Guano Seal, Damaraland Guano Company, Image by StuE, Found by Angel / Ged.
Found in Yorkshire, 22mm, 9.8g.
With the help of other seals, DAMARALAND curved downward GUANO straight across the middle below // SOLE / IMPORTERS / FOR / GREAT BRITAIN / pellet, inscription around - DAMARLAND curving downward and Coy. LTD LONDON curving upward.
Board of Trade: Companies Registration Office: Fil... BT 31/6031/42622
Company No: 42622; Damaraland Guano Company Ltd. Incorporated in 1894. Dissolved before 1916. Source: The Catalogue of The National Archives
From - NATH Central Training tour September 1997, author: Mr. Sergei Mitrofanov (namibweb.com - The online guide to Namibia):-
"The first railway line in then German South West Africa was built after discovery of rich guano deposits near Cape Cross by Walter Mathews, an Englishman. He had been sent up to the coast by the German Government to investigate reports of fur seals and he did his own investigating discovering the guano deposits to the south. This resulted in the formation of the Damaraland Guano Company. A concession was obtained from German Colonial Government to kill seals and to work any guano deposits.
The railway was laid with 18-pound rails to gauge of 24 inches and had a total length of approximately 13 miles when completed."
From HENTIES BAY: fishing mecca of the Namibian coast:-
"Erycina (04.09.1896)
The Norwegian Bark came on charter for the Damaraland Guano Company to deliver stores to Cape Cross and to load guano for the U.K. She had sprung a leak in rough weather on her outward voyage. Additional pumps were supplied at Cape Cross, but after two days it was found that she could not be kept afloat. It was thus decided to beach her. The crew was taken back to Europe by the Woermann Liner, Lothar Bohlen. Over the years many wooden parts of this ship were washed ashore in the bay north of Cape Cross. It is not known whether any parts of her are still recognisable today."