To-day’s march. Direction N.N. E.1/2 — N. Dist®° 13 miles. Saw another dead body lying by the path in an attitude of meditative repose.2
In the evening three women, of whom one albino, passed our camp; horrid chalky white with pink blotches; red eyes; red hair; features very negroid and ugly. Mosquitos. At night when the moon rose heard shouts and drumming in distant villages.3 Passed a bad night.
‘These natural history observations are curious, as Conrad practically never should the slightest interest in such subjects.
‘The most “Conradesque” phrase in the diary.
3Compare “Heart of Darkness,” p.71: “Perhaps so some quiet night the tremor of far-off drums, sinking, swelling, a tremor vast, faint; a sound weird, appealing, suggestive, and wild — and perhaps with as profound a meaning as the sound of bells in a Christian country.”
Saturday, 5th July. Left at 6:15. Morning cool, even cold, and very damp. Sky densely overcast. Gentle breeze from N.E. Road through a narrow plain up to R. Kwilu. Swift flowing and deep, 50 yds. wide. Passed in canoes. After* up and down very steep hills interested by deep ravines. Mains chain of heights running mostly N.W. — S.E. or W. and E. at times. Stopped at Manyamba Camp3 place bad — in a hollow — water very indifferent. Tent set at 10:15. N.N.E. Dist00 12 m.
Today fell into a muddy puddle — beastly! The fault of the man that carried me. After camp® went to small stream, bathed and washed clothes. Getting jolly well sick of this fun.
Tomorrow expect a long march to get to Nsona, 2 days from Manyanga. No sunshine to-day.
Sunday 6th July. Started at 5:40. The route at first hilly, then, after a sharp descent, traversing a broad plain. At the end of it a large market place. At 10 sun came out. After leaving the market passed another plain, then, walking on the crest of a chain of hills, passed 2 villages and at 11 arrived at Nsona. Village invisible.
Direction about N.N.E. Distance 18 miles.
In this camp (Nsona) there is a good camp9 place. Shady, water far and not very good. This night no mosquitos owing to large fires, all round our tent. Afternoon very close; night clear and starry.
Monday 7th July. Left at 6, after a good night’s rest, on the road to Inkandu, which is some distance past Lukunga Govt, station. Route very accidented.1 Succession of round steep hills. At times walking along the crest of a chain of hills. Just before Lukunga our carriers took a wide sweep to the southward till the station bore N*. Walking through long grass for Vh hours. Crossed a broad river about 100 feet wide and 4 deep.
After another V2 hour’s walk through manioc plantations in good order rejoined our route to the Ed of the Lukunga sta00, walking along an undulating plain towards the Inkandu market on a hill. Hot, thirsty and tired. At 11 arrived on the m1”1 place. About 200 people. Business
‘An odd Gallicism. Conrad knew French long before he knew English; moreover, he was naturally talking much French at this time.
brisk. No water; no campfl place. After remaining for one hour left in search of a resting place. Row with carriers. No water. At last about 1 vfe p.m. camped on an exposed hill side near a muddy creek. No shade. Tent on a slope. Sun heavy. Wretched.
Direction N.E. by N. — Distance 22 miles.
Night miserably cold. No sleep. Mosquitos.
Tuesday, 8th July. Left at 6 a.m. About ten minutes from camp left main Gov1 path for the Manyanga track. Sky overcast. Rode up and down all the time, passing a couple of villages. The country presents a confused wilderness of hills, landships on their sides showing red. Fine effect of red hill covered in places by dark green vegetation. hour before beginning the descent got a glimpse of the Congo. Sky clouded.
To-day’s march — 3 h. General direction N. by E. DisP 9M> miles.
Arrived at Manyanga at 9 a.m. Received most kindly by Messrs. Heyn and Jaeger. Most comfortable and pleasant halt.
Stayed here till the 25. Both have been sick. Most kindly care taken of us. Leave with sincere regrets.
Friday the 25th July, 1890. Left Manyanga at 21/a p.m. with plenty of hammock carriers. H. lame and not in very good form. Myself ditto but not lame. Walked as far as Mafiela and camped — 2 h.
