A Journal of a Tour in the Congo Free StateDorman, Marcus R. P.
History
A Journal of a Tour in the Congo Free State
Dorman, Marcus R. P.
Congo (Democratic Republic) -- Description and travel
Next morning it was still raining hard, so we waited in the dry without
anxiety, as we knew the journey to Yakoma would only take five or six
hours, but about 10 a.m. having emptied the canoes, which were full of
water, we arranged the baggage and made a start. Village succeeded
village, in which were numerous people elaborately decorated with beads
and paint, but not otherwise covered. All the Chiefs were well disposed
and presented eggs or chicken, and took the cloth or salt offered in
return without grumbling. About midday we reached the commencement of
the Yakoma village, which extends for some miles along the bank. Most of
the crew were evidently well known here and several lived in the
village. Their well-meaning friends therefore, jumped on to the canoes
as they passed or swam out to them and took the paddles and poles from
their tired comrades. With a greatly augmented company, with the canoes
dangerously deep in the water, with tom-toms beating, bells ringing,
bugles sounding and people shouting, we arrived at Yakoma about 5 p.m.
on October 15th thus completing a voyage along the whole length of the
Ubangi river.
CHAPTER VII.
Yakoma to Djabir.
Yakoma is built on the banks of the Uele just before it joins with the
Bomu to form the Ubangi. The voyage up that river from its entrance into
the Congo to its source here occupied seven weeks of which half the
time, however, was spent in State Posts. Canoe travelling is terribly
tiring, although one merely sits still in a hammock chair all day, and
it has not been by any means comfortable camping in the forest during or
after the daily tornado. Still the trip has been very interesting for
this is one of the least known parts of the world and the people are
probably the least civilised.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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