Africa's Great North Road in a Vw Camper: Cape Town to Mombasa

By Emma Selig Jones and Ted Jones

Emma and I most cordially invite you to accompany us as our special arm-chair guest on an overland journey through the most exciting continent on the Planet Earth.

We shall begin our journey in Cape Town, South Africa in the fall of 1964. During the following ten months we will travel and camp along Africas Great North Road. A variety of recently created nations and peoples, a few still struggling to be free, will be visited, among them, South Africa, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and the Congo.

There are, at present, more than 700 separate tribes living south of the Great Sahara Desert. Obviously all of them cannot be included. However, we will visit and camp-out with the typical African where he lives, whether it be an Afrikaner living in one of the exclusive multi-level homes cut into the rock cliffs overlooking the Bay of Cape Town surrounded by twelve-foot walls capped with broken glass and razor wire or a Wanderobo tribesman dressed in a loincloth and carrying a bow and sheath of poisoned arrows met along a primitive dusty track running through the Bush country of Tanzania.

Our self-contained VW camper gave us the freedom to camp along the streets of any city or village or along the track where Native Africans were living much as they have for many hundreds of years. Please be prepared, watching people and so-called wild animals can take many hours and, in some instances, the supply of daylight runs out. Frequently camp was made along the track out in the Bush and was visited by elephants during the night or a pride of lions stopping by to sharpen their claws on our tires. In one instance several elephants stripped branches off a tree under which we were camped not one of them touched the camper!

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: May 29, 2012
• ISBN: 9781475926989

Emma Selig Jones

The authors have spent years traveling throughout Africa, Scandinavia and Asia. This is their second and most comprehensive travel book dealing with wildlife, social conditions and the peoples of Africa from the Cape to the Congo and the East coast of Africa. It is their sincere hope that you will enjoy traveling with them.

Book preview

AFRICA’S GREAT 

 NORTH ROAD 

 IN A VW CAMPER

Cape Town to Mombasa

Ted Jones 

 & 

 Emma Selig Jones

iUniverse, Inc.

Bloomington

AFRICA’S GREAT NORTH ROAD IN A VW CAMPER

Cape Town to Mombasa

Copyright © 2012 by Ted Jones & Emma Selig Jones.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-4759-2695-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4759-2698-9 (ebk)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012909043

iUniverse rev. date: 05/21/2012

Contents

INTRODUCTION

FREIGHTER TRAVEL BROOKLYN   TO CAPE TOWN

M/V ROEPAT AT SEA SEPTEMBER 12 1965

CAPE TOWN

CAPE TOWN—ON THE DOCKS   SEPTEMBER 24 1965

SEPTEMBER 27 1965

SEPTEMBER 29 1965

SEPTEMBER 30 1965

OCTOBER 1 1965

GRAHAMSTOWN SOUTH AFRICA

OCTOBER 16 1965

STORMS RIVER SOUTH AFRICA

OCTOBER 4TH 1965

GRAHAMSTOWN SOUTH AFRICA

OCTOBER 5TH 1965

KING WILLIAMS TOWN SOUTH AFRICA

OCTOBER 6TH 1965

UMTATA SOUTH AFRICA

OCTOBER 7TH 1965

IXOPO TRANSVAL SOUTH AFRICA

OCTOBER 8 1965

DURBAN SOUTH AFRICA

OCTOBER 9TH 1965

UMDLOTI BEACH SOUTH AFRICA

OCTOBER 21 1965

MTUNZINI SOUTH AFRICA

OCTOBER 22 1965

UMFOLOZI GAME RESERVE—HLUHLUWE GAME RESERVE

ST. LUCIA ESTUARY—GAME PRESERVE—ST. LUCIA BAY

OCTOBER 24-26 1965

MKUZE GAME RESERVE

OCTOBER 27 1965

SWAZILAND

HAVELOCK—SWAZILAND NORTH BORDER

OCTOBER 30 1965

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK—

SOUTH AFRICA

OCTOBER 31 1965

PRETORIASKOP—KRUGER NATIONAL PARK SOUTH AFRICA

NOVEMBER 1 1965

PRETORIASKOP KRUGER NATIONAL PARK SOUTH AFRICA

NOVEMBER 3RD 1965

AFRICAN ANIMALS

Lions

The Kill

WILDEBEESTE

ANTELOPE

LION

ELEPHANT

WARMBATH, SOUTH AFRICA

NOVEMBER 11, 1965

THE MOPANE WORM

THE NDEBELE PEOPLE

UP THE GREAT NORTH ROAD IN A VW CAMPER

PART 11 BEITBRIDGE, RHODESIA TO MOMBASSA

TURK MINE

NOVEMBER 16, 1965

AFRICA’S GREAT NORTH ROAD IN A VW CAMPER

PART 11 RHODESIA—ZAMBIA, TANZANIA, KENYA, AND THE CONGO

WANKIE NATIONAL PARK

RHODESIA NOVEMBER 21 1965

VICTORIA FALLS

RHODESIA NOVEMBER 22 1965

ZAMBIA

NOVEMBER 27, 1965

CHOMA ZAMBIA

NOVEMBER 29 1965

LUSAKA ZAMBIA

DECEMBER 14 1965

MBEYA—IRINGA—DODOMA—TANZANIA

ARUSHA

NGORONGORO CRATER

MASAI

OLDUVAI GORGE

SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK

Nairobi, Kenya

Police Station Yard

January 20, 1966

AMBOSELI PARK

ELVA, THE MENNONITE MISSIONARY

KISII

A NARROW ESCAPE

CONCLUSION

About the Authors

This book is dedicated with sincere appreciation to

Paul R. Ehrlich and Ann H. Ehrlich.

The hope of the present authors is that our decision makers will

read the Ehrlich’s books, Think, Reason, and Take decisive action.

OVERVIEW

Emma and I most cordially invite you to accompany us as our special arm-chair guest on an overland journey through the most exciting continent on the Planet Earth.

