Diary Page

April 1904

Friday, 1st April, 1904.

Started away at 6.30; had breakfast en route and reached Engetra at 11 o'clock. Nice little station on the Likati river, but not up to the others in size or accommodation. I had to borrow a tent, all my baggage being still behind. Found the Commandant of the district there - a very nice man - Captain Goebel. He had got none of Com. Wackey's letters sent by special runners, so I have clean beaten even express delivery! However he did all he could to help me soon as I explained my errand. I am told ochapi are

in this district and see many natives wearing ochapi skin belts. Thunder and rain as usual playing all round.

15 miles. 6.30 - 11.30.

1 day 36 miles Jabir to Engetra.

Saturday, 2nd April, 1904.

After 8 o'clock breakfast I got all my personal baggage on board a peroke and started down the Likati river, landing on the banks 5 hours down, from which place I sent a soldier to ask Chief Bakia to bring some porters and carry me out to his village. Meanwhile I am having an idle afternoon for a Wonder,

10 - 3.30.

Sunday, 3rd April, 1904.

Soldier only returned late in afternoon saying Bakia refused to send any porters. My Belgian Officer friend who is on his way home pretends Bakia is “tres mal” and evidently does not want me to go and stay there. I replied if bad, why do they only send me one soldier! so now they have written for three more. Had a real idle day - no books or papers to read, and not a bird to get hold of. However to my delight about 4 o'clock my baggage peroke arrived, so now I have all my goods along. Find everything is fairly soaked - many or the 12 bore cartridges being quite spoilt.

Monday, 4th April, 1904.

A 6.30 I and my Belgian friend set out to leave cards on Bakia; took us four hours through dense jungle – awful tiring work. I provided myself with a knife, pair of scissors for his wife and some beads and tobacco. On arrival I did not at all like the looks of my going-to-be host. He looked like a regular Bluebeard! and when looking at you out of his eye corners might be thinking: 'with what sauce you would eat well". However, after being seated and showing him my rifles he sent for beer, bananas, meal, milk and eggs, and I soon found myself quite a pal as I doled out my little presents with prospect of larger ones if I shot an ochapi. Before we parted we were quite pals, and he sent fifteen porters back to carry me over to his village. Rather funny to think of me planting myself down in this big Chief's kraal, not able to talk a word of the lingo to anybody, while he can turn out 500 riflemen, with any number of spearmen. Had an awful thunderstorm just after we got back to the river. Busy sorting loads; want to get rid of all I can and send them to Imbembo direct.

7 hours - 25 miles

Tuesday, 5th April, 1904.

Spent a lively night - incessant thunderstorms, did not cease till about 10 a.m. Rain went through everything. Had to put mackintosh sheets over my bed and try to keep dry. Got a start from river at 1 o'clock and arrived at Bakia's at 3.15. Forest was all in flood, and dry places day before were running little torrents. I found my host Bakia awaiting me, accompanied by an enormous following of armed men. My arm got quite tired with shaking hands. He has allotted me a splendid little kraal to myself, so with my tent and a big round open shed to cook and store baggage I am well off. It all stands in a little clearing in the big forest with a fringe of banana trees. To-night I gave the Chief three iron spring traps - they have all along been a great success! I have also treated him to Vermont and soda drinks. It seems strange now to be really sleeping in the home of Ochapi, but as usual now they say they are very far and suggest my sitting in camp while a soldier and natives go out to shoot! It's sickening the way the soldiers are allowed to kill elephant. They shot one yesterday - a cow with tusks about 15" long - about 7 lbs. each. I took them as they would make a frame.

1 - 3.15. 10 miles.

Wednesday, 6th April, 1904.

Had another awful storm all night and well into daylight. However, I started out early and had one of the hardest days I ever had. We must have walked four hours to the part of forest where ochapi begin and then we hunted away – the whole place under water and not a dry rag on one all day. In fact, another storm or two and hunting will be quite impossible. It's awful work going mile after mile in a half doubled-up shape, always creeping under jungle. We saw several ochapi spoor and I just did catch a glimpse of one. I don't see how one would ever get a chance to shoot one. Lots of elephant all about, but I saw nothing worth killing much to my boys' disgust! Bakia and I are great pals and I keep giving him little presents - also Vermont. Very funny to see how they carry all the presents about. I think they must have slept with the iron traps.