Saturday 26th. Left very early. Road ascending all the time. Passed villages. Country seems thickly inhabited. At 11 arrived at large market place. Left at noon and camped at l.p.m.
General direction E Yz N-W1/2 S. Sun visible at 8 a.m. Very hot. Distance 18 miles.
Sunday, 27th. Left at 8.a.m. Sent luggage carriers straight on to Luasi, and went ourselves round by the Mission of Sutili. Hospitable reception by Mrs. Comber. All the missio, absent. The looks of the whole establishment eminently civilized and very refreshing to see after the lots of tumbled down hovels in which the State & Company agents are content to live. Fine buildings. Position on a hill. Rather breezy.
Left at 3.p.m. At the first heavy ascent met Mr. Davis, Miss.,
returning from a preaching trip. Rev. Bentiey away in the south with his wife. This being off the road, no section given.1
Distance traversed about 15 miles. Gen. direction E. N. E.
At Luasi we get on again on to the gov1 road.
Camped at 41A p. m. With Mr. Heche in company. To-day no sunshine. Wind remarkably cold. Gloomy day.
Monday, 28th. Left camp at 6:30 after breakfasting with Heche. Road at first hilly. Then walking along the ridges of hill chains with valleys on both sides. The country more open and there is much more trees2 growing in large clumps in the ravines.
Passed Nzungi and camped, 11, on the right bank of the Ngoma, a rapid little river with rocky bed. Village on a hill to the right.
General direction E. N. E. — Distance 14 miles.
No sunshine. Gloomy cold day. Squalls.
Tuesday 29th Left camp at 7, after a good night’s rest. Continuous ascent; rather easy at first. Crossed wooded ravines and the river Lunzadi by a very decent bridge. At 9 met Mr. Louette escorting a sick agent of the compy back to Matadi. Looking very well. Bad news from up the river. All the steamers disabled - one wrecked.3 Country wooded. At 10:30 camped at Inkissi.
General direction E. N. E. — Dist^lS miles.
Sun visible at 6:30. Very warm day.
Inkissi River very rapid; is about 100 yards broad. Passage in canoes. Banks wooded very densely, and valley of the river rather deep, but very narrow.
To-day did not set the tent, but put up in Gov: shimbek.
‘Sections of the day’s marches, with numerous names on them, were given under the following dates: July 3rd. 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th. 25th, 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st, August 1st.
‘One of the few un-English phrases in the diary. By 1890 Conrad had been a British subject for six years, but he never learnt the language until he was grown up.
^Compare “Heart of Darkness,” p.72: “One of them [the white men at the Central Station] . .informed me with great volubility and many digressions ... that my steamer was at the bottom of the river.”
Zanzibar!1 in charge — very obliging. Met ripe pineapple for the first time. On the road to-day passed a skeleton tied up to a post. Also white man’s grave — no name — heap of stones in the form of a cross. Health good now.
Wednesday, 30th. Left at 6 a.m. intending to camp at Kinfumu. Two hours sharp walk brought me to Nsona na Nsefe. Market. V2 hour after Harou arrived very ill with billious [s/c attack and fever. Laid him down in Gov’- shimbek.
Does of ipeca. Vomiting bile in enormous quantities. At 11 gave him 1 gramme of quinine and lots of hot tea. Hot fit ending in heavy perspiration. At 2 p.m. put him in hammock and started for Kinfumu. Row. with carriers all the way.2 Harou suffering much through the jerks of the hammock. Camped at a small stream. At 4 harou better; fever gone.
General direction N.E. by E. V2 E. Distance 13 miles.
Up till noon sky clouded and strong N.W. wind very chilling. From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. sky clear and a very hot day. Expect lots of bother with carriers tomorrow. Had them all called and made a speech, which they did not und
erstand.3 They promise good behaviour.
Thursday, 31st. Left at 6. Sent harou ahead, and followed in V2 an hour.4
Road presents several sharp ascents, and a few others easier but rather long. Notice in places sandy surface soil instead of hard clay as heretofore; think however that the layer of sand is not very thick and that the clay would be found under it. Great difficulty in carrying Harou. Too heavy — bother.5 Made two
See note, p.163.