We shall begin our journey in Cape Town, South Africa in the fall of 1964. During the following ten months we will travel and camp along Africa’s Great North Road. A variety of recently created nations and peoples, a few still struggling to be free, will be visited, among them, South Africa, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and the Congo.

There are, at present, more than 700 separate tribes living south of the Great Sahara Desert. Obviously all of them can not be included. However, we will visit and camp-out with the typical African where he lives, whether it be an Afrikaner living in one of the exclusive multi-level homes cut into the rock cliffs overlooking the Bay of Cape Town surrounded by twelve-foot walls capped with broken glass and razor wire or a Wanderobo tribesman dressed in a loincloth and carrying a bow and sheath of poisoned arrows met along a primitive dusty track running through the Bush country of Tanzania.

Our self-contained VW camper gave us the freedom to camp along the streets of any city or village or along the track where Native Africans were living much as they have for many hundreds of years. Please be prepared, watching people and so-called wild animals can take many hours and, in some instances, the supply of daylight runs out. Frequently camp was made along the track out in the Bush and was visited by elephants during the night or a pride of lions stopping by to sharpen their claws on our tires. In one instance several elephants stripped branches off a tree under which we were camped—not one of them touched the camper!

It was not unusual to be awakened early in the morning by curious men, women and children who wondered what we were doing; curious but quiet and polite. We never experienced an unpleasant incident while camped out in the Bush.

Getting lost in the Congo could have been a fatal mistake! My lack of attention exposed us to an outlaw group of renegades left over from the Tanzania-Uganda War.

A serious effort has been made throughout to record the details and opinions as the events took place and our conclusions were formulated. The events, we think, have been accurately recorded. The opinions represent our personal interpretations and tentative conclusions.

It is our sincere hope that an open-minded reading of our book will increase the degree of public conscious awareness, with respect to the critical predicament of the African peoples, their culture, environment, wildlife and other natural resources.

INTRODUCTION

The following pages relate the story of a journey from Meshoppen, Pennsylvania to Mombasa, East Africa via Cape Town, South Africa. The safari required ten months—from September 1965 through June, 1966. From Brooklyn, New York travel was by freighter to Cape Town, South Africa. Travel overland from Cape Town was by a 1960, 40HP VW Camper renamed by Emma, The Turtle. The Turtle provided relatively comfortable living quarters and protection from the weather and, rarely, from certain animals. When night fell, camp was set up by driving off the tract so as not to be run over by speeding Lorries and/or first generation African drivers. From Cape Town to Mombasa via many side roads the distance was about 12,000 miles. Upon arrival in Mombasa after several months in Central Africa, we were still 11,000 miles from Meshoppen, PA. The total distance of the journey was 31,000 miles. Every country south of the equator was visited except Southwest Africa and Nyasaland. The greatest amount of time was spent in South Africa, Rhodesia, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda.

Visits were arranged with University Professors and Tribesman, African one-room school teachers, farmers, ranchers, business men, Afrikaners, politicians, Cape Coloreds, Englishmen, Bushmen, Masi Morans, and wanderers like us from various parts of the world. In many instances communication was the most serious problem. Meaningful, personal communication will require world-wide teaching of one universal language. Provincialism should at least be able to accommodate that much cooperation.

The journey was made possible by a program of economy and taking one year off from a very desirable teaching position at Georgia Southern University where I taught Zoology and Emma was a School Nurse. Emma made all the financial calculations and, had we encountered financial difficulty in Central Africa, I was prepared to blame her. Her management did make us self-propelled financially. She continued to control our finances throughout the journey—that made it possible to avoid any financial breakdown but, just about every other type befell us!

It would not be possible to drive 12,000 miles through Africa and not become exposed to, and even involved in, the multitude of problems that are uppermost in the minds of the different peoples. We tried to be willing listeners but, we were almost constantly bombarded by individuals who were attempting to promote one aspect of an argument or situation. Travelers should not become involved in local situations that they do not understand. The journey was not planned to be an adventure-it was to be an extended overland trip but, frequently it did become an adventure. The unpaved and normally un-improved Great North Road was a real challenge in 1965. First impressions are often wrong and, many times, that is all that people passing through receive. Everything was open to question and conclusions were, and are, tentative. There are many very intelligent people working in Africa, native and imported. They are best qualified to solve the many problems. They have the greatest incentive to solve the problems—their survival.

Africa should not be approached with the commonly pre-conceived idea that it is the dark continent, that the people and conditions are primitive. The natives are dark and their environment is different, at times, from that found in Europe or the States. Untold damage has been done by imported do-gooders who are convinced before they leave home that they alone know what is best for the African.

Man evolved in Africa. African societies and cultures are as old as, or older, than any in the world. Highly advanced societies were flourishing in various parts of the African continent, when Europe was sleeping through the Dark Ages. After the Christian Crusaders, blessed and sent by the Pope. Sacked cities in the East and carried the loot to Europe that area was aroused and started to enter a period of enlightenment. The more adventurous and curious individuals began to discover various parts of Africa. The discoveries and the discoverers became very famous and the places discovered were re-named in their honor, or in the name of some obscure personality in Europe.

Discovery quickly led to slavery for millions of innocent Africans. Added to that insult they have suffered under the delusion of various white groups that they needed to be ‘protected ‘and ‘directed’ by Europeans. Ways of living and believing that the various peoples of Africa had developed over thousands of years were destroyed within a few short years. Adaptations to the environment that required many generations were uprooted and the people made to believe in spirits as ridiculous, or more ridiculous, than their original beliefs. The perpetrators of these crimes thought that they were doing the right thing, carrying out the will of God. If the Africans believe in prayer, they should pray to be saved from the do-gooders.

The journey was longer, more difficult, more tiring, more nerve-racking, more expensive, and more enlightening than we expected. Africa can be a real challenge, a test of your nerves, intelligence, patience, and tolerance. We have never heard anyone who gave it a fair chance say that he was sorry.

