The Harvard African Expedition, Book 2: October 13, 1926
Creator
Loring WhitmanDate
10/13/26Coverage
Granh, Hinterland, LiberiaTranscription
Wed Oct 13th. Well we got women carriers today – a whole al village full – 8 of which were carrying babies on their backs. The 14 men of the day before stayed with us – which was fortunate as two men loads on poles cannot be carried by women. As there is a fork in the trail – one way going to River Cess – the other to Sino – I went ahead with an interpreter to see that our loads all went the proper way. Then having got them all on the right track I went up them the line and made sure that all women with babies had the lightest loads. And having some extras I was able to relieve some of them from duty for the present. For quite a while we moved very slowly passing thru swamps and mud holes every few minutes until I was soaked and covered with mud. Then we climbed up into higher and dryer country passing along a leaf and covered trail beneath small hut tall trees which leafed out into a thick roof over our heads. At 1100 Hal and I stopped for a swim in a rocky stream which crossed our trail, A nice bubbling stream with a sandy pool about 15 ft long. It was a very refreshing swim and when we went on we felt on the crest of the wave. However our joy was short lived for we caught up with Dr. Strong to find that some men woman had run away leaving us two loads with no carriers. So we put the head man under one and Africa under another and were off. The head man has few carrying babies all day and helping a lot. Soon we came to a half town where we gave every body a rest – And told them again that they would be pair for carrying. It cheered them up and I am sure that many of them had not heard that good word before. The washman found another Devil costume here and as before danced during our stay. He is a very genial soul and keeps everybodies spirits up.
An hour and a quarter later we arrived at Weea town – our destination where like our porters we chopped sugar cane for lunch. Then we had some tea and crackers – took a bath and paid off the porters after a long argument in which Hal and I were for paying first and asking them to stay afterwards rather than keeping them and paying them for 2 days after they carry tomorrow. Hal and I won.
Leave Granh 645 Arr. Weea 200
15 SW
15 Stop
30 SE
10 Stop
20 SE
10 ESE
10 S
10 SSE
10 SE
10 E
10 ESE
20 E
10 ESE
15 S
30 Stop
15 S
10 SW
25 Swim
40 S
15 SE to
30 half town
20 S
20 SSW
10 S
15 SW
10 WSW.
Distance 16 miles
Weea town has also been depopulated by the D.C. but as it is small at best, I doubt if his ranks were swelled greatly. But it is a nice place and gives one the impression of being very much out of the way, especially as they it is surrounded by big bush. It is a clearing in which stand a dozen huge trees of the forest – looking still more gigantic and majestic for their isolation. And once more we are among banana trees – with their tremendous tropical leaves.
There is quite a lot of native tobacco here each patch surrounded by a little fence. There is one of these for nearly each hut. But it is not very good having small leaves which come off branched stems instead of the huge leaves growing directly off the main stalks as we have it at home They also do not pick off the buds. <Drawing of leaves>
The Washman still a third time has discovered a devil costume and this evening by the light of the tropical moon he is doing some rather clever native dancing. I am sure that he is a professional devil in his own home town.
It is a bright moonlight night – a tropical moon with the big black trees – standing alone and passing up and up until their feathery leaves disappear and merge with the sky. The stars are dimmed by the brilliance of it all. I sat and smoked my pipe.