The carriages are run to the head of an inclined plane and a wire rope fastened to each coach, the other end encircling a winding drum. Another rope bound to the further end of the carriage draws it on the slope of the plane, and the winding machine lets it down. The plane carries the carriages to a trolly bridge resting on the river, and rising and falling with it. The trolly bridge fits to a steam ferry which bears four carriages, so that the entire train is taken over in two journeys. At Jebba Island the reverse process is followed, and a freight engine being coupled up the train proceeds over the north channel bridge and thus onwards.

Kooty-Wenji should be made by daylight, and there a halt is made till next morning, as the line has not yet been ballasted, and is therefore not safe to be used at night.

At 6 a.m. the train is again on the move, and in less than an hour-and-a-half we draw up at Zungeru, 430 miles from Lagos. The course has been covered in thirty-six hours. A week later the boat train attained a record by doing the journey in twenty-four hours.

I am making a short stay at Zungeru; but perhaps it will make a better connected narrative if a few additional railway particulars are given now. Midday the train leaves for Minna, which is its destination. A journey straight ahead can be made by ordinary train to Kano, 282 miles from Zungeru. The traveller for the tin fields in the Bauchi and the Nassarawa Provinces will alight at Zaria, 90 miles south of Kano. From Zaria, the Bauchi Light Railway will in seven hours take him the 88½ miles to Rahama railhead.

Appended are the through fares by the boat train, including sleeping accommodation and attendance:

£s.d.
Lagos toIbadan306
” ”Zungeru673
” ”Zaria8124
” ”Rahama9147
” ”Kano91410

First-class passengers by the boat train are allowed the following weight of luggage, excess of which is placed at heavier rates:

2 cwts. free.
20 ” at 7s. 2d. per cwt. to Zungeru.
20 ” at 9s. 3d. ” ” to Zaria.
20 ” at 9s. 11d. ” ” to Kano.
Additional 20 ” at 10s. 6d. ” ” to Zungeru.
” 20 ” at 13s. 6d. ” ” to Zaria.
” 20 ” at 14s. 6d. ” ” to Kano.

Meals are charged: early morning tea, 6d.; breakfast, 2s.; lunch, 3s.; afternoon tea, 1s.; dinner, 4s. 6d.