A Liberian Journey

Creator

Date

Coverage

Text

Tues June 28^th

Woermann-Linie A.G.

Hamburg

Dear Family,

             This is to be just a note for I will not send my regular diary letter until we get off at Monrovia. First of all, we are having a very pleasant though quiet trip. It has been a week of sunshine and quiet seas, with siestas at almost all hours of the day. The boat, though small, is extremely steady, largely because it has not hurried since we left Southampton. The people on board are practically all German, except for a Mr. and Mrs. Mills and two ex-English (now West African) men, who like their bottle. There are only two frauleins – one 20 – one 14, of whom you will hear in my diary. The older one is very handsome - I took a rather good picture of her which I will send with my diary.

            We are now stalking Teneriffe – perfectly beautiful with a majestic volcanic mountain peak towering 10,000 feet above the water. The coast line of the island is entirely devoid of vegetation – jagged red and brown cliffs rising sheer out of the water. And here and there banks of clouds nestle in some valley or drift aimlessly among the high pinnacles. We are going to go ashore for the rest of the afternoon to see the sights. It will probably be a Blue Line tour but it will be very interesting and I am well equipped with negatives. 

            Talking of negatives, I have spent the last two days in the dark room making pictures and prints for the frauleins, as well as for myself. This morning I made 12 prints of the best negative, of which 9 are to go to the subject.

            The Germans have a veritable craze for pictures. Every five minutes somebodies camera clicks. They do their own developing too. My pictures are limited to the girls – ah ha -.

            Please excuse this – I am writing against time with the - pen – and as I have said, I don’t want to split the diary letter.

            Dr. Allen delivered the families letters to me the other day - I was rather overwhelmed to suddenly find mail waiting for me at table.  - He said it was sent by air mail and I believed him – almost – for the moment, I was so pleased to see it.

            Harold says he must reprove Peg for her slanderous remarks about his many girls, However I guess he can stand it.

            But by this time you will have got my last letter so that you will know all that has happened to me so far. And again - my regular letter will come from Monrovia - 

            My best love to you all

                        Loring.  

Type

Identifier

Citation