A Liberian Journey

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Mon Oct 25^th

      Today we have gone aroving – without very much success. At about 900 Hal and I – after constructing a shelter for Dr. Strong to work under, gathered some half dozen sturdy paddles and descended to the river crossing. On our way we passed a beautiful leopard track in the mud of the trail – absolutely perfect. When we got to the river we found that the canoe tho large would not accommodate us and all our crew – so we let some go retaining 4 paddles, Willie (Dr. Shattuck’s boy) and ourselves. But our cruise upstream was short lived and without much success. For scarcely a quarter of a mile was put behind us when the current grew too swift and progress was blocked. This was a bit annoying as they had told us that they knew the river well. After this- as we were drifting down stream they offered to take us that way but no relishing the idea of walking back we spurned their generous offer. Our next Our next attempt at amusement was more successful when viewed in this latter light. Two of our crew told us that there was a farm nearby which had been deserted due to the prevalence of “baboon”. We therefore got armed ourselves and went forth – I with a shotgun. We quietly followed our guides thru shady trails and across small swamp streams for about 1 ½ miles to finally come out into a grass grown clearing in which a few tall trees reared their heads. A small clearing with some oil palms  growing in it – and dense jungle surrounding. As there were no baboon to be seen we sent our guides off to look for them while we resting our backs against a big root sat and talked in the shade. – It was a pleasant day slightly hazy but bright, and as we talked we could see monkeys playing thru the tall trees which skirted the field. Big Diana monkey for the most part which we watched thru the glasses. But all pleasant things come to an end – and we had to return for lunch. 

      Just before we got to the town we could hear much weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. Evidently some one had died, and, which, when we were got into town we verified. A middle aged lady had contracted septic infection following a recent child birth for whom with our limited medical supply on hand (the rest being in the bush) we could do nothing. And now the whole town was howling – high howls, low howls, and medium howls, without order or cadence. And it continued. We lunched amidst it, it lulled Hal and me to our siestas while Dr. Strong and Shattuck went over to call on Chief Bashman; it tried to down our conversation after we found the siesta unprofitable – and it robbed us of our minds where we tried to write our diaries. Of course there were times, when there came a lull in the storm – but even that was only momentary for reinforcement were always being brought to the front until I and sure that everyone in the radius of a dozen miles had his or her howl with the others. One old woman; evidently behind came howling on a sturdy blacks back. <Drawing of old woman carried on the back of a man> He had her sitting in a trump line of this order in which she sat- her behind, eyes revised skyward – her mouth open – wailing. And he came swinging into the village – face solemn and composed carrying her as if she were a feather.

      They rested at about 800 for a while. 

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