The first-generation drivers should be mentioned and, the fact that the death-toll is higher in South Africa than anywhere else in the world. We learned that in Durban. Service stations are far apart and repair even more distant. Petrol may be available from a pump or from a rusty barrel. Spare parts, tires, petrol, oil and filters are required as are basic tools and the ability to use them. A vehicle with extra-high clearance and an air-cooled motor might be an advantage.

We might be prejudiced—we have made five, ten-month trips to South, East, Central, and North Africa over the past fifty years. This journey was made during 1965-66. A journal was kept as frequently as conditions permitted. The safari is being written up from those notes, not from memory. The African continent and the people have been more than adequately misrepresented by reports based entirely or largely upon the imagination of the author.

The continent of Africa is roughly 12 million square miles. The Sahara in northern Africa is over 8 million square miles, about the size of the US. There are huge deserts, forests, plains and lakes. Many people have spent their entire lives traveling across Africa in every direction—still each one has only been able to experience a very minute part of the whole. Africa is a huge block of stone that has cracked in several places forming deep fissures and basins that have filled with water creating spectacular sights such as Lake Victoria and the Rift Valley.

The Rift Valley, like the volcanoes, resulted from a series of north-south fractures which occurred during the uplifting of the otherwise solid block of stone of marine origin. The continent is estimated to be about 200 million years old. The valleys run north and south, in some places only a few miles wide, in others as much as 100 miles wide. The fissures, some over one thousand feet deep, have formed the major lakes. The Rift, where it has not filled with water has formed migration routes used by the Africans over the past thousands of years. The major rift valley starts at the mouth of the Zambesi River in southeast Africa and runs north, forming the basin of Lake Nyasa and Tanganyika, then across Ethiopia, forms the bed of the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Dead Sea. The rift valley terminates in Syria.

The geography, the environment of Africa has molded the various tribes into what they are today. The physical conditions and the climate have created the multitude of cultures presently found on that continent. The surface of Africa is made up of a series of plateaus ranging in elevation from 1000 to 4000 feet. In general the plateaus end sharply, often near the sea creating narrow sea coast areas and poor harbors. That did, in the past, limit access and exploration. Large inland basins were formed, such as the Congo in central Africa and the Niger in the west. There is a large lake basin in East Africa and another in the northeast in the upper Nile region. In West Africa there is the Chad Basin in the Sudan which forms Lake Chad, a large, shallow body of water with no outlet.

The rivers of Africa have as their source, the major lake basins. The Nile in the Northeast, the Niger in West Africa, the Congo in Central Africa, the Zambezi in South-Central Africa. In the southwest the Orange River flows to the west through the Namib Desert. Many of the rivers flow over sharp escarpments forming falls that are not navigable. The great rivers of Africa are navigable for considerable distances while they flow over the plateaus; they form cataracts and falls when the escarpments are reached. The most spectacular falls formed is Victoria on the Zambezi in southeast Africa. The falls of Victoria, has a drop of about 350 feet, more than twice that of Niagra.

Most of Africa’s rivers do not enter the ocean by way of navigable estuaries, but through deltas usually obstructed by shifting sand bars. The uplift of the continent created few harbors as mentioned earlier. In general, the geography of Africa isolated the people of the interior for thousands of years. As of 1965, in many areas that isolation has continued. Along one stretch of Bush Country in southeast Africa we encountered a man who seemed to have just stepped out of the Late Stone Age. He showed us some bits of shattered safety glass that he had found, then disappeared into what seemed to us to be impenetrable bush.

The geography of Africa has determined the movement of its peoples and their ability to communicate with each other. Limited stretches of the rivers has permitted the movement of people and their possessions. The dugout canoe served as the major means of transport until recently. Along the east coast Arab, Asian, and the Chinese introduced the sailboat several thousand years ago. Europeans were limited by the lack of natural harbors, the flooding seasonally of the rivers, and the cataracts and falls formed by the escarpments.

The various peoples of Africa used the rivers as major routes for transport of people and materials. They also used them for the movement of armies in times of war. The main routes of the many and numerous migrations have not been on the rivers, the people moved overland. Major cultural areas did not form along the coasts or the rivers. The Africans lived in inland plateau areas. Since man evolved, probably in East Africa he has migrated from one area to another in a never-ending search for food, shelter, and better living conditions.

The geography of the African continent has not hindered mans migrations. There have been obstacles but, they have been by-passed or adapted to. That has been the case with respect to the major mountains. The Atlas Mountains in the north never formed a serious barrier to the movements of the native Berbers. They used them as protection during the frequent invasions. The apparently impenetrable Sahara Desert has been crossed for the past several thousand years by trade routes from east to west and north to south. The Ahaggar and Tibesti Mountains have been used as welcome refuges, sources of food, water, and protection. The mountains of Ethiopia were simply avoided as were Mt. Kenya and Kilimanjaro in East Africa. The mountains of Cameroun in central West Africa were only three to six thousand feet high. The Drakensberg Mountains along the coast of South Africa were easily avoided.

South Africa, central, and East Africa Emma and I talked with anthropologists in museums and in the field. We looked at, and examined bones millions of years old. We have serious difficulty being able to comprehend one million years. It is possible to imagine the ancient ancestors of man moving out of the trees and out onto the savannah of East Africa. However, when Dr. Leakey, at Oduvai Gorge in Tanzania tells us that a skull is thought to be ten million years old, it is very difficult to grasp the significance of the facts. We do not have the necessary background.

It is possible to understand the general concept that our ancestors evolved in East Africa and then slowly migrated or wandered to various parts of the world over enormous periods of time. Relatively narrow bodies of water can be by-passed or crossed-the same is true for mountains and deserts. When we were in Tunisia we were told that there is one theory relating to the original migration of man into Europe. It is that during ancient time there may have been a land-bridge connecting Sicily and North Africa. We were able to visualize that.

