On the Edge of the Primeval Forest

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Albert Schweitzer. On the Edge of the Primeval Forest

On the Edge of the Primeval Forest

Table of Contents

ON THE EDGE OF THE. PRIMEVAL FOREST

CHAPTER I. HOW I CAME TO BE A DOCTOR IN THE FOREST. THE. LAND AND PEOPLE OF THE OGOWE

CHAPTER II. THE JOURNEY

CHAPTER III. FIRST IMPRESSIONS AND EXPERIENCES

CHAPTER IV. JULY, 1913—JANUARY, 1914

CHAPTER V. JANUARY TO JUNE, 1914

CHAPTER VI. LUMBERMEN AND RAFTSMEN IN THE PRIMEVAL FOREST

CHAPTER VII. SOCIAL PROBLEMS IN THE FOREST

CHAPTER VIII. CHRISTMAS, 1914

CHAPTER IX. CHRISTMAS, 1915

CHAPTER X. THE MISSION

CHAPTER XI. CONCLUSION

INDEX

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Albert Schweitzer

Experiences and Observations of a Doctor in Equatorial Africa

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Several times during meals I found myself watching the guests at the different tables. All had already worked in Africa, but with what objects? What ideals had they? So pleasant and friendly here, what sort of people were they away in their places of work? What responsibility did they feel? In a few days the three hundred of us who left Bordeaux together will have landed in Africa, and in a few weeks we shall be separated, taking up our duties on the Senegal, on the Niger, on the Ogowe, on the Congo and its tributaries, some even as far away as Lake Chad, to work in these different regions for three years or so. What shall we accomplish? If everything could be written down that is done during these years by all of us who are now here on this ship, what a book it would be! Would there be no pages that we should be glad to turn over as quickly as possible? ...

But the ship is carrying us on and on. Grand Bassam ... Kotonou ... Each time there are hearty farewells exchanged between many who have hardly spoken to each other. "Good health to you!" The words are spoken with a smile, but again and again, and in this climate they have a serious sound. How will those to whom they are spoken look when they come on board next? And will they all come back? ... The windlasses and cranes begin to creak; the boats are dancing on the waves; the red roofs of the seaside town throw us a bright greeting from out of the mass of greenery; the waves breaking on the sandy bar send up their clouds of spray ... and behind them all lies the immeasurable stretch of land, at some place in which every one who leaves us here is to be a lord and master, all his doings having a significance of some sort for the great land's future. "Good health to you! Good health to you!" It seems to be scarcely a solemn enough farewell for all that lies in the future!

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