FAREWELL TO AFRICA 429 



As we again headed westward, we left Joe waving 

 good-by from the rest house, for on the morning of our 

 departure he had come to me with the information 

 that he had secured a good job locally and wished to 

 remain in Raliamma. 



At the slow rate we were progressing, I figured it 

 would take another six months to complete the journey 

 to Lagos. There seemed to be a jinx attached to the 

 expedition, and every time an obstacle was overcome, 

 two more sprang up to take its place. The heavy 

 strain was beginning to tell on all of us and, the first 

 night out from Rahamma, Jones was striken with 

 fever. We had arrived at a camp in the bush, the 

 headquarters of an Englishman who was super- 

 vising road work. He invited us to stay in his hut, 

 which we were glad to do as it had commenced to rain 

 heavily. During the night Jones took a turn for 

 the worse, making it impossible for us to move on the 

 next day. 



On the second morning the sky was badly overcast. 

 Meanwhile I had arranged for Jones to remain at 

 this camp until he felt able to proceed by train to 

 Kaduna via Zaria. I intended to push on with the 

 truck at once, for every hour of delay invited additional 

 misfortune. After all preparations had been made to 

 start, Jones decided to go along with us. We then 

 had to wait two hours while he shaved and otherwise 

 prepared himself for the trail, for if anything happened 

 to him he intended to look his best. 



Shortly after leaving this camp, the truck sank into 

 a deep pit of mud and shme, so I dispatched a boy to 

 bring assistance. With the help of forty natives, who 

 responded to our appeal, we managed to get under 