Starting in Cape Town, and slowly moving north through Central and finally East Africa we met many people who claimed that they spoke for the African. After ten months and visiting with many different tribes we do not believe that any one person, or group, speaks for the African.

The altitude in Africa varies from many feet below sea level to almost 20,000 feet on top of Kilimanjaro in East Africa. The amount of rainfall varies from almost zero in the deserts to over 60 inches in the Congo Basin. The vegetation of the continent varies from just about nothing in parts of the desert to impenetrable tropical forest in parts of the Congo that man has not yet been able to reach with his chain saws. People vary from the height of the Pygmy in the Ituri Forest, about 4 feet 5 inches, to almost seven feet among the Masi on the plains of Tanzania. We feel that, just as the climatic conditions vary, the topography, the amount of rain and sunshine, so do the people of Africa vary. No one speaks for the African. Each African should be given the freedom to speak for himself. That has been a very illusive goal for people all over the planet.

Africa was probably the cradle of mankind. From his origin there he has spread out all over the planet and has adapted to every existing climatic condition. In making the adjustments necessary for those adaptations, mans mental and physical condition has varied. The required changes in certain characteristics created the various populations referred to as races. We did not have any race problem during our journey through Africa. However, if you believe, for example, that one color of skin makes that individual superior to another of a different color—then we can almost guarantee that you will have trouble in Africa.

Throughout the entire African continent, from the very origin of man, there has been a constant mixing, blending, of his genetic makeup. As far as can be determined the original inhabitants of Southern Africa, and extending up the east coast into what is called East Africa, were the Bushmen. Recently they have been pushed into the Kalahari Desert by the invasion of Caucasoid and Negro tribes. Along much of the east coast through which we traveled the Bushman has been replaced by the Negroid. In the Somali area, the Horn of East Africa, Bushmen were replaced by Caucasoid. Along the coast, during very recent times, Bushmen were replaced by Negroids who, in turn were replaced by Cissoids. If there are any pure races of man anywhere on the planet they have not yet been discovered.

During our wanderings through Africa and other parts of the world, the most serious problem has been communication. We strongly feel that agreement should be reached with respect to the adoption of one universal language. Everyone can be taught to speak at least two languages. Each country pushes its own language as being superior. At one time it is German, then French, at present it seems to be English. What is next, Chinese or Slavic?

In the past physical measurements were used to trace relationships among the various peoples being studied. At present language seems to be more accurate. However, genetic relationships are believed to be the most accurate and they will become dominant in the future.

FREIGHTER TRAVEL BROOKLYN 

 TO CAPE TOWN

ON BOARD M/V ROEPAT

PIER 6 BROKLYN NEW YORK

SEPTEMBER 9 1965

It is now 9; 45, we have just finished breakfast. I am attempting to think back over the events of the past several weeks and put them into some semblance of order; not an easy thing to do. At this moment my mind is crowded with thoughts of the future, the possibilities and problems that probably will confront us. Somewhere I read that a journey through Africa is not to be considered a holiday. The closer we approach that vast and, to us, unknown continent the greater becomes our realization of the truth of that statement.

Looking back to the end of the Summer Session at Georgia Southern, it seems to have been a long time ago. We had by that time secured our passport and visa for South Africa. I had worked on our VW Camper and installed several cupboards, a sink, and water tanks. Bucket seats were installed creating a narrow aisle from the front to the rear so that, in bad weather or possible danger, the living quarters could be reached without getting outside. A new and larger motor with increased horsepower was put in. The modifications required planning, time, work, and some money. Fortunately we already had the Camper, having purchased it in Germany on a former trip to Europe, Scandinavia, North Africa, and Turkey during 1960-61.

The summer session ended at Georgia Southern about the Middle of August. We had decided to make the journey and I had resigned my position as an Assistant Professor at Southern in March. It was in March that we applied for passage on the South African Line, Safmarine. All communication had to be carried out by mail with Miss Romano, the secretary of The South African Marine Corporation. The complicated formalities were, at times, confusing. Finally we were given to understand that we would be able to sail on September 17th with our Camper on board with us. The freighter would be capable of carrying cargo and up to 12 passengers.

It is a very long time from March to September, no matter what the popular song says about May to December. There were numerous anxious moments, plenty of frustrating delays and days of anxiety. I suspect that one should not resign his position and take his wife on a trip to Africa unless he has an ample supply of money. That suspicion arrived too late.

It was in March of 1965 that we started to make serious preparations for the safari. From that date forward most of our time and energy was devoted to the trip. All references to the trip refer to our journey from the US to Cape Town, South Africa. Our trip can not be said to begin at Cape Town, nor did our plans suddenly begin on March 15th.

We had planned a trip to Southern Africa and East Africa in 1960. On that safari we were going to travel and camp out in a French 2CV, a very small, ugly, but very rugged, economical vehicle. Sailing arrangements had been completed with the Farrell Lines, the deposit paid, and we were about to forward to the Citroen Company, the manufacturer of the 2CV, payment for the vehicle. The 2CV was to be delivered in Cape Town. Just at that moment racial trouble flared in South Africa, the Sharpsville incident and we decided that it would be best to cancel our plans.

A great deal of study and planning had gone into the 1960 Africa attempt. Once cancelled it would have to wait another five years. During those five years great changes took place on the African continent. Physical changes were almost unnoticeable but, the political and social changes were dramatic. Just as societies had always changed, they continued to change. The recent changes have been due to both internal and external factors. It might seem like a paradox but, Africa never changes still, it is always changing. Two major factors have caused major disruptions within the African societies, Colonialism and Missionaries. Many of those responsible did not have the necessary background; they were dangerous do-gooders. The African societies will, in the end, find their own way through the mess created by foreigners. Many of the changes introduced will prove to be transitory. The people will make the final decisions. They deserve that much freedom. We hope that, like a storm at sea, many of the introduced alterations will prove to be superficial. Most of the energy will hopefully be dissipated at the surface.

