The author records several years spent in Nigeria and neighboring regions, combining travel narratives of journeys between coastal ports and inland towns with vivid descriptions of landscape, markets, and local customs. She describes camp life, the colonial residency, household routines, clothing and embroidery, domestic animals and gardening, and practical advice on dress and equipment, illustrated by many sketches and portraits. Chapters alternate episodic travel anecdotes with practical chapters on the home, household management, and outdoor life, offering observational accounts of people encountered, the challenges of climate and transport, and day-to-day experiences of life abroad.