Immediately Beyond
The Post Is A Little River Falling Into The Ogowe, And On Its
Further Bank A Small Village
Belonging to a chief, who, hearing of
the glories of the Government, came down like the Queen of Sheba - in
Intention, I mean, not personal appearance - to see it, and so
charmed has he been that here he stays to gaze on it.
Although Mr. Cockshut hunted the Administrator of the Ogowe out of
his bath, that gentleman is exceedingly amiable and charming, all
the more so to me for speaking good English. Personally, he is big,
handsome, exuberant, and energetic. He shows me round with a
gracious enthusiasm, all manner of things - big gorilla teeth and
heads, native spears and brass-nail-ornamented guns; and explains,
while we are in his study, that the little model canoe full of Kola
nuts is the supply of Kola to enable him to sit up all night and
work. Then he takes us outside to see the new hospital which he, in
his capacity as Administrator, during the absence of the
professional Administrator on leave in France, has granted to
himself in his capacity as Doctor; and he shows us the captive chief
and headmen from Samba busily quarrying a clay cliff behind it so as
to enlarge the governmental plateau, and the ex-ministers of the ex-
King of Dahomey, who are deported to Njole, and apparently
comfortable and employed in various non-menial occupations. Then we
go down the little avenue of cacao trees in full bearing, and away
to the left to where there is now an encampment of Adoomas, who have
come down as a convoy from Franceville, and are going back with
another under the command of our vivacious fellow passenger, who, I
grieve to see, will have a rough time of it in the way of
accommodation in those narrow, shallow canoes which are lying with
their noses tied to the bank, and no other white man to talk to.
What a blessing he will be conversationally to Franceville when he
gets in. 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.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 72 of 371
Words from 37421 to 37979
of 194943