During the summer we gathered all the information that we could locate. Emma contacted information centers in the US and throughout Africa, she even tried the tourist offices. Most of the tourist offices sent very colorful folders showing the modern hotels where the tourists can eat, drink, and lounge. They also show the natives performing primitive dances, dressed in various combinations of skins and other animal and vegetable parts. Emma also collected several paperback books on life in Africa. That information seems to be much more realistic.

Emma also did a lot of researching with respect to finding the most reasonable way for the three of us to reach Cape Town, Emma, me, and the Camper. As you know, her final decision was Safmarine, and it proved to be a good one. Without Emma the trip would not have been possible.

I have mentioned that we were both working in Georgia but, our home—base is in Pennsylvania. We own an old plank house there in a little village called Meshoppen.

When the summer session ended at Southern we packed all our earthly belongings into the Camper and headed for Meshoppen.

It was at this time, when we were returning to Meshoppen, that we heard from Miss Romano of Safmarine. She wrote," We can be sure of the September 17th sailing but, we do have one on September 3rd. Do you want it? We wanted it but, could we possibly get ready for it? We accepted that date! We had a few serious problems. One was that I had just cut a hole in the roof of the Camper about 48x40! We wanted to be able to raise the roof when we camped and when we wanted to photograph animals. In some of the parks it is not permitted to photograph certain wild animals from ground-level.

At this moment we are aboard the Roepat with the camper and an unfinished pop-up roof. In Cape Town it will be necessary to find a shop and finish the roof.

This is not the first time that we have left our home in Meshoppen. It is simple to drain the water and lock the door. The neighbors will watch it while we are away. In one instance we left one door unlocked and the other one open. The neighbors took care of it.

During the last three days before sailing we estimate that we got about four hours sleep. My responsibility was to finish the installation of a louvered window in the rear of the Camper and close the hole I had just cut into the roof. Emma was busy cleaning the house (Why?), packing clothes and equipment into bags, boxes, and shelves in the Camper. I had to check the camping gear, tools, blow-out patches, fuel cans, and spare-parts. New tires were required, with tubes. The last-minute details were completed as best they could be by about 1AM, September 2nd. We went to bed for one hour. At 2AM we were up, turned off the furnace and opened all the drain valves and turned off the electricity. By 3AM we were on the road to New York City and Africa. Up to that moment I had never realized that when you go down Allen Street in Meshoppen to the main highway, route 6, you just turn left if you want to head for Africa!

With the Camper it is about a four-hour drive into New York City and Pier 6 in Brooklyn; our point of departure. During the drive we had an opportunity to go over some of the details of the trip, recent events and, one lengthy and expensive phone conversation with Miss Romano of Safmarine. She had sent us, late in August, some forms to be filled out and returned. They related to our passage but no reference to the Camper which was to be taken on the same freighter with us. We replied that the required money and forms would be returned provided that Miss Romano would verify that the Camper would be shipped, as baggage, with us, on the same freighter. We received no word from Miss Romano. Two days before our tentative sailing date Emma phoned her.

Oh! Yes,’ she said, I have been meaning to call you. My question was, What about the Camper? Did she understand that it had to be shipped on the same freighter with us, that we lived in it and had no money for hotels?" She understood all that but still could not guarantee space for the Camper on the same ship with us! That blew up all our plans! Emma handed me the phone. There was a long, very tense moment of silence. My first impulse was to slam down the receiver and start negotiations all over again with a new line. Experience has taught me not to act on impulse. Reflexes and impulses do have great survival value but, it is not always the best thing to act upon them. I tried to think.

I requested that I be put through to the manager. Very well replied Miss Romano, if it will make you feel any better but, I am sure that nothing can be done. I do not remember exactly what I said to the manager but I do know that it had to do with the importance of getting the three of us, (Emma, me, and the Camper) all on one freighter. Also that we had resigned our teaching positions and it was very late in the year to attempt to locate new teaching posts.

The manager was perceptive and considerate. He understood the problem and requested that I wait while he talked with Captain Brecken, the Captain of the port. Long moments passed and we waited, everything now depended upon what Captain Brecken would say. Finally, Yes, Captain Brecken would be able to find space for the Camper on the same freighter with us!

Now we know that Captain Brecken is a man of his word but, at that time we both had considerable doubts. The seed of doubt was to take root and grow until all three of us would be safely aboard.

It was early morning as we drove into New York City and Brooklyn. The traffic seemed very heavy compared with that in and around Meshoppen. It required both of us to negotiate our way over the super highways, streets, etc. Emma said, One wrong turn and we might have to go to Michigan in order to get turned around. Emma, always the navigator, plotted our course, read the maps and road signs, and yelled questions at the cooperative truck drivers for directions while, at the same time, giving hand signals for right—hand turns. I drove the vehicle but she is responsible for the fact that all three of us made it to Pier 6 at the foot of Atlantic Avenue in one piece.

At the entrance to the pier there is a small information booth. Originally it was meant to be occupied by a man or woman. Not only was it vacant when we arrived, it was full of bullet holes! I did not think of taking any pictures but the scene did nothing to make us feel welcome or at ease.

It was too early to attempt to contact Captain Brecken so we decided to try to get hours sleep. We piled all the gear along one side of the Camper. That left enough space in which we could open one air mattress, roughly 16 inches. We snuggled down in that space and had definite feelings of togetherness. In spite of the heavy truck traffic we were able to get moments of rest over the next two hours. At about 9AM we ate a couple tomato sandwiches (again), left the Camper where it was and headed for the office at pier 6.

Captain Brecken was a very busy man. We arrived at his office about 9:30 AM and did not get to see him until 11 AM. Again we checked on the transport of the Camper and found that he was aware of it. Our freighter would be the M/V Roepat, it would not sail at 3PM on Friday September 3rd, it was scheduled to sail Saturday. It was Thursday and the Camper had to be on the dock 24 hours before sailing time. The Captain said that we would be able to use it one more day. However, after successfully negotiating the traffic once we decided not to try it again. Not even a country boy from Meshoppen should expect that much luck!

