Observers' Field Reports 207 



Heretofore practically all transportation had been accomplished by steam, but, 

 Bukama being the head of navigation, it was necessary to continue the journey by means 

 of a caravan of native carriers. It is generally very difficult and expensive to obtain 

 carriers from Bukama, but I had the good fortune to meet a contractor whose carriers 

 were going to Kambove without loads, and with whom satisfactory arrangements were 

 made for transporting the baggage to the rail-head, thence the journey of 45 miles to 

 Kambove was completed by construction train on the night of July 23. Some days 

 were spent in Kambove making observations and waiting for a train. The railway 

 trip to Elisabeth ville, a distance of 100 miles, was made on July 28, and later a trip was 

 made by rail to Sakania, and return. 



Owing to the outbreak of the European war at this time, the plans for the succeeding 

 work had to be considerably modified. Instead of proceeding southward to Cape Town, 

 it was considered best to work farther in the interior, and to that end a caravan trip 

 from Kambove to Luebo was planned. The distance to be traversed was upwards of 

 800 miles, so that considerable preparation was necessary. Food supplies were pur- 

 chased, and a bicycle for myself, on the advice of men who had traveled over portions 

 of my proposed route. The bicycle proved most useful, and enabled me to make the 

 trip entirely without hammock carriers. Difficulty was encountered in obtaining the 

 required number of carriers, but on August 14 all preparations were complete. I de- 

 parted next day from Kambove with a caravan consisting of 25 carriers, one servant, 

 and a cook who could speak English and who proved very valuable as an interpreter. 



On September 5, we arrived at Kafakumba, where I was cordially received by the 

 Belgian officials. My carriers were sent back and new ones engaged with the aid of the 

 Commandant. On September 10 we resumed the journey, and arrived, September 22, 

 at Kapanga, where another complete change of carriers was necessary. There was some 

 difficulty in finding carriers who would go through the region we wished to traverse, 

 because the tribes to the northward had a bad reputation. Carriers were finally secured, 

 however, and the journey continued on September 25. Up to this time the weather 

 had continued dry, the country was rather flat and open and water was scarce. Five 

 or 6 hours were often required to march from one stream to the next, but after leaving 

 Kapanga everything was changed. The country was more mountainous. Rains oc- 

 curred every afternoon, and streams and swamps were more numerous. The natives, 

 however, were much less friendly, which made it difficult at times to secure food for the 

 carriers. At the native village Mutunda, a halt was made on October 9 and 10, to replace 

 a number of carriers, after which we continued to Luebo, where we arrived on October 

 19. From Luebo the journey was continued by steamer on the Lulua and Kasai rivers 

 to Basongo, where the Sankuru River joins the Kasai. The Sankuru was ascended to 

 Lusambo, thence returning and continuing down the Kasai to the Congo and down the 

 latter, I finally arrived at Kinshasa on November 20, after nearly 8 months of travel. 

 From Kinshasa I crossed over to Brazzaville to make the journey to the coast overland, 

 but this was finally abandoned owing to weather conditions, and I returned via Matadi 

 to Boma, whence a trip was made by rail northward to Tshela and return. 



From Boma, I proceeded by launch to Banana and thence in a small steamer to 

 St. Paul de Loanda, Angola, where I arrived December 24. A number of days was 

 spent in attending to expedition matters. A trip by rail of about 300 miles to Malange 

 was begun January 5, and the return to Loanda completed on January 16. On January 

 19 I sailed for Benguela, from which place I traveled by railway to the rail-head at 

 Chinguar (or Xinguari), about 300 miles; view 2 of Plate 3 is a typical station. The 

 return was made to Lobito, where I arrived February 10. It was necessary to secure 

 other official letters before I would be permitted to go farther south, and for that pur- 

 pose I returned to Loanda, secured the necessary letters, and sailed for Mossamedes on 