Thursday, 7th April, 1904.

I don't remember ever spending a worse night. Terrific rain and thunder until 10 a.m.; expected tent going every minute. Have decided to chuck the trip and make a push to catch the next boat, for it's quite hopeless. Shall hunt on way down and join peroke.

Got down to river at four and after tea started my peroke down stream; pushed along the whole night without stopping, through the usual torrents and storms.

1 Elephant

Friday, 8th April, 1904.

Passed Goa rapids and reached Cp. Wright on his small steamer. Here I found I had passed my baggage peroke on the river; great bore having to wait. Torrents of rain falling; river rising 18 in. a day! The tribe who porter for Goa rapids are given to poisoning each other; just brought in a boy of twelve dead - the seventh case in a week. No baggage arrived, so have sent soldiers up to hurry it on.

Friday Ap. 8th

4 p.m. – 11 a.m.

Saturday, 9th April, 1904.

Delighted to see my peroke arrive, so at once got fifty porters and got all baggage over the rapid, porterage about twenty minutes. Started away at eleven reached Ibimbo at seven; had dinner while they collected a strong fresh crew, and at nine I left. Found I only had thirty hours to catch steamer - over a three days voyage! Skinned two heads on peroke - antelope and little blue buck.

1 Antelope. 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

1 Small Blue buck.

10 pm. - 9 a.m.

Sunday, 10th April, 1904.

Had a fine night for a wonder; thunder in distance. Did a good night's work and reached Mandaagu at 8 a.m. where I had a second breakfast while changing peroke and crew. Started away again at 9 a.m. and reached Moengi at 9.30 p.m.; found the steamer not up yet at Bomba, so stayed the night.

10 .30 a.m. — 9 p.m.

Monday, 11th April, 1904.

Left Moengi with a splendid big peroke and twenty-two men at 10 a.m., travelled along well and entered the Congo out of Itimbiri about three, reaching Bomba at 4 p.m. Pleased to see the steamer "Princess Hainalt" at anchor, so won't have long to wait. This is a large port and splendidly laid out being the highway for all the interior. They have a lot of work. The Congo here is 25 miles wide - full of islands. I dined at mess and most kindly received as usual.

10 a.m. — 4 p.m.

Tuesday, 12th April, 1904.

Got all my baggage repacked and sailed at 2.30 on board the steamer "Hainalt". Op. Sondergaard is Danish and talks English well. Several Belgian officers on board. We tied up for night at 5.30 at N'dobo. Mosquitoes plentiful - I have a huge cabin.

Wednesday, 13th April, 1904.

Sailed at 5.30 a.m. and reached Lisalla, a big training station for soldiers, at 10 - the reserve men going there. At 11.30 we reached Umangi another training camp for recruits, under command of Com. Carmeto Scardino who served in China with General Gasilee. He gave me a very funny wood figure also a musical instrument besides eggs and fruit. The ladies now wear nothing but a string of beads round their waists! Passed hundreds of islands - usual thunder.

4 days peroke 61 hours.

Thursday, 14th April, 1904.

Slept last night at a small wood station; called at three during the day. Bleeping at Mobeka, a big station with a private? government? manufactory for rubber. Heat bad in middle of day.

Friday, 15th April, 1904.

