Chapter 8 Into the wilds

                           NICKEL & DIME PRODUCTION'S 
                            proudly present's 
          CONNEMARA FEENEY & TAYLOR DAVIES 
                                     in
                  THE HEART STONE OF AFRICA

Marco introduces Connie & Taylor to Colonel Winston Faiweather a retired army officer.

From the diary of Connemara Feeney

On the 17th of July we set out from Livingston heading roughly North by North-West to one of the way stations that Stanley had set up on his expedition into the dark lands of the Congo, a distance of some 83 miles as the crow flies, a distance that Marco Boswel was confident we could cover within  10 days.

Our little band consisted of Morco, Taylor, an ex army Colonel by the name of Winston Fairweather, six Askaris that the Colonel had assured us were stout fellows & six strong bearers to carry our supplies & of course little old me, who's job it was to keep a record of our adventure.

The weather as we set off was ideal with it been late winter in this part of the world, it was dry & not overly warm though in Ireland it would have been a very fine summers day, the plan was to travel for 10 hours a day with a 10 minute rest at the end of each one & an hours break in the middle for a small meal.

The land as we left the town behind us soon turned into open Savannah but by mid-day we could see a head or us the start of a jungle that Marco had told us we would be spending most of the trip in, the day pasted without incidence but as we stopped for the night in a small clearing it was discovered that most of our food had turned bad.

Marco set up four of the Askaris to keep watch for the first part of the night, these would be relived after 4 hours by Marco the Colonel & the other two Askaris, after our meeting with Akmid Khan Marco was taking on chances.

As Connie was turning in for the night, Taylor"What a bad break so much of the food turning bad" I wouldn't put it past Khan to have had someone tamperer with it"
Connie"Well at least your coffee is still ok" This brought a grin to Taylor's face.

Taylor"Just as well as you know what I'm like if I don't get my quota of coffee each day"
Connie"Indeed I do,I sooner live with a bear with a tooth ache" Goodnight Taylor" she added giving him a smile."Goodnight Connie sleep well"Taylor replied.

18th of July
After a goodnight's sleep & breakfast, we'd a quick meeting & have decided it would be foolish to carry on, so with heavy hearts we are heading back to Livingston.

On our return we came across a small tribe & gave them what food we had left,

Before carrying on reaching Livingston just as night was closing in, its a bit disappointing but we shall set off again in another couple of days.

20th of July
We set off again this time hoping for better fortune,one of our Askaris has stayed behind having gotten news that his wife has just given birth to a Son, but we have been able to hire another Bearer so we can carry more food.
Once more we have tracked back to the spot where we camped on the 17th, I feel now as if I could walk to here with my eye's closed, the only thing of note was some geological feature that Taylor came across as he went to relief himself.

21st of July
After an early breakfast we broke camp & headed deeper into the jungle this time heading mainly West, I could not help but feel we were been watched &

sheared my thoughts with Marco, who to my surprise told me we were indeed been watched, but it was most likely just some curious natives & there was no need to be alarmed.

22nd of July
Our heading is now North & Marco tells me we're making good time, late into the afternoon we came across some animal that even Marco & the Colonel say they have never see before, perhaps we have discovered a new species, we made camp only to fined that bad luck has befallen us again with nearly half of our food gone bad.

23rd of July
Unperturbed by our bad luck we carry on, Marco says we should be able to obtain more food along the way either at villages or by hunting, it was just before our stop for the mid-day meal when we came under attack.

 The Colonel a man of vast warfare experience bellowed out orders, setting the men up in defensive positions to catch the enemy in across fire, while sending me forward with the Bearers.

     What seem to me like a life time took in fact only a matter of minutes.

Marco dropped the first of our would be assailants, with two more quickly followed by shooting from Askaris & the Colonel.

When a Loin that had been disturbed from it's mid-day slumber lighted on another,

 it was all to much for them & they fled, Marco & the Colonel after a brief chat decided it might be best to take our mid-day meal now & scout the surrounding area to be sure that they where indeed gone, before setting off again.

Cut
 Well that's it for this post, as always my thanks for dropping in & if you'd care to be a movie critic your comment would be welcomed. :)