The Adooma Encampment Is Very Picturesque, For They Have
Got Their Bright-Coloured Chintz Mosquito-Bars Erected As Tents.
Dr. Pelessier then insists on banging down monkey bread-fruit with a
stick, to show me their inside.
Of course they burst over his
beautiful white clothes. I said they would, but men will be men.
Then we go and stand under the two lovely odeaka trees that make a
triumphal-arch-like gateway to the Post's beach from the river, and
the Doctor discourses in a most interesting way on all sorts of
subjects. We go on waiting for the Eclaireur, who, although it is
past four o'clock, is still down at Dumas' beach. I feel nearly
frantic at detaining the Doctor, but neither he nor Mr. Cockshut
seem in the least hurry. But at last I can stand it no longer. The
vision of the Administrator of the Ogowe, worn out, but chewing Kola
nut to keep himself awake all night while he finishes his papers to
go down on the Eclaireur to-morrow morning, is too painful; so I say
I will walk back to Dumas' and go on the Eclaireur there, and try to
liberate the Administrator from his present engagements, so that he
may go back and work. No good! He will come down to Dumas' with
Mr. Cockshut and me. Off we go, and just exactly as we are getting
on to Dumas' beach, off starts the Eclaireur with a shriek for the
Post beach.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 138 of 705
Words from 37768 to 38017
of 194943
