Niger River Expedition Events

Expedition to Plot the Niger River expedition_events.1

Despite many attempts to navigate it, the full course of this river remains a mystery. Shall we send an expedition to attempt to plot the course of the river?

"Members of the Trade Societies have expressed their interest in promoting a "New Africa" policy, based on an increased commerce, and the divulgation of … values in the land. They have emphasized the necessity of plotting the Niger River for its use as a commercial avenue, and have proposed an expedition for the cause."

Choosing a Leader expedition_events.2

A group of strong candidates have expressed their interest in leading the expedition. However, this is not a decision we should make lightly.

The first to arrive was a well-dressed, fresh-faced, almost young gentleman whose keenness to impress was only matched by his willingness to oblige. His smile, as wide as one can imagine, was fashionably put together: "If I may...," he politely said, presenting his credentials.

The Expedition Embarks expedition_events.4

After a few weeks of preparation and travel, the expedition to plot the course of the River Niger led by … has arrived at their starting point.

"The tide was low, so early in the morning. Our steamboat slowed its pace as the first glimpses of vegetation carbuncled among the port buildings like modest emeralds. The salt-filled air was gently replaced by grains of paradise, anise seeds, cloves. On one of the roofs, a young girl dried her laundry."

Successful Expedition expedition_events.11

… has returned triumphantly, the course and termination of the Niger River has been plotted.

"I had always imagined I'd feel an immense happiness. A happiness so bright and loud that you'd be able to almost hear it. All the rivers converge here. Maybe I was expecting a torrent of water, a force so obvious that couldn't be ignored. But the Niger diverged in smaller streams, almost losing its identity. Which one was the real river? Wouldn't all of them be the real rivers? Perhaps none. As the ship of Theseus, when does a thing stop being a thing?"

Failed Expedition expedition_events.12

After not receiving any reports for many months, it has become clear that your expedition to find the source of the Niger River has failed and … has been lost along with it.

"I think that deep down we all knew this was coming. Even now, we still talk about getting to the mouth of the river. "Just a few more days," we tell ourselves and we keep going. At first, some men commented on the rationed food. They've stopped talking about it now. We've long lost the river. "Just a few more days.""

Expedition Events 20 expedition_events.20

Local Guides expedition_events.30

One member of the expedition has suggested that we stop at some of the nearby settlements and try to hire some local guides. Other members of the group have expressed concerns this might take a while.

"The flatlands extended as far as our eyes could reach. There was no possible mountain or elevation where our fatigued expedition would stop and find its way. Nothing—and then the jungle. Always the jungle. Sometimes the river (sometimes). And then the jungle. Viridian silk; the appetizing, prismatic sheen of wet flowers over forgotten streams."

Local Guides Found expedition_events.31

After a few hours, some guides have been found and payment has been settled on.

"The guides seem to know what they're doing. More importantly, where they're going." "Keen observation, and one my young boy could make. What was their asking price? Gold? Provisions? Golden provisions?" "Well, sir, er... they didn't have any. They were going that way anyhow."

Local Guides Not Found expedition_events.32

Not a second passed two hours did it dawn on … …'s navigator that they were utterly, irrevocably lost. An eager footman then quickly put forth the idea of abandoning the search for local guides in favor of finding the river bank again.

"A terrible idea through and through."

Expedition Member Drowns expedition_events.40

In the night a member of the expedition fell off the boat. We could spend time looking for them, or we could move on.

"The screams came first. Then the drowning. And that long and succulent stain on the water. Red as strawberry syrup or the last moments of dawn, when the horizon is clear and the clouds look like worn out bandages. "I'm not a very good swimmer, you know?," he had looked over the river with a crooked smile, days ago, "good it's almost over"."

Expedition Beset by Malaria expedition_events.41

The latest report from the expedition informs us that several of the crew have come down with malaria.

