Complete Works of Joseph Conrad (Illustrated) (901 page)

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 understand.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

Other books

The Kiss by Lazu, Sotia
Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols
El tercer hombre by Graham Greene
World Without End by Chris Mooney
The Year We Hid Away by Sarina Bowen
The Looking Glass War by John le Carre


readsbookonline.com Copyright 2016 - 2024