We decided to leave the Camper on the pier and locate a place to stay for the night. The Captain said that we would be allowed to board on Friday. Emma phoned a former student of mine in New Jersey, she seemed very anxious to have us stay at her house for the night. We were in luck: she had just returned from a tour of Europe and the Near East on September 2nd.

My former student, Ann Greenstein was very anxious to tell us about her recent experiences. However, that was not possible. She had just visited her dentist and he had to remove an impacted wisdom tooth. We talked to her and she wrote notes. Her father and I solved the most urgent world problems. Unfortunately for the world, I was not able to convince him that my solutions were best and should be implemented at once.

Friday morning, September 3rd we left Ann’s house and returned to Pier 6. After some delay we were allowed to board the M/V Roepat and were shown to our cabin. Our baggage had been placed in what is called the crib so we had to locate that and retrieve our baggage. With the assistance of the Chief Steward, two deck hands, and several dock-workers including a foreman and a guard, our six bags were located and finally reached our cabin safely.

The unpacking of the bags was carried out quickly because there were two large closets in the cabin and a very large dresser. The dresser-top served as my book case and a pull-out desk-top an ideal writing place. Both are being put into service at this moment. We had been told that we would have a double cabin and private bath. The facilities are excellent! The cabin and accommodations should exceed the requirements of any reasonable person.

After we inspected the cabin and, more or less unpacked the bags we went up on deck in order to supervise the loading of the ship. All day Friday they spent loading the ship. The Camper was not moved from its resting place! We thought that they would place it on top and that would be best; it would be unloaded first.

Saturday morning we were up early, had breakfast, then went into the city to do some shopping. Our sailing date had now been set for 10 PM Saturday evening. We were pleased because that would give our friends, Don and Gail James, enough time to visit the ship and see us off.

After dinner Saturday evening we were back at our post on the deck. The holds were filling up fast and the Camper continued to rest some distance away on the dock. We were certain that they had forgotten about our Camper. With all that cargo to load it might easily be over-looked.

We thought that we had thought up a very clever way of bringing the Camper to Captain Brackens’ attention. I had some gas cans behind the seat; I would ask him if they should be left there. I thought that I put the question very subtly: I said, I have a couple gas cans behind the front seat, will they be safe there? Yes, he said, but, if you are worried I will have them brought up to your cabin. Now, we decided, he has been reminded and if they did not plan to load it he would have said so.

Our peace of mind did not last long. The three holds forward were filled and the covers slammed in place making a terrible noise. The crews left the dock. Number 6 was obviously about full and ready to be closed. Number 5 was filling fast! We had worked ourselves into a state of super—hypertension.

In a final act of exasperation we dashed off the ship and into the front office. Yes, they said, we know about your Camper. It will be loaded last, into hold number five, just before sailing. The degree of tension lessened but, we returned to our post overlooking hold number five and resumed our surveillance of number five just to be sure.

Upon returning to our usual observation post we found that it had been blocked by the loading machinery. That meant we would have to go up one deck in order to secure an over-all view and be able to watch the Captain. He had noticed us moving around on the ship.

At the last moment a large crane came alongside the ship and a huge mechanical corn-picker was hoisted aboard. While that was a most interesting operation to watch, our main concern still was the Camper. At that juncture we worried that the corn-picker might take up too much space. Another check showed us that the Camper had not been moved! We returned to our observation post overlooking hold number five.

Now a black sedan was brought alongside and it became obvious that, if the Camper was not loaded within the next few minutes, only deck space would be available! Our Marine Vehicle Insurance is not valid if the Camper is placed on the deck. We dashed back to the upper deck for another check. Emma has very good eyes. I could not see him but she saw him open the door and get in. Then I saw the tail lights go on and the vehicle began to move.

In a few minutes we realized that all the tension had been generated by our over-active imagination. That is true with respect to most of our fears in life. The Camper was brought alongside, lifted by a special rig and securely placed in hold number five!! The black sedan was loaded last and then the heavy metal covers were slammed into place.

Two tug-boats appeared, one on each side of the freighter, it was exactly 11 PM, September 4th, 1965. Slowly the ship began to move away from pier 6 and out into the Hudson River. She moved slowly as though disturbed or aroused from a peaceful sleep. However, we could not imagine anything resting or sleeping during the loading from that dock.

When we looked back the dock area was deserted and silent, all the life had suddenly gone out of it. Only two solitary figures were slowly moving around. One man was a watchman; the other had cast off the last lines freeing the ship. The watchman kicked indifferently at a piece of blowing paper. The lights glared down upon the dock and no one seemed to be aware of what had happened. Suddenly a cold wind came up, we took one last look and the lights of the city caught our attention.

With the constant urging of the tugs, the ship slowly, and still reluctantly, moved out into the current of the Hudson River. As the ship turned, the lights of Manhattan came into view. The never-ending, snake-like, stream of automobile lights crawled along the waters edge. As we moved away I wondered, could the same thing, someday, happen to the city that just happened at Pier 6?

Slowly, silently, gently, the freighter slid down the river and out into the bay past the Statue of Liberty, and under the Triborough Bridge. The Statue of Liberty appeared small and frail, as she faded into the distance and the darkness I had some thoughts about liberty and freedom. Liberty and freedom are, in reality, very faint lights in a sea of darkness. They can be extinguished in one thoughtless moment. Like knowledge and facts with which thought and reason are possible, they must be nourished and protected if they are to survive. The sea of ignorance surrounds mankind, it is ever-ready to close in and obliterate him.

Was it my physical and mental state at the moment? Did recent events make her, the Statue of Liberty, seem smaller in my mind? I was standing on the deck but my thoughts had taken me far away. Emma roused me when she said, It is cold out here, let’s get inside where it is warmer.