2Compare “Heart of Darkness,” p.71: “Then he [the white man with him] got fever, and had to be carried in a hammock slung under a pole. As he weighed sixteen stone I had no end of rows with the carriers.”
‘Compare “Heart of Darkness,” p.7:”... one evening, I made a speech in English with gestures, not one of which was lost to the sixty pairs of eyes before me.”
‘Compare “Heart of Darkness,” pp.71-2:”... the next morning I started the hammock off in front all right.”
5Compare “Heart of Darkness,” p.71: “... he [the white man with him] weighed sixteen stone...”
long halts to rest the carriers. Country wooded in valleys and on many of the ridges.
At 2:30 p.m. reached Luila at last, and camped on right bank. Breeze from S.W.
General direction of march about N.E. Vz E. distance, es^ 16 miles.
Congo very narrow and rapid. Kinzilu rushing in. A short distance up from the mouth, fine waterfall. Sun rose red. From 9 a.m. infernally hot day. Harou very little better. Self rather seedy. Bathed. Luila about 60 feet wide. Shallow.
Friday, 1st of August, 1890. Left at 6:30 a.m. after a very indifferently passed night. Cold, heavy mists. Road in long ascents and sharp dips all the way to Mfumu Mbe. After leaving there, a long and painful climb up a very steep hill; then a long descent to Mfumu Kono, where a long halt was made. Left at 12:30 p.m. towards Nselemba. Many ascents. The aspect of the country entirely changed. Wooded hills with openings. Path almost all the afternoon thro’a forest of light trees with dense undergrowth.
After a halt on a wooded hillside, reached Nselemba at 4:10 p.m. Put up at Gov1 shanty. Row between the carriers and a man, stating himself in gov! employ, about a mat. Blows with sticks raining hard. Stopped it.
Chief came with a youth about 13 suffering from gun-shot wound in the head. Bullet entered about an inch above the right eyebrow, and came out a little inside the roots of the hair, fairly in the middle of the brow in a line with the bridge of the nose. Bone not damaged apparently. Gave him a little glycerine to put on the wound made by the bullet on coming out.
Harou not very well. Mosquitos — frogs — beastly! Glad to see the end of this stupid tramp. Feel rather seedy. Sun rose red. Very hot day. Wind S*.
General direction of march N.E. by N. Distance about 17 miles.1
‘The Journey from Matadi to this point by Stanley Pool took nineteen travelling days. Compare “Heart of Darkness,” p.72: “On the fifteen day I came in sight of the big river [Congo] again and hobbled into the Central Station.”
Canterbury Cemetery, Kent — Conrad’s final resting place
Conrad’s grave
Table of Contents
The Novels and Novellas
ALMAYER’S FOLLY
AN OUTCAST OF THE ISLANDS
THE NIGGER OF THE NARCISSUS
LORD JIM
THE INHERITORS
TYPHOON
HEART OF DARKNESS
ROMANCE
NOSTROMO
THE SECRET AGENT
UNDER WESTERN EYES
CHANCE
VICTORY
THE SHADOW-LINE
THE ARROW OF GOLD
THE RESCUE
THE NATURE OF A CRIME
THE ROVER
SUSPENSE
The Short Stories
THE BLACK MATE
THE IDIOTS
THE LAGOON
AN OUTPOST OF PROGRESS
THE RETURN
KARAIN: A MEMORY
YOUTH
FALK
AMY FOSTER
TO-MORROW
THE END OF THE TETHER
GASPAR RUIZ
THE INFORMER
THE BRUTE
AN ANARCHIST
THE DUEL
IL CONDE
A SMILE OF FORTUNE
THE SECRET SHARER
FREYA OF THE SEVEN ISLES
PRINCE ROMAN
THE PLANTER OF MALATA
THE PARTNER
THE INN OF THE TWO WITCHES
BECAUSE OF THE DOLLARS
THE WARRIOR’S SOUL
THE TALE
The Memoirs
THE MIRROR OF THE SEA
A PERSONAL RECORD
The Essays
NOTES ON LIFE AND LETTERS
LAST ESSAYS
Complete Works of Joseph Conrad (Illustrated) Page 709