Part 1: The Journey to Africa

Chapter 5

"Arriving in Africa"

For three days and nights, the steamship carrying Jane, Archimedes, Clayton and the thugs travelled along the African coast towards their destination which was in the jungles of the Congo. They came to an area of jungle that was uninhabited by humans and only animals. By the time that the boat had arrived, it was just a few miles off shore from a patch of jungle that was deemed to be safe by Clayton and his men.

In her stateroom, Jane awoke from a deep sleep to behold the sunlight streaming over the jungle where she and her father would be doing their studies. She was excited to get started and immediately threw on her yellow shirt and green skirt from the day before and after sliding on her purple stockings and gray ankle boots gathered her suitcase and supplies before going up to the deck to meet her father who was already excited as much as Jane was.

"Can you believe it, Jane?" he said excitedly. "We are here at last at the jungles of Africa!"

"I can't believe it too, daddy," she replied. "Just think of all the possibilities that we can find in there. Everything that we have dreamed of studying is in that jungle and you and I are going to see it all."

"But first, Miss Porter," said Clayton. "We must find a spot to set up camp. We can't sleep on the ground with nothing now, can't we?"

Jane snarked as Clayton walked off in a boastful manner.

"He bothers me daddy," she whispered. "I don't want him ruining this once in a lifetime trip."

"He won't ruin it for us, Jane," said her father. "I will be sure of it. Now, let us help Clayton and his men unload our items."

So, they all got off the ship and rowed over to the shore in rowboats. As Captain Gerard watched from the deck, he couldn't help but notice Clayton's strange behavior.

"What is the matter, Captain?" asked his first mate. "You seem puzzled about something."

"There is something strange about Mr. Clayton," he said. "I should have been keeping an eye on him, but I haven't."

The veteran sailor knew that only thing had to be done. His first mate was keen to listen.

"I want some of our best men to accompany Mr. Clayton and his guests," he said. "I am going to get to the truth about what he is intending to do. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir," said the first mate, saluting his superior before turning around and leaving. Captain Gerard then went back to the radio control room to notify the royal navy about Clayton's mysterious behavior.

Meanwhile, the party arrived on the beach and being led by Clayton, made their way into the jungle to find an open area for which to make camp. They didn't have to look very far however, as they quickly found an open area not too far from shore.

"Well, that certainly didn't take long," said Jane. "At least the temperature isn't that hot today."

"I think this place is good, Clayton," said Archimedes. "We'll camp here."

Clayton then turned to his men who were holding all of the supplies.

"All right you men," he ordered. "We'll camp here!"

So, the men quickly began to set up the camp where Jane, Archimedes and Clayton would be staying for the duration of their safari. There were two tents that were set up for Jane and Archimedes while a third tent was put up for Clayton. There were many other knickknacks that were set up including a tea set and a grandfather clock that Archimedes received as a gift from the British Army for his service during the Battle of Rorke's Drift.

Upon completing her quarters, Jane slid on a safari hat and joined her father and Clayton for the first of several walks into the jungle to find a gorilla nest or a series of nests.

"So where are we going, Daddy?" asked Jane.

"Well, Jane," replied Archimedes. "After conferring with Mr. Clayton, we are going to start off by heading north of here, where we believe that they are believed to seen."

"Shall we go then, Professor?" asked Clayton.

"Of course, Clayton," said Archimedes. "Please lead on."

So, they all made their way into the northern edge of their camp areas, right near what was believed to be where the gorillas were last seen. The more that they walked on, the more that they all realized that they were only doing a lost cause and as the day wore on, the warmer it got.

"Oh, Daddy," moaned Jane. "I'm so hot. Is there a waterfall nearby?"

"There is a waterfall nearby Miss Porter," replied Clayton. "However, there is a leopard den nearby. So, unless you want to become an evening meal, I'd suggest you stay with us."

Jane was not very pleased with this answer and she knew that her stockings were already starting to stick to her legs and her boots were starting to become uncomfortable, but she had to press on.

However, they did manage to come across another waterfall that Jane thought she could do some drawing. But, she did not have her drawing board with her and thus had the golden opportunity wasted right at her fingertips.

As the days went on, just when it seemed everything was going to go right, it didn't and the only thing that was being accomplished was Clayton going on and on over how a great safari guide he was. This was starting to irritate Jane and all she could do was try to ignore what Clayton was blabbering on about and that seemed to help her at first, but in the end, she could not avoid it.

Later one night, after a dinner of roast pork from the ship, Jane retired to her tent early and she knew that as the days went on, she and her father seemed to have run out of luck and that she was going to come all the way to Africa for nothing and that everything that they had worked for this trip was starting to all become a waste

In addition, most of her shirts and skirts were already worn and dirty and the only clean outfit Jane had was her favorite yellow dress. It was her best outfit after all and she was worried that it would be ruined on a trek in the jungle. Of course, going through her drawers, she still had a clean white petticoat, a bustle, a corset and a fresh pair of white bloomers that were still to be worn as well as a fresh pair of purple stockings and the boots that her father had bought her.

"Hmm," she thought to herself. "This is only clean one I have left and I still have to do a wash eventually. But, I wanted to dress up a little bit anyway and I feel like wearing my hair up in a bun tomorrow too. Maybe, I won't get as much headaches as I have been over the past few days."

So, she hung her yellow dress on the dresser along with her undergarments and as she changed into her nightgown and went to bed that night, she had no idea that the very next day was to be the most important day of her life…