Luebo, June 10, 1923
Dear Mother and Daddy:
Another month has rolled by, and we are now in the midst of another dry season. The temperature was down to 59 a few mornings ago, which is pretty cool for these parts; although I think I have seen it a few degrees cooler than that.
We had a new experience today. Yesterday a white trader died here at Luebo, and on the occasion of such a funeral, a good part of the white population attends. Dorothy and I, together with Miss Black, Mr. Hillhouse, Morrison, represented the Mission. So we had an opportunity to see what a Catholic service of such a nature was like, in the Congo. As you have no doubt attended such services, or are well acquainted with what they are, I'll not go into details. I suppose they follow, out here, practically the same routine here as in America, except that they have natives as assistants.
Mrs. Savels has been very ill lately, in fact it was serious yesterday, for she has Black Water Fever, which is a very dangerous disease. Yesterday she was very weak and the attacks continued and it looked rather discouraging, but last night she improved, and has continued to do so today; as she was able to eat today, they feel like she is improving fast.
This Black Water Fever has carried off many a white man in this country. Less than a year ago a man and his wife at Luluabourg (about four days from Luebo) both had it, and the man died; the woman was so sick they were not able to tell her about the death of her husband until some days after. Lapsley had Black Water Fever at the time of his death, but I understand that he really recovered from the fever but was so weak that he couldn't recover from the effects. This is the first case we've had at the Mission for many years.
Dorothy wrote you about her trip to Bulape with Rowena, and left me a bachelor for about two weeks. Since her return she has been in better health than for a good many months past. While she hasn't gained much in weight still she feels better. She wasn't sick, but perhaps somewhat aenemic. (It may be that I wrote you this same item in a previous letter; if I have duplicated, no harm is meant.
We have just received a package from Carrol, some things that we asked him to send us; also a package from the Honorable Montgomery Ward. There wasn't much of great importance, but we were glad to get them; there's a touch about receiving packages out here that you folks can't comprehend. The long distance, the long wait, the lapse of time between mails, and the need of the articles, all go to make a spirit that brings quite a bit of pleasurable excitement. The contents of these packages were something like this: batteries for flashlight, 1 pair black shoes and 1 pair tennis shoes for myself, lace, Xmas cards, handkerchiefs, percolator tops--Montgomery Ward. Then a pencil sharpener, rubber bands (for office use), dating stamps, ink pads and a few other items.
In this last mail word was received from the Martins that they expect to sail from the States somewhere about May 6th-- this is much earlier than the date they told you. However, we can't really tell until they are actually on the way, for there is many a slip between a written date and the actual sailing date, especially for the Martins. However, unless something unexpected happens I believe they will be on the way (I should have said were on the way) somewhere near that date.
We have about 5 more months here at Luebo, as we will be leaving here along about November first, or not long after. After that time, we will not be long in anyone place for some months.
Our mail will perhaps be slower in reaching us now, for in the dry season boats are sometimes few and far between. This last mail was a fine one, but it was about a month behind the last one.
With love to all,
B. M.
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