Wednesday, January 12

Africa - the land of dense jungles and vast deserts. Landed in Liberia on the African Gold Coast today in 96 degrees of sultriest weather possible. The field is hacked out of jungles just a few miles from the coast on a large river. Up the river is a huge Firestone Rubber Plantation but the rest is all jungles inhabited by natives who are the blackest Negroes I have ever seen.

We went to a beautiful brick building with a tin roof all covered with about 1 foot of thatch - for mess. Had the best meal since I left the U.S. Had a cold shower and slept till briefing then walked over to the bank of the river. The Negroes there were selling Nigerian 2 c. pieces for lOc., gibbon monkeys which they caught wild in the jungles for $3, and of all things - 1st grade whiskey, scotch, or anything you wanted made in U.S. but absolutely unobtainable there.  Where the natives got it we couldn't find out but they sold 14 qts. in just a few minutes for $8 a quart and they had all anyone could ask for across the river at their village.

They speak English almost perfectly and some have been educated at a mission nearby. Tonite they are having a native tribal dance beating their drums and all - it is an eerie sound. They have dugout canoes which they race up and down the river in. The boys who come across the river and said native "jig jig" would come across river that night for those who wanted a prostitute. One little boy was blonde headed and only half black. They are 100% infected with malaria and venereal diseases.