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-37-

Another district, Thomastown, of 586 acres, went for £43 for survey fees and the promise of a ten-room, two-storey zinc house for Chief Thomas.

This is the only time I have kept accounts for an expedition where I have charged up gin and whiskey as legitimate expenses.  "Dash to the Chief" appears on nearly every page, and it seems most of the time to us that we get darn little for it.

April 21 -

Sunday, and an opportunity of hearing Mass for the second time since we left home.  Father Coleman from Owen's Grove came over to the plantation and a dozen or more of us met at the Hagarty's house.

Both Bernices had planned to go into Monrovia this morning to see the Brocketts off on the Zarembo.  Word came however that the ship would not be in until 5.30, so after they were all ready to go, with sandwiches packed for lunch, they decided to stay here until the middle of the afternoon.  Bernice made champagne cocktails, we ate the sandwiches, and Bill made Mexican molé.  Instead of three for lunch there were twelve.  When Bernice came back from Monrovia at midnight, she said the Brocketts, with their two-year-old child, were still sitting on the dock waiting for an opportunity to get out to the ship.

Bill and I went to the Club here in the evening, and saw a very boring Shirley Temple picture - the first time either of us had ever seen her, and I hope it will be the last.

April 22-

Bill went into Monrovia to get permission to go to the Polish Plantation at Repoota tomorrow.  I spent the morning between the rice shed and the store, getting provisions together, and the afternoon packing our tin trunks.

About four-thirty Bobo showed up.  We had sent him up to join Vi in the Gibi, and given him nets, derris root, and preservative, so that in case Vi got permission to go up the mountain Bobo could collect fishes for the Museum.  Bobo's black face was a beam.  He had three large jars so full of closely packed specimens that some of them were beginning to decay.  He said they had got up the mountain, and that these had been caught about half-way up.  Later Vi came in and told us the story, of how he had palavered for five days, of how the Chief had agreed for four pounds dash to let them go up the sacred mountain, of how his sub-Chief had refused, and the dash was returned.  On the fifth night Vi had gotten as far as Garmai's Town at the base of the mountain, and despaired of getting any farther.  He asked the village to put on a devil dance, and while all the men were watching this, Bobo slipped out, with a lantern, and got some fish from the stream at the base of the mountain.  Vi said he was afraid for Bobo, because there was no telling what the natives would have done to him if they had caught him "poisoning" their sacred water.  The next day Vi found that one of his former employes was a brother of the Chief, and through him finally got permission

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