Reached Nouvelle Anvers at 11 o'clock. Here there is a French Catholic Mission for boys who become soldiers. A very pretty station with good brick houses nestling among groves of palm trees. There are about fifty steamers now on the Congo, ranging from two to five hundred tons. Extraordinary how strict the laws are. No officer may give a man more than 25 chicot through his capitan, and any officer reported using bad language to a native is fined 50 francs first offence and 200 next time. We have three murderers and all the witnesses on board going to be tried in Boma. No soldier is allowed to work (except drilling) such as carrying wood and building houses which they do on the Lado side. Our lower deck is a sight beyond description, and to think all our food is cooked down there. Officers are only allowed three bottles of spirit a month - not much! This is the headquarters of the Com. General Cp. G. Gustin, who most hospitably entertained us. He gave me a most splendid collection of Bangala knives besides other curios. My leg hurts me a good bit. We sleep here and take on more soldiers. Lots of cannibals inland from this post.

Mangara to Poko 4 138 = 34½ miles a day

South of Poko to Enguetra 5 125 = 25 “ “ “

Peroke.

Amadis to Jabir 7 - 95

Enguetra to bomba 4 - 61

11 156 = at 5 miles 780

23 ½ days travelling.

Saturday, 16th April, 1904.

Pushing along fast, only wooded once and bespoke steamer with Gov. Inspector on board. Got papers up to February 13th - One week later than I got on the Nile! Reached Coquilhatville at dark; found 100 ton of cargo to ship.

Sunday, 17th April, 1904.

Lunch with the Com. General Stephens who has a splendid house. Took in six more passengers and full up with cargo. Charming station - full of big coffee plantations. Great place for gum and copal (varnish). Found no cable to England so could not wire. Left at four, tied up at

Monday, 18th April, 1904.

Boat packed - hardly move down below what with cargo, soldiers and animals. Stopped at Irebu for two hours at 11 a.m. - a camp of 1,000 men for instruction; very pretty, last station on N. bank as French Congo begins at the Ubangi river. Passed the Equator again directly we left Coquilhatville. Reached Lukolela and found the up steamer "Brabant" arrived. The crowd on shore is a sight - about 1,200 camped!

Tuesday, 19th April, 1904.

Very uninteresting day. Anchored at night to small island. Telegraph 34 - Congo buffalo plenty.

Wednesday, 20th April, 1904.

Met small steamer going up. Stayed at from 9 а.m. till General Inspector having business. This military station is being broken up.

Thursday, 21st April, 1904.

Reached Bolobo at 8 a.m. where the big English Mission is under Mr. Grenfell - only stayed half an hour, but had a talk about Congo to Mr. G. who spoke very favourably of the Government despite a few mishaps. Had heavy tornado at evening - saw two lots of buffalo.

Friday, 22nd April, 1904.

Reached the Kasai river at 7 a.m.; took some wood on and food for soldiers. Slept at small wood station. "La Flandre" steamer just behind us.

Saturday, 23rd April, 1904.

Reached Kinshassa at 10 o'clock. Found "La Flandre" in before us, also the Com. General in his steamer come up from Leo to ask me to go down with him and stay there. However, I preferred to disembark here and stay with Mr. and Mrs. Howell at the Baptist Mission. At night I dined with Mr. and Mrs. A.H. Malet who run the Government Coffee Co. and met the Liverpool sleeping Sickness Medical representatives Drs. Christy.

Sunday, 24th April, 1904.

Had a quiet day with Mr. and Mrs. Howell; tea with Mr. Malet .

Monday, 25th April, 1904.

Malet and I went in by canoe to Leo; called on the Morgans; lunch with the Inspector General Mahieu, who sent us back in his steam yacht; went over the workshops.

Tuesday, 26th April 1904.

Weighed and delivered baggage – total 610 k. – 272 ivory.

Wednesday, 27th April a 1904.

Left Kinshassa at 7 a.m. reached Tumba at 8 p.m.

Thursday, 28th April, 1904.

Left Tumba at 8 a.m. by rail reached Matadi at 6 р.m. Рuгseг met me and took me on board S.S. "Anversville" for the night. Cp. Wright got a big cabin.

Friday, 29th April, 1904.

Left Matadi on Government steamer at 8.80, reached Boma at 10.50, staying with Mr. Underwood. Charming house where Stanley stayed.

Saturday, 30th April, 1904.

Called on the Governor General Costermans - weighed ivory out 257 kilos. Consul returned.