"At dawn, they weren't there. Most of our men were still in their tents, and the few that came to me were too afraid to even approach them. "They've got the illness, …." The befog air around their silhouettes made me think of a ghost. Their pale faces shivered with fever, and there was nothing in their voices that seemed remotely alive."

Attack on the River expedition_events.50

While the expedition is traveling by river they are attacked by locals.

"Careful, …!" A sharp sound deafened the noise of the crew. An arrow was now trembling, stuck in the wooden wall just next to my head. "Down! Everybody down!" A line of men stood at the edge of the jungle, like guardian statues they held spears and bows, pointed directly at us. Their careful movements, that slow shuffle there—we had trespassed their limits. "Down!," I heard the men shout."

Successful Defense expedition_events.51

The expedition manages to successfully defend from the attack.

"Recover! Hm... it seems their crude weapons were no match for our firepower. Let us not rest on our laurels yet. Two men, set to cleaning the powder out of our weapons. I want another three on watch, and the remainder to prepare our position for another visit from the riff-raff."

Failed Defense expedition_events.52

The expedition fails to defend from the attack and has to retreat.

"You! You're the fastest runner we have. Get to the nearest sea port and prepare the following letter for the …. We came under spontaneous attack from ambushers of an unknown enemy. We attempted to shy them away from us, but there were too many. We lost several men before we could finally get away down the river. Their names are as follows..."

Tactical Retreat expedition_events.53

The expedition leaves the area as quickly as it can.

"We rushed to get out of there, took a fork in the river, it wasn't the right way but it was the safe way."

Expedition Film expedition_events.60

A member of the expedition has requested that they pause for a day, so that they can film some of the local wildlife.

"Muddy houses emerged like chocolate puddings extracted directly from the river. Streams braided like a young girl's long hair; marshes, large lakes. The greenery of the riverside covered their silhouettes like a layer of diaphanous mint. Water was everywhere—our own private ocean."

Dysentery in the Expedition expedition_events.70

The latest report from the expedition is that several of the crew have come down with cases of dysentery. One member has even died.

"We can barely make any progress with half the expedition in and out the bushes every quarter hour. We ought to leave them and continue." "Leave them? Only our batman, farrier, navigator, tailor, cobbler, two riflemen and three oarsmen left behind? And how do you plan to brew your tea when you dare not touch water?" "Your point is well seen."

Hippopotamus Sighted expedition_events.80

A hippopotamus has been sighted further along the river. It might be safer to wait for it to move on than to try to row past it.

"It's rotund appearance may imply a jolly nature, but don't be fooled, the Hippo is a vicious beast."

Hippopotamus Attacks expedition_events.81

The earlier sighted hippo has rammed one of the expedition boats, flipping it. Two crew members died and some supplies were lost.

"It happened so fast. The monster flipped the boat like it was nothing. Some were lucky, others less so."

Hippopotamus Sleeps expedition_events.82

The hippo did not move as we continued down river, and we managed to pass on without incident. Its eyes apathetic to our presence.

"What a magnificent creature. Tell me, would that have been a glint of ivory I spied in its mandibles?"" "Its teeth have value and use, if that is an answer you're looking for." "Just so! Rifles, to me. I will have the next hippopotamus head that I spy. And aim low: don't spoil the mouth."

Hippopotamus Leaves expedition_events.83

The expedition waited for a few hours, and eventually the Hippo moved on.

"This little distraction cost us our daylight though, we'll have to make camp here."

Grave of the Fallen expedition_events.90

The expedition comes across some graves dug at the side of the river. The trinkets and items left atop them indicate it is all that remains of a previous expedition.

"A small framed picture of a kid, covered in dirt. A familiar name engraved in the back. A reliquary with a lock of fair hair. Some pages of a journal that we kindly avoided reading. A letter. Maybe we should take it. It's not finished. One of the men speaks softly, "that man I knew." He takes it and folds it into his pocket. Even here I can still hear their lively, vibrant voices. "We shall find the source in less than one month!" Yes, even here."

