A Liberian Journey

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 Book 2

            Mon was started in Book 1 but was packed out from Gbanga – on Sept 13^th.

Mon – Sept 13^th – Once more a day of travel. We got up about 530, had breakfast, palava’d with chiefs and finally got off at 730 from Garmu and the French Border. It was sprinkling when we started but that only lasted for about an hour. The porters being fresh moved right along and even sang as they went. After 20 minutes we got to the first town – Quertai – where some of the porters tried to quite. They “understood” that they were to carry from town to town. However, we discouraged that idea and pushed on. At Quertai we came once more the devilish road. We have come to hate these marks of Liberian industry as they are hard under foot and offer absolutely no shade and protection from the tropical noon sun. Still they are comparatively straight which is one advantage. This one immediately started off SE showing that our trip north had carried us considerably out of our way. At the end of an hour we came to Naama  - the headquarters of the Ass’t. D.C. but we did not stop at all merely telling some soldiers that we would call on his Excellency on our return. Another hour or so got us to Bonshu where we changed 11 porters. There is a very agreeable Rd. Comm. There who presented us with some eggs which we accepted with pleasure. And there was no asking for gin etc. He was really genuinely trying to be nice. While we were changing porters I took some pictures of a tree – short and broad – with leaves like those of the American locust which bore long green bologna sausages for seed pods. These were quite profuse and measured between 2 and 3 ft. Quite a tree to advertise “Hot Dawgs”.         

            Immediately after leaving Bonshu we came to the end of the road. And passed once more onto a shaded trail through the bush. The Rd. Comm. came with us as far s the woods telling us that elephants had passed north a month before and that the Bonshu waters drain into the St. Pauls while those of Garmu and Gbanga drained into the St. Johns. It was a relief to get into the woods and out of the sun but the change was not complete for we continually passed into white sunbaked mud which reflected the heat up under our helmets. And so we came to another Banga where we stopped for a couple of minutes only. The Chief there “dashed” us some tobac plantains which we took and we returned some cigarets. He also showed us a heart shaped piece of tin on a chain with the inscription “From President E.D. Howard to Chief – 1916.” There we pushed on thru to Garmu. It was a long weary 1 ½ hrs to our destination thru second growth – with very little shade. And since 6 we had not eaten – so that walking passed from being a means of locomotion to one of mild torture. And the sun just shone down with its most cheerful smile – to hit the dry caked mud and reflect up again. 

            But at 200 I dragged my weary feet into the govt compound and sat down on the porch of the “guests” house to recuperate. 20 minutes later Dr. Shattuck arrived and still late Dr. Strong who had been more sensible and walked more slowly.

            Garmu has little to offer except on sugar loaf hill 4-500 ft high – wooded to the top – and standing out from the second growth like a sore thumb. For quite a while back on the trail we had been watching it – and had always hoped to stop on its western side – now we were east – SE of it in fact. Otherwise we were in a region of dull hot bushes. 15 ft high which viewed to stretch in all directions. The govt compound was similar to that of Gbanga only was less pretentious and had no kitchen. Our dwelling consisted of a 2 roomed affair with a porch in front and in back. <Drawing of compound> We slept in the front porch and took our baths in the alley way between. But even in the shade of the porch the heat of the day was upon us. As soon as Dr. Strong came in and had had a bath we had tea and crackers which we later followed with a big supper of steak stew – rice, tomatoes, prunes, etc. There in the evening we sat outside in the moonlight for there was a full moon and smoked our pipes of peace. Well we have covered 40 miles in  2 days – 2 tropical days. 

            By the way I saw a bird today – shaped like a blue jay with a crest on his head. <Drawing of bird head> It was a dull blue black all over with a rusty yellow margin on tail and wings when he flew. Another bird – possibly the same – had 2 white bands on the dorsal surface of his wings. 

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