A Liberian Journey

Creator

Date

Coverage

Transcription

                  Wed Aug 4^th

                  A drizzly day well fitted for getting settled. I got the drying tent somewhat organized and got my movie drying rack set up. We also continued to get the tent organized. During the morning we all set to work to demolish one of the big Termite hills – a morning task of which I occasionally took pictures. As we cut in further and further we found regular gardens much like coral which these ants build & on which fungi grow which adds to their diet. It really is a remarkable sight to see the passages and chambers which are organized for storage or for lavae chambers. Finally we got into the center where we found the queen – a pulpy mass about 3 inches long to which a normal head was attached. Disgusting looking thing.

                  After lunch we continued our work around camp, having new drainage ditches dug etc. Dr. Allen & I went out later with our guns – I with a small 44 caliber shot gun – to see what we could get. I shot two swallows on the wing which fortunately were adult male & female. It was very lucky.

                  Powers – the manager of NO 3. had supper with us. He is a south African who has spent a good many years in the far east and on the west coast of Africa. He is a rather thin wiry man who constantly wears shorts. After supper Dave & I developed in our rain coats as the thatch rook of the Lab. leaks somewhat. It is really extremely annoying while developing to have large drops of water go down the back of ones neck. Later as I was washing my negatives I found a frog swimming in the tank along with much mud which seems to get into everything when it rains

Type

Identifier

Citation