A Liberian Journey

Creator

Richard Pearson Strong

Date

8/29/26

Coverage

Miamu, Hinterland, Liberia

Transcription

August 29th, Sunday, Miamues.

Last evening I learned from the government official here that the rest of my party had arrived at Reppues town, which news was a great satisfaction to me. About 9 P. M. I was awakened by a note from George stating that all had reached Reppues town except Bequaert who would reach there in the morning. He stated that the chief had “agreed” to my request and given them “road men” as porters. I got more sleep last night than the night before in Reppues. There was a young lamb crying around the shed under which we slept and the drums were beating most of the night. Here we are sleeping on the veranda of a mud house which is surrounded by a low stockade. It was built as a military station, but there are no troops here. The town is some hundred and fifty yards away – a cluster of some thirty houses of the usual type.

I found this morning that all the porters I fed yesterday afternoon had run away. The soldier I had placed in charge of them was asleep at the time, I probably made a mistake in feeding them.
The bridge over the river near here is, I hear, washed away and we must construct rafts to cross with. We have a long march ahead of us today and although it is 8 A. M. no porters have arrived except 9 which I have sent on ahead with some of the tents. We are told that we are now in the big game country with elephant, bush cow and hippos around, but we have seen none. We must reach the base camp before we organize hunting parties.

The Mpesses women in this part of the country powder their faces and sometimes the upper part of their bodies with a fine white clay resembling pipe clay somewhat. This is evidently a fashion supposed to render them more attractive. Actually, it makes them look rather hideous, with clown-like faces. In some of the towns further in the interior this custom is much more rare.

Type

Diary

Citation