Maybe, when one travels, he sees things from a different perspective. What is seen must be compared with what has been seen, that alters concepts by providing more information with which to think and reason. At home, or abroad, it is very difficult to comprehend the point of view of another person or group of people. I think that I am right, that my preconceived ideas are the best and need not be changed. How is a closed mind to be dealt with or, suppose my mind is closed to begin with?

Just think, all that and all we did was float down the Hudson River! We have done some research on South Africa and the countries to the north, travel through those areas should give us plenty to think about.

M/V ROEPAT

AT SEA SEPTEMBER 12 1965

Travel by freighter is the best and only way for us to travel. When we disembark our transportation and hotel are waiting on the dock. Freighter travel is not new, an uncle of mine traveled all over the world after World War 1 on freighters. It is getting more popular, especially for people who have flexible schedules and plenty of time. The more thorough the research, the more satisfying the voyage. Perhaps the first voyage should be a short one. Any travel agent can arrange all the details but, we found it more satisfying to do it ourselves.

That last statement should be re-worded. My wife, Emma, carried out all the paper work and made most of the phone calls. I supervised everything and did take care of the Camper. We found it best not to rely upon the decisions made by other people. I find it very convenient, when anything goes wrong, to blame Emma.

We have found adjusting to life on the freighter very easy. The number of passengers is limited to 12 due to the fact that no doctor is aboard. Required medicines must be taken with you. There were several elderly people aboard as well as five young missionaries on their way to save as many poor Africans as possible. There are hazards that must be countered when one travels with his wife on a freighter. At home Emma does all the house work, cleaning, shopping, and food-preparation, pays the bills, and takes care of me! Now, on the freighter she has only to take care of me. This might create a problem when we return home.

Some of the information on the freighter is interesting to us. The M/V Roepat is about 500 feet long, the M/V stands for Motor Vessel, diesel. Her gross tonnage is 10,000. She is a Class C3 tramp steamer, that is, she will carry any cargo to any open port in the world. Built by an American company she is operated by a Dutch company located in the Netherlands.

There is some sad news—The Roepat was commissioned during the 1920s. She is considered to be old and no longer economical to operate. This is scheduled to be her last voyage. We are disappointed to learn that because she is a beautiful freighter carrying very thick deck planking held in place by wooden pegs. The interior wood-work is outstanding, the stair-case is very elaborate as is the trim around all the doors and port-holes. The ship will be, or has been, sold for scrap! We think that we can understand why the Captain might decide to go down with his ship.

Captain Dalmeyer is in command of the ship and the officers and crew seem to respect and understand that fact. However, he is a friendly and reachable individual, not a stuffed uniform overly impressed with his own importance. I encountered quite a few of those during my four years in the US Air Force.

The limit of 12 passengers makes it possible to get acquainted with everyone aboard. There is some variety but not enough to be confusing. The atmosphere is friendlier than that found on a crowded passenger ship. You do not see any signs that read, First-Class Passengers Only. We are on an American-built ship, owned by a Dutch company, under the command of a Dutch Captain and officers and with an Oriental crew. Every member of the crew, the officers and Captain, have been friendly and have helped all the passengers in every way possible.

All the passengers are friendly and curious about each other. The time passes quickly as we sit out on the deck or in the lounge and exchange information. One of the most interesting passengers is Mr. Seligman, an elderly, stately gentleman on his way to his home in Zambia, Central Africa. Mr. Seligman has definite ideas with respect to the newly emerged, and emerging countries in Africa. He is critical of the policies of the Colonial powers and is hesitant about the ability of the Africans to operate their countries. He seems to be most worried with respect to qualified and dedicated leader ship. He predicts that in many instances the situation might go from bad to worse.

Mr. Seligman is a business man involved in the importing and exporting of all types of merchandise. He transacts business with most of the countries of Southern Africa and one of his major concerns is the stability, and the financial security of the new governments. It was obvious, when he went over our maps with us that he is familiar with every continent. His permanent home has been in Zambia for the past eighteen years. He has given us a much better grasp of the situation in South and East Africa. He is a portly man with a round face and his expression reflects his mood as he discusses the situation in each of the various countries. Mr. Seligman often refers to himself as a mattress salesman—in reality he is much more than that!

Then there is the South African farmer’s wife, Mrs. Laires, she is tall, thin, sun—tanned and very reserved. She does not talk much but is always courteous and friendly. We think that she is worried about the black-white race problem. She gave me a large South African coin to be carried as a good-luck charm. I shall do that, not because it will bring me good-luck but because of the thought behind her gift. The racial situation in South Africa will be a serious problem for many years to come. Emma and I plan not to get involved in that situation because we do not know anything about it. Part of the problem at the moment is too much interference by people who have no understanding of the situation—but, they have all the answers.

Nell , she must be mentioned. Nell is a secretary, she has been working in the States for some months as a secretary for the South African Tourist Bureau. She has decided to return to her home near Johannesburg, South Africa. Nell is attractive and a couple of the ship’s officers have noticed; we are curious about what might be happening but feel that it has nothing to do with us. Of more concern to me is the fact that one of the officers has taken an interest in Emma. I understand how and why that could happen and I will have to keep both eyes open and try not to sleep too soundly! He does not speak English so that might give me a slight edge—Nell, her proper name seems to be Cecil, is the only passenger who expressed empathy for me when I was seasick. I enjoyed that very much and the fact that she is young, shapely and blond had nothing to do with it.

Lee, our cabin boy awakens us in the morning when he serves our hot tea. He said that he would serve us in bed if we so desired; we have him leave it on our bed-side table. If you do not wish to have tea or coffee served early in the morning, it will be served at any time you prefer. Breakfast is served from 7:30 until 9:00 AM. Am I going to have a problem with Emma when we have to move into the Camper?

We are always up well before 7AM and wandering around the ship—we have complete freedom to explore as we wish. I shave and am ready to go-Emma, for some reason, requires more time. About 8AM we are ready for breakfast and head for the dinning room. Bread and jam is always served along with coffee or tea, cooked or dried cereal, bacon and eggs any style. It is not possible to leave the table hungry.

