The Harvard African Expedition Book 1: August 25, 1926
Creator
Loring WhitmanDate
8/25/26Coverage
Memmeh Town, Hinterland, LiberiaTranscription
Wed Aug 25th We got up at 500 and immediately dismantled and packed our beds so that by 515 we were ready for breakfast. Dr. Allen shaved as usual – he has not missed a day – in the early light. Then came the job of loading up the porters and getting out as quickly as possible. The porters – 36 of them – did their best to get as small a load as they possibly could. There was one load in 3 parts – each about 15 lbs each which were kept tied together. One brilliant youth separated them and was trying to get away with one part as a load. Most of the rest complained to Walker that they really had a 2 man load. In consequence we had about 10 more porters than we needed and more than we had used coming over. But by 640 we were off – after paying Walker for ½ of the men.
As the men seemed to be willing to carry thru to Memmeh town – we decided to go right thru even though we had been told that it was a 2 day walk and were paying Walker on that basis. And as both Dr. Bequaert & Allen seemed to be staying behind the men I decided to walk fast and go thru without stopping. So I set out and passed up thru the line of porters with Momo at my heels and set off at a fast pace, soon leaving our safari behind – except for one man who evidently travelled a fast as I did loaded with a chop box. For an hour I trailed him – apparently never gaining – But he weakened and in half an hour more I passed him – a beautifully developed young chap of slim kind.
For the first 2 hrs the going was excellent and I swung along at an extremely rapid pace with the sweat running off my face – but then the swamps began and the with them the wading. Most of them could be crossed by careful log walking back & forth but some had to be waded. In one place where it got above my knees I had Momo carry me for a short way thru the deeper parts. About 1130 I came to a big river – which had to be crossed by a suspension bridge made of leaves and smaller sticks. It was really quite an elaborate affair with a rail railing on both sides. But the road continued immediately – The hot road with scrub growth on both sides as at Kaka town. At 1220 I came to another river – this time with a bridge build across – which had washed partly away & was patched up by a semi floating suspension affair. As I crossed I saw small boy washing so I knew that I had arrived. It was a real walk – 5 hrs 45 minutes fast going without a stop.
20 – Leave Kakatown at 640
20 ENE
25 NE ½ E
5 NE
15 NEE ½ E
5 NE ½ E
25 ENE
25 NEE
[Village to right of trail]
15 NEN
10 EN
10 NEE
5 EN
25 ENE
10 EN
<-----
20 NE
5 NNE
10 NEE
5 NE
20 NE
10 E
10 ENE
<-----
10 ENE
<=====
25 ENE
15 E
10 ENE
<=====
5 E
The distance is roughly 18-20 miles.
I immediately put on dry clothes – a great relief – and drank most of Coolidges water. Then came lunch – for I had arrived in time – and a very pleasant meal it was too. The porter whom I had passed with such difficulty came in at 125 while Bequaert & Allen who stopped to eat didn’t come for an hour after that. Later in the afternoon we had another hair cutting bee – Dave doing most of the work, altho I cut his hair. The rest of the day wa spent in getting our beds set up and in distributing medicine etc. 8 of us are together again.