Akotompo Atsim (Fanti); Pakie- pakie, Kuakie-kuakie (Agni); Apukur (Mbonoi).

Funtumia Africana. Pesin (Attie); Wala (Bondoukou).

Funtumia elastica. Pechi (Attie); Poyndua (Fanti); Efurumundu (Agni); Ofuntum (Appolonien); Twe (Neyau); Uruba su (Bete); Dorose-Populu (Plapo); Bebeti (Moyen Cavally).

Picralima Elliotii. Hainfain (Attie); Kakana (Agni).

Rauwolfia vomitoria. Embi-siembi (Agni); Gonguonkiur (Mbonoi).

=Verbenaceæ.=

Vitex micrantha. Kiangu (Mbonoi).

=Bignoniaceæ.=

Spathodea campanulata. Tulipier de Gabon (Colons); Kokomazur (Mbonoi).

=Rubiaceæ.=

Grumilea vanosa. Tchiat Kottse (Attie); Aburese baka (Agni).

Gardenia viscidissima.

Mitragyne macrophylla. Sofo (Attie); Bahia (Agni).

Morinda citrifolia. Alongua (Bondoukou); Sangongo (Bambara).

Pseudocinchona Africana. Mbrahu (Abe); Kiumba (Bondoukou).

Sarcocephalus esculentus. Tetere (Mbonoi).

Sarcocephalus Pobeguini. Ndebere (Attie); Ekusamba (Fanti); Boisima (Agni); Zeronga (Bambara).

APPENDIX

IVORY COAST—FOREST EXPORTS

------------+--------------+--------------------+--------------------- | 1909. | 1910. | 1911. Products. +------+-------+------------+-------+------------+-------- |Quant.| £ | Quant. | £ | Quant. | £ ------------+------+-------+------------+-------+------------+-------- | Tons.| | Tons. | | Tons. | | | | | | | Colas | 1| | — | | 8 | 717 | | | | | | Palm kernels| 5,191| 45,421| 5,422 | 47,450| 5,251 | 66,223 | | | | | | Doumane | 2| 26| — | — | 5 | 56 | | | | | | Ginger | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | | | Palm oil | 6,367|119,398| 5,954 |111,651| 6,625 |169,305 | | | | | | Coco-oil | — | — | — | | — | — (touloucoume| | | | | | de palmiste)| | | | | | | | | | | | Gum copal | 1| 77| 0·0882| 4| 0·6106 | 4 | | | | | | Rubber | 368| 67,604| 391 |121,490| 351 |110,916 | | | | | | Beurre de | — | — | — | — | 0·15415| 4 karité | | | | | | | | | | | | Soumbaras | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | | | Woods |15,994| 33,321| 13,783 | 2,871|23,812 | 9,426 (cabinet- | | | | | | making | | | | | | etc.; | | | | | | mahogany) | | | | | | | | | | | | Kapok | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | | | Piassava | 14| 99| — | — | — | — | | | | | | Bamboos | — | — | — | — | — | — ------------+------+-------+------------+-------+------------+-------- TOTALS |27,938|265,949| 25,550·882 |283,468|36,054·76475|356,655 ------------+------+-------+------------+-------+------------+--------

------------+--------------+-------------------- | 1912. | 1913. Products. +------+-------+------------+------- |Quant.| £ | Quant. | £ ------------+------+-------+------------+------- | Tons.| | Tons. | | | | | Colas | 9| 770| 24 | 2,007 | | | | Palm kernels| 6,799| 73,656| 6,949 |104,030 | | | | Doumane | 8| 89| 0·7742 | 12 | | | | Ginger | — | — | 0·0098 | 5 | | | | Palm oil | 6,776|155,294| 6,014 |125,921 | | | | Coco-oil | — | | 0·5194 | — (touloucoume| | | | de palmiste)| | | | | | | | Gum copal | 1| 98| 1 | 99 | | | | Rubber | 1,376|344,020| 394 | 78,239 | | | | Beurre de | 1| 22| 8 | 128 karité | | | | | | | | Soumbaras | — | — | 0·098 | 2 | | | | Woods |30,489|120,688|42,651 |208,869 (cabinet- | | | | making | | | | etc.; | | | | mahogany) | | | | | | | | Kapok | — | — | 2 | 28 | | | | Piassava | 7| 45| 3 | 23 | | | | Bamboos | — | — | 0·56804| 1 ------------+------+-------+------------+------- TOTALS |45,466|624,676|56,047·96944|519,364 ------------+------+-------+------------+-------