A Liberian Journey

Mon Sept 27^th Once more we have paraded thru hot suns and over sunbaked roads though I must admit we did have a fair amount of big bush with luxurious shade. We got off early  to a gray morning start and made fairly good time after getting the men out of town. Of course they had only gone 100 yds to the town when they laid down their loads and started to chop. However we got them going and started along. Dr. Strong and Shattuck Remained behind to study a medical case who had just come in while Hal and I “chased niggers” as Arnold Borton said. About 1 hr and 45 min. Out we struck a bit of road which ran to and beyond the next town (Bowenh) thru which we pushed without stopping. But the road soon petered out as we plunged into forest again. After At 1015 we came to the next town (Bloye or Buloye) where we decided to rest a short while. During our stay we saw them making a hammock of the kind I bought. The longitudinal fibres were looped lengthwise over a rectangular frame and they were doing the crosswork. Dr. Strong and Shattuck joined us here.

            When we started off again we discovered that some of our men had run away but Sando, Momo and I pursued a few and caught them. Others were dragged out of houses and we continued. 2 hrs later we came to Guatown where another half dozen men had to be replaced, 2 musicians bent on amusing us were grabbed by our boys divested of their clothes and instruments and before complete bewilderment had time to spread over their entire faces they were set under a box and shoved off.

            Hal and I stopped and eat soon after and while there the chief of gua town came rushing down with a goat which he had and offered us but which we had graciously refused. He now tried to make us take him as it is a custom. But we were adamant tho we dashed him an empty cracker tin to show our good feelings. Then on again thru beautiful forest without any porters to keep us cussing. By the way – in the morning when we first started out the porters were singing and as we passed boys  and by good fortune we passed thru some beautiful tall trees comparatively free from undergrowth – just tall straight vertical trunks towering up, up, up above us to finally merge in a leafy mass overhead. And far enough ahead to somewhat muffle the sound were the porters singing – but instead of voices it sounded like chimes from some distant cathedral – and the trees seemed to be columns in some big church and once more I felt as if I were in Notre Dame listening to the chanting and the chimes. I spoke to Hal who promptly agreed with me.

We arrived at the next town Blompie to find that more porters had run away and that women were carrying some of our loads. Due to  this disturbance Dr. Strong and Shattuck had not stopped for lunch so Hal stayed behind to chase porters while I went ahead to give some crackers to Dr. George. Then I passed up thru the column to the next village which was near Tappi, our destination, - at least we were told it was only 10 minutes away – and saw to it that no men deposited their loads and departed into the bush. Then I walked into Tappi along a road they were just building and which ran to the stop just mentioned. Only instead of taking 10 minutes it took nearly an hour. I didn’t get in till 440 while Hal who followed and brought in the porters didn’t arrive for an hour. Well we got to tappi and instead of 5 days it took 4 tho the last one was 25 miles and long ones too. Just before tappi we came to a tremendous cut thru a red rocky soil where they have leveled the road. For native work it is really remarkable being some 20 or more ft deep with smooth straight sides.

Leave Ziche 640 Arr. Tappi 440

25 S

20 SE

15 ESE

20 E

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25 SE

15 ENE to Bowenh

25 E

10 SE

35 E

[10 Rest]

10 SSE

5 SE to

25 { Bloyé

Buloyé

15 SS

50 S

25 SSE

20 ESE to

15 Guatown

15 S

[20 Rest]

15 SE

15 ESE

30 SE

5 E

10 S to Bompié Saborpré

25 E

15 SE to Sanmuel

10 E to

20 Road Camp

15 SEE

5 ES

10 SE

7 SSE

18 ES