The Harvard African Expedition Book 1: September 1, 1926
Creator
Loring WhitmanDate
9/1/26Transcription
Wed Sept 1st. immediately after Breakfast we packed up our beds & trunks and started getting our boxes out in front for the porters who were chopping. About 800 they returned and the distribution of loads started. Each box has to be lifted and portioned out. “One man here” “2 men for this” etc and the head man usually hefts them too. Theiler handled that while the rest of us got the stuff out of the houses, counted the men, and got out money for them. The D.C. asked us to pay them at the time so we did altho it seemed a risky proceding. Then off they went and a new days march was started at 900. With 96 loads Dr Shattuck said good bye to us for he will wait for Bequaert to come up to him.
For the first two hours it rained like the devil which kept us cool but made our scant clothing cling and weigh us down. Still the trail was really beautiful – thru tall woods with vines and thick growth. And we were constantly climbing short steep slopes to drop down the other side. For a while we kept our feet comparatively dry – finding logs or bridges over the streams but we met our match at a washed out bridge & waded up to our pockets After 2 hrs. we arrived at Rruah Belleh’s town where we decided to chop. We chlorinated some water in a canteen & ate crackers & cheese which. I had brought along. In the meantime some of our porters came in – the first one with a case of gin. In consequence the chief out of the clear sky “dashed” us a chicken, and then another. We were greatly touched and upon our departure “dashed” him a tin or Bully beef. We soon crossed a cataract pouring down from the trail over scattered rocks. It was extremely pretty & If it had not been pouring I would have stopped for a picture.
After eating, drinking, and smoking walking became a tremendous effort and to make matters worse the sun now broke thru and baked us after we had been soaked. And as a final dig we left the forest for the desolate second growth without a speck of shade. We plodded along for about an hour until we struck the road where we could walk 3 abreast. In places the heavy rain had stirred the mud into a very thick paste which covered our boots, and dragged our feet down and stuck them to Terra firma. And then after plenty of that it rained some more.
But we did get to Zeanshue and a welcome stop it was too.
Leave Miamu 905 Arr. Zeanshue 230
25 NE
5 NEN
<=====
15 EN
30 ES
5 NE
20 ES
25 ESE
[35 Chopat
Rruah Bellah’s]
18 ENE
<=====
10 EN
7 NEE
50 E
25 ES
20 EN
20 NE
15 ENE
Distance – about 15 miles
The first thing which struck us about the place was its attempt at a sidewalk. It is quite a big town and they have converted the road into a main street. It still remains a road with a slight ditch on each side. Then flanking this is another walking space – the sidewalk – and then the houses which are strung along main street. <Drawing of main street> Of course away from the street. They are scattered and jammed together at will.
The second thing about Zeanshue was the crowd of curious people mostly women & children who gazed at us in droves from near & from far – standing in the road or sitting in rows three deep on the walls of our house.
The third thing was the way the food just poured into camp. Ripe bananas, pumpkins, eggs – yes real eggs – potatoes, casava al and palm wine – all came in without asking. One boy had a pumpkin for which he asked 2 shillings & which we turned down. Then he mumbled something which our boys translated as 1 shilling. So we paid for it. When we came back from the river we found a big palava & boys we found that the boy still wanted his two shillings. So we told our boys to give him back his pumpkin only to find it already cut up.
After getting into dry clothes, stowing 96 loads & paying porters buying food & setting up the beds it was pretty late so we sampled the palm wine and had supper. The former was good but without much punch while the latter had tremendous bulk and variety. And so early to bed.
Small boy gave out that his name was no longer small boy but Kapu (dead). He walked all the way ahead of the party with the washman.
rest + food & smoke feel lazy as hell. Tramp tramp tramp. Dull second growth and fiendish sun. Feel logey. – Got tired – longed to swim. Glad to get to Zeanshu at 230 – food poured in – pumpkin, bananas, palm wine and EGGS. Bought 10 of latter. Really a place of luxury with large group of onlookers – mostly f & immature. Porters in early & sent back. Sat back & enjoy life small boy / says his name is Kapoo now Palm wine – no kick – good big meal however.