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The departure had a few typical African starting problems. Michel, the original second man, who was a member of the party the previous day when purchasing supplies, appeared to have returned to his village. His wife was jealous and had dumped the children with him in Makokou. He had to take them back. Serufin replaced him. In addition the crew had 'invested' their cash advance entirely in alcohol and following this JP had ended up in bed with the boatman's wife. The boatman caught them, gave him a beating and for the following few days he looked as if he had been bitten on the nose by a dog. That became the so-called 'running gag': "le chien m'a mordu". The boatsman no longer wanted to travel with JP and thus we were advised to find another guide. It was another boatsman: Nazer.
Following our departure the atmosphere improved quickly. Then we became acquainted with the green walls along the Ivindo. I stared at them for the rest of the day. After dark we reached the camp that the WWF were building at the point where the Nouna flows into the Ivindo.
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Dick made fast progress: "The more pastis I drink, the better my French becomes. Perhaps there are French lessons in this pastis."
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