Observers' Field Reports 137 



on the 14th day from Fort Lamy, October 1. Above this point the river flows through 

 large grass flats without timber, and the villages are fairly numerous. 



From Lai the journey continued by horse and carriers on October 11. Doba was 

 reached after 3 days' march over a good road leading through wooded bush, and a further 

 march of 3 days put the party at the abandoned French post of Gore. The post was 

 transferred to Doba in 1912 owing to the spread of the tsetse fly and the increase of sleep- 

 ing sickness. This was the last point established in French Tchad Territory, a westerly 

 route to Baibokoum in the Cameroun being followed on October 18. A horse can not 

 be used beyond Doba on account of the tsetse fly, and a rough bush chair carried by 

 4 men was therefore constructed for my use (see view 1 of Plate 3). 



The country between Gore and Baibokoum has a bad reputation, but since the 

 installation of the French post at the latter place in 1917, a good road has been made 

 and the district gradually subdued. Rest-houses are found at intervals along the route. 

 The streams are bridged, and most of the natives are friendly. At only one village was 

 the chief rebellious, and here, unfortunately, it became necessary to fire 5 shots over the 

 huts to frighten the people. The lieutenant at Doba had provided me with an escort 

 of 3 native militiamen to ensure the security of the party, and these men proved very 

 useful at certain places en route. 



Baibokoum was reached on October 22, and the southward journey over the divide 

 between the Lake Tchad and Congo River systems was commenced on October 24 

 (see view 4 of Plate 3). The nature of the country now changed from undulating wooded 

 bush to the typical mountainous country of the central Cameroun region around Nga- 

 oundere. On October 26 the Lim River was crossed by the canoe ferry and the Baiya 

 country entered. These people are a large cannibal tribe extending south to Carnot, 

 and gave trouble to the French as late as March 1919. The frequent slave raids to which 

 they were subjected forced them to take refuge in the mountains, and for that reason 

 their villages were of a very temporary character and a minimum of crops was sown. 

 They were naturally hostile to all strangers, but already, under French rule, large villages 

 are being established on the road and large plantations of manioc being made. 



Leaving the Lim River, we ascended to Tinadi, climbing 1,400 feet on a rough rocky 

 road. The elevation of Tinadi is 4,000 feet, and for the remaining 4 days' march to Bouar 

 an altitude of 3,000 to 4,000 feet is maintained. The weather had been generally fine 

 with few storms since leaving Gore October 19, but now on crossing the range at Tinadi 

 the end of the wet season of southern Cameroun was encountered and heavy storms 

 occurred in the afternoons. 



Beyond Yadi the road is, generally speaking, very good, and runs directly south. 

 Villages, however, are few and far between. From Bouar to Carnot one leaves behind 

 the mountain plateau of the central Cameroun, gradually descending over a series of 

 wooded ridges to the Upper Sanga River. The journey lasted 4^ days, the road being 

 very bad during the first 2 days' travel and the villages very poor and dirty. 



Overland travel ended at Carnot, from which point the Sanga River was followed 

 to Ouesso. The first stage was to Licaya and was made in a " baleiniere", provided 

 through the courtesy of the trading company, and lasted 2 days. Bad rapids made it 

 necessary to proceed 5 miles overland from Licaya to Bania where the recent German 

 post now serves as a rest-house for the white traveler. From Bania the journey was 

 continued to Nola in another baleiniere, one day being sufficient for this portion of the 

 river trip. Nola, at the confluence of the Kadei and the Sanga, is an important post 

 which is served twice a month from October to December by a small trading steamer 

 from Ouesso. Formerly it was very prosperous, even though many Europeans were 

 stricken with the dreaded sleeping-sickness. I decided not to await the steamer but 

 resumed the journey down stream November 16 in a large canoe kindly placed at my 