The Holdenworth’s are our dinning room partners. They are headed for home—Durban, South Africa after a voyage that took them around the world. Mr. Holdenworth retired recently, he was the owner of a ship-building company in South Africa. He has very good judgment and does not seem to be opinionated. We look forward to listening to what he has to say. Mrs. Holdenworth is just the opposite, she is very opinionated, thinks just about everything should be arranged according to her standards. She has given poor Lee our waiter a very rough time. He is weathering the storm very well and has more than earned every dollar that he has or will receive.

There are five young conscientious objectors aboard who are being sent to a missionary center somewhere in Zambia. They talk to and associate only with each other. I have tried to start a conversation with them without any success to date. It seems to me that they are living on some other planet.

After breakfast we are back up on deck, we really enjoy being able to wander about the ship when and as we wish. This is our first freighter trip and our first experience at sea. The Roepat is a big, heavy vessel and, being loaded she rides deep and steady in the water. Neither of us has been at all sea-sick. It would be difficult for us to understand why anyone, any normal person, would not enjoy a voyage on a freighter such as the Roepat. Of course Captain Dalmyer is an important part of the freighter. Try it, you might like it!

A great deal of time can be spent just standing on deck at the rail surveying the ocean.

Early in the morning we have found flying-fish on the decks. A variety of sea-going birds are to be seen and we are always searching for other ships. This morning after breakfast we were on deck and searching the ocean for any signs of life-suddenly we saw a very tiny boat bobbing about on the waves. Two men were fishing and they paid no attention to our freighter. We, and several of the other passengers, were trying to figure our where their home port might be. Someone suggested the Cape Verdi Islands or Sao Tome, the closest possible ports. Someone thought that they might be Japanese and the Captain agreed. He said it is possible to see Japanese fisherman almost anywhere at sea.

There are many topics that might be discussed while surveying the ocean. For example; our exact location, the depth of the water, the location of known sinking’s, the physics of ocean waves, their structure and energy, fish, whales, seals, storms, birds, war-ships, and problems relating to control of the seas. The possibilities are unlimited. The time passes so quickly and Emma and I discuss some remarks that friends made before we sailed, What will you do all day at sea? That is not a problem.

This morning we met with the Chief Engineer. First we talked in his office and the Chinese waiter served hot tea. The time passed very quickly, it was pleasant. The Chief knows every detail with respect to the ship and her history. She was built in Chester, Pennsylvania along the Delaware River just after World War 11. The Chief said that many more deluxe freighters are being built and that they are more economical to operate. The cost of operation is the problem with the Roepat. We are very pleased with life on the Roepat—but, we have never sailed on a Deluxe ship.

During the morning with the Chief several topics were discussed. For example—crew management, handling of cargo, liaison with the head office, officer leaves, and maintenance of the ship. From his office we visited the engine room. There he tried to instruct two ignorant land-lubbers about bulkheads, oil and water storage, tanks, pumps, generators, turbines, condenser coils, pressure controls, temperature control, energy transfer, and finally the drive shaft, propeller, and the rudder. A ship is a very complicated piece of machinery and it requires many people with intelligence to build it and keep it operating!

The Chief has unlimited patience, he answered every question. He explained every control board and, there are many of them. We doubt that it would be possible to conduct such a private tour on a crowded passenger ship. We can not understand the details but we do have some concept of what is involved when a ship converts crude-oil into transportation.

On a freighter you have time to think and talk. Survival today in so-called modern societies is a frenzied, competitive mad rush. Most people are just trapped, they do not know how they became enmeshed in the situation and they have no concept of how they might escape. Many of them have no desire to escape, they would rather see the planet on their TV screen. From what we have learned we wonder—is what we have to offer the Africans better than what they have developed over many centuries? Freighter travel gives you time to think, even if you do not have ten months free. Some think that a voyage is an escape, maybe it is, maybe that is what many people need to do-chuck it all and just take off! Of course if you get married before you have time to grow up and think about it, if you have children, buy a fancy home with a thirty-year mortgage, a big vehicle and modern furniture, well then you have to stay home, work, and become one of millions of American slaves. Good-luck!

The freighter voyage has been invigorating, stimulating, and a welcome change of pace in a new and different environment in the company of people who are curious about everything around them. Many of our friends back home not only do the same thing every day, they spend their vacations in the same hotel, the same beach, or the same cabin. They feel more secure in a familiar environment. Ben Franklin said, Those who would give up freedom for security, deserves neither freedom nor security.

Emma has had a most favorable reaction to freighter life. With the combination of calm seas and excellent service she has managed to adapt perfectly. Captain Dahlmeyer has given her the responsibility of blowing the ship’s whistle every day at noon. She has also learned how to set the speed of the ship and steer it-fortunately for short periods of time! If any preferential treatment is shown toward any passengers it would be toward Nell and Emma, no one has complained—especially when they sunbath and Nell wears her bikini.

The freighter voyage has been a unique mode of travel. The attitude, life-style of the passengers is, to us, much different, broader, and less provincial than that of the stay-at-homes. Tramp steamers add a spark to life. Every day of your life has value far beyond comprehension—once the day has passed, it has been lost forever!

The crew shows that spark—of—life. They sign on for one and one-half years. They have to adjust, live together, and cooperate, and they appear to have done just that. Two nights ago they celebrated their Autumn Festival. It is a special holiday and has relationships with the full-moon, their calendar, and the Fall Season. In preparation for the celebration they worked and saved for some time.

On September 10th everything was ready to go. The Captain was requested to extend an invitation to the passengers. We were all anxious to accept. Who would expect to attend a Chinese Autumn Festival on a freighter while crossing the South Atlantic Ocean? It probably would not be as authentic, if it were held at all, on a passenger ship.

The passengers were given seats of honor arranged in a semi-circle on top of number four hold. They were not theater-quality seats but I doubt that anyone noticed. The celebration began with the Captain seated in the center. A large table had been set up loaded with all kinds