The Harvard African Expedition Book 1: September 2, 1926
Creator
Loring WhitmanDate
9/2/26Coverage
Bundoi, Hinterland, LiberiaTranscription
Thur. Sept 2. Unfortunately porters came in this morning so Dave & I were forced to pack up and leave the land of the Lotus Eaters in charge of Theiler. Just before we left I took a picture of a case of yaws in an adult man which covere covered his face neck and chest.
By the way of the 10 eggs we bought yesterday only 3 were good – a very disappointing fact.
By 845 we had 59 loads packed & off so that Dave could go. I waited 15 minutes longer to see about if more men were coming in before I left.
Rain, Rain – RAIN – as yesterday for about an hour and a half of fairly good going with some deep wading. The trail was fairly wooded in spots and at least was pretty. At Saquelleh – the first town – we found all the porters in palava which turned out to be financial. They were talking with the chief who said that he didn’t want to supply more men as we were paying the chief and not the men.
At the end of 15 minutes we calmed him and our men assuring them of payment. And so off again.
And the next lap was mean. 1 hr. & 30 minutes – from 11-1230 in the noon tropical sun on an unprotected dry trail. Well when I got to Bundoi my sweat had just run out and I felt as if I was about to have apoplexy. As soon as we got there I got washmen to get a fire going & got some water to boil. So we had nice hot soup and bananas – besides plenty of water chlorinated in an empty cracker tin.
We stayed there an hour before going on for the last lap. This was as before but the mid day sun was over and hunger no longer got hold of us. However after an hour Dave decided to rest while I pushed on 20 minutes to Sua Koko.
Leave Zeanshu 905 Arr. Sua Koko 255
Distance about 15 miles
<======
10 ES ½ S
30 ESE
15 E
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20 E
5 ENE
15 ESE
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5 ESE
[15 Saquelleh]
15 ES
75 ENE
[70 Bundoi]
50 NEE
30 E
Sua Koko is an old town from its looks without a spear of vegetation in the gravelly soil of the village. There are many gray houses with gray, weather beaten thatched roofs and a look of desertedness. And as the approach to the town is a little higher than the main area you can look over the entire spot and see all the houses.- Not very impressive
However the people – again 9/10 women – were just one stage more curious than at Zeanshu. If they had tried to come closer I am sure that they would have had to sit in our laps. They stacked the walls 3 deep until there was no light in a building without walls. And they never left unless shooed away.
When we first got there, there were some soldier boys who felt more suited for our society than the common hoi poloi. In consequence they sat with us and talked us black in the face for over an hour – “Plenty people – no bush – no people – big bush” & other similar facts including the presence of leopard societies and the hanging of 100 offenders by the govt. However after we had stacked our loads & paid off the men we sho got rid of them & bathed, shaved and washed in peace. Momo cooked supper for us – very good supper too despite the lack of salt in our chop boxes – and we went to bed very early – rather played out and with slight sun headaches.
Thurs Sept 2nd Unfortunately porters came so Dave & I were forced to leave the lands of Lotus Eaters and go on – picture of yaws – 59 loads – off at 900. Rain – RAIN – 1 hr 40 min to Saquelle – money palava – 12hr 30 to Bundoi & as tough a walk as we have had. Burning sun - & helmet like an oven. No protection sweated until all moisture gone. At Bundoi made hot soup & ate Bananas for an hour – I mean ate bananas & staid an hour. Then on still hot and dirty going. Tired & heavy. Dave stopped to rest – 1 hr 20 min to Sua Koko. Men came in & we paid them. Soldier boy talks us black in the face. Momo cook no salt – table out of boxes – Bath & shave – fell better. Bought 2 chickens. Bed at 615 with slight sun headache.