Kidnapped expedition_events.100

Word arrives from the expedition that several of the members including … have been kidnapped by a local king who is demanding a ransom.

"A light in the night rarely is a good sign. The medieval imagination that made those people speak of will-o'-the-wisps, ignis fatuus, dangerous creatures leading them into death wasn't mistaken. The torch became a lantern, and the lantern became a man. The man became a dozen and soon after they were holding us captives. The metal of their guns also shined in the night, we couldn't oppose them, not in those conditions."

Kidnapped Crew Released expedition_events.101

After organizing the payment of the ransom, the expedition crew is released unharmed and even sent in the correct direction.

"It wasn't the most pleasant experience, but we dined on roasted yams, and were generally well treated."

Kidnapped Crew Escapes expedition_events.102

Despite not paying the ransom, a few members of the expedition have managed to secure their freedom. However many more of the crew were left behind.

"We waited in cold cells of wet stone. They fed us without saying a word, and then left before we could even try to bribe them. When the darkest hours came, they started a fight. One of our men said they were arguing about the night shift. And money. When the door opened again, we finally made our escape."

Death of a Leader expedition_events.110

During a small skirmish, a musket ball embedded itself in … leg. The wound itself was fine but the infection wasn't. … has taken over as the new leader.

"The warmth took me by surprise. So did the pain. I couldn't walk after the shot, and I knew I wouldn't walk later, either. This is the last chance I have to write about what I've done. Like Marco Polo I lay on my bed speaking of invisible cities, immortal wonders; what I have seen no one will believe. That saddens me. As a sane man, I shall stop my pen. The jungle may take you by surprise, just like the bullet, but wise as you have become, says the poet, you'll finally understand what the journey means."

Dr. …, I Presume expedition_events.120

At their arrival to a village by the riverside, one of its habitants quickly runs to the expedition, mumbling something about "one of their kind".

An Unexpected Guest expedition_events.130

As the expedition encounters a group of suspicious traders, one of the men claims to be a … ambassador, kidnapped by these "mercenaries".

"Their hands were stained with the color of earth, grass, and rusty blood. Their faces smiled when they saw us, and I looked at my men with a severe expression—no man smiles this deep in the jungle. One of them approached us, spoke in a foreign language that one of our younger boys could recognize, "they're merchants," he said, "they want to know if we want to sell anything." "Explorers?," another voice shouted, coarse, desperate, "These men kidnapped me months ago! Thieves, mercenaries, criminals! I'm the … ambassador! Free me from this treacherous fate!"

Bad News expedition_events.140

When reaching one of the enclaves, a letter was waiting for …, stating that his fiancee back in … has married another man.

"Oh, how sorrowful the heart and heavy the mind! This traitor has bewitched my intelligence and poisoned my soul! Oh, how miserable! Oh, how desperate! If the gods of fate are fair and just they will get this despicable woman her well deserved end!"

Among Us expedition_events.150

One of the expedition members has been caught stealing more provisions than needed under the excuse that he's ill and needs more food.

"Rations had started to run low, and rumors and mistrust were spreading among the group. One of the men accused another one of stealing bread and beans, sneaking out in the middle of the night. "Sir!," he cried, his face yellow and slender, "I needed the food! My body was starting to falter and I couldn't follow the rhythm of long marches into the jungle." However, many were the men who were suspiciously doubting his words.

An Insolvent Business expedition_events.160

After hearing about the many perils that the expedition was facing, and its little progress, word has been sent from … that the mission must immediately return.

"Those snotty bureaucrats comfortably sitting in their oaken desks, smoking cigars and drinking old whiskey, only worried about which form they'll be sending their next victim, to what infernal odyssey of never ending paperwork they'll be subjecting them to. A letter arrived at noon: "Mr …, we've been informed that your expedition hasn't been achieving our expected results...," God knows that if I could burn it, I'll immediately do so. I'm prepared to go anywhere, provided it be forward!"