A Liberian Journey

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Wed Oct 20^th When we first awoke our porters were still with us and we felt that at last we were thru with the endless trouble of getting carriers. Dr. George went down and gave them some rice for breakfast. And Then we settled down to our own chop in a rather relieved frame of mind. However our joy was short lived for soon Burmah came running up to inform us that the men had changed their minds and had suddenly cleaned out without warning we rushed down only to find the report too true. Evidently they had left immediately after being given rice and we had not been warned until they were well on their way. Well we were in a pretty pickle – I went in pursuit of the renegades but they were too quick for me and jumped the trail. Then I returned and finished breakfast. In the meantime we took stock of our remaining cohorts and found the following – the 18 people from Coe town – The two headmen from Chekomma – the one headman from Sordya and our own boys. There was only one thing to do and that was to take as much as we could and travel thru the bush as fast as possible in order to get men to send back for the rest. It was useless to try for men in the direction from which we had come. The upshot of the matter was that we gave loads to all our boys and to the other retainers and started leaving Washman and Africa in charge of the rest. Of course I had to leave behind my supply of films and all my developing and collecting outfit while Hal must leave most of the hunting and eating outfit. We reduced to the essentials. Then we were off each of our boys carrying a load. 20 minutes later we came to where the last of the headmen from Chekomma had dropped Dr. Strongs trunk and had gone the way of all Liberian flesh. The solution of the mystery was converting it into a one man load and leaving a kinja of rice behind. Then we were really off. 

            During this delay Hal and Dr. George had gone ahead with the rest of the men – but after about two hours of struggle – half an hour walk – 5 or 10 minutes rest – and so on we caught up with them resting beside a river, - then we continued en masse. During this day Hal had was with the front vanguard while I brought up the rear – a change in our positions.

            At about 100 we came to quite a big stream which we crossed on logs – to find a regular little town of Shelters. Evidently this is a regular recognized stopping place and is probably the objective to for which we would have got the first day found we not had so much trouble with our porters. Here we called a halt for the rest – a swim and some lunch. It was quite a pleasant place – a small clearing among virgin forest with the little thatch roofed shelters standing out brilliantly in the noon sun, in contrast to the deep forest shadows behind. And too, it was rather pleasant to sit beneath a big shade tree and somewhat salve a rather disquieting hunger.

            But when we called our caravan together again we saw that perhaps we had made a mistake stopping in such a pleasant spot, for our porters sat down and said that they were going to stop there for the night. Of course they would carry much further for us in the morrow etc. Our answer to that was an absolute ignoring of their words and an order to shoulder their loads. This was met by an threat. They would run away if they had to carry another step today – we loaded our guns and tried to look ominous. Well in the end they went- and apparently without any worries, for they were probably only bluffing. –

<2 loose pages inserted in diary

Fri 29

Sat 30

Sun 31Hal and I take photos in P.M. Swim in AM. Mr Ross, develop

Mon 1 Shop in AM. Pack in PM dine out in Eve. Swim up beach and count Shaeckels – load boat and take pictures

Tues 2 leave

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60     

1680

Gladiolus Augustus.

South Africa

Gladiolus Primuliaus macoephalus

Get seed of each.>

At about 300 as the porters were beginning to look a bit ragged and weary Strong decided that we would stop at the next decent place which proved to be near at hand. This was a small shelter – or rather two of them – beside a rather clean and cool looking little stream. Unfortunately, however, Coolidge and Shattuck had got ahead of us with the fore guard and were barely within our leaving, which meant that we would have to send ahead to stop them and bring them back. In the meanwhile I sent back the trail and helped cookmate with his cook box. He is a rather slender youngster and as the box is rather heavy he had been dropping further and further behind until I was afraid that he would play out in the bush somewhere and never come in at all. I walked back the trail for about a half an hour until I found him struggling along under his awkward burden. I took the load, - about 45 lb, - and hoisted it on my own head realizing immediately that a full neck must be a great asset to the professional head porter. It isn’t so much the weight as it is the jerks and falls which are constantly throwing you off balance. For remember that if you were 6 ft tall you are now 8 ft – and the fumes catch you at every turn. You are continually bending and “sagging to get under branches which would ordinarily let you pass – and you frequently misjudge with the result that you feel a tug- your head is jerked sideways – and you have all you can do to keep your balance your head on your shoulders and the box on your head. I appreciate now more fully to what strains the carriers are put – even though they are used to it. As for me, well 15 minutes were sufficient and I returned the box to cook mate while I rested my neck. – And so we got back to the camp site only to find a couple of trunks idly waiting to be carried and no one in sight. After waiting a while I picked up the money trunk – and heavy one, too and started off. This time I was carrying with a tumpline– about 80 lbs – but that was not so bad. These native tumps  – a common method of carrying here – are made from tall slender trees about 1 1/2 “ in Diam – and looking like a slender maple. These they cut down and shave on strip – instead of cutting 1 to the trunk. Then they peel it off – giving a wide flat strip of bark – about 2” wide of a very strong nature. It is quite neat. But to continue – I didn’t have far to go luckily for I soon came up to find the new site – a much bigger and better one – and with better huts. 

            Remembering the noon threats to run away our first thoughts were to send some of the boys out to guard the trail – and then set to work rigging up our cots and mosquito bars under a rather low shelter just large enough to cover the 4 beds when jammed in. Our next thought was to distribute rice etc to the men. Then a swim in quite a nice deep pool in which I could actually get under water.

            At supper I suggested that we try a little twine on our carriers – after all we cannot afford to lose them – and of they believe it whats the harm. Money has no real attraction for them. So Burma was called. He immediately agreed and taking two quinine pills gave one to the headman with the words “if you run away – you die – if I or the white masters don’t treet you right, I die,” Then they swallowed their pills with a clash of water from the same cup – white man’s medicine. 

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