Last month I spent quite some time reading through this book.  It was  unusual for me to read it so slowly, but this story stayed with me,  as I journeyed alongside in my mind, reflecting back to my childhood impressions and  experiences of this part of West Africa

Having read Butchers best seller “Blood Rivers” where he travels through the Congo in the footsteps of Stanley, I was drawn to this new travelogue as it took me back to the West African countries I lived in briefly in the late 70’s, Sierra Leone and Liberia

I picked up the book and flipped through it to a map and instantly recognised places. And as I started to read I realised that this time Butcher was tracing the journey of Graham Greene in 1935. This brought me to reflect back on my own grandparents who had lived in Sierra Leone in the late 1920’s/1930’s a bit earlier than Greene.

As this travelogue was weaving anecdotes from Greenes travel and Butchers travel , images  comes to my mind of old photos from my grandparents and my own experiences as a child of the country. My grand parents who lived in Freetown- Waterloo, and how I as a child meet one of my grandfathers students there in Waterloo who could tell me about a grandfather I never knew.

The book took me down memory lane as I recalled journeys from Freeetown up country to Bo and Kenema and Segwema , or north to Massanga , visit to Lebanese shopkeepers in the city, the large Cottentree in Freetown, markets in Bo, ice creams in Kenema, attending an all girls school in Segwema, and the field trips with my father to various villages and paramount chiefs as he was researching.

Butchers ability to weave the journey of Greene and himself together, enriches the book and enabled me to reflect on what my grandparents had encountered, comparing it to the impressions the landscape and people left on an 11 year old.

Cotton tree were slaved were freed. Now the center of Freetown, this image from the 70's

My memories were refreshed as I recalled the sights and smells while  I read in recognition of locations,  and experiences of the unbearable humid heat,  the narrow canoe in crocodile infested rivers, the anticipation of a car driving over a wobbly broken bridge, the gorgeous beaches with the deadly current, the orange sticky fanta, the poverty, the stench of a market, the lack of sanitation,  rubber plantations, fear of malaria,  leprosy hospital Massanga,  secret society, devil dancing, roadblocks, missions,  priest and diamond dealers and my frustration of not understanding/speaking English all that well.

Not many travel writers seek out the back and beyond of Sierra Leone and Liberia, and its still not a part of the world that is popular with travellers despite the gorgeous beaches. The book gave a glimpse of  these two war torn countries.

Why did i enjoy it so much? I seldom finish reading  travel books, but Butcher did keep me reading through this journey. The book definitely speaks to my heart and childhood memories, adding facts and historic event to deepen my understanding of what went so gruesomely wrong that war raged these countries to such atrocities against humanity .

My time in Sierra Leone & Liberia enriched my childhood on so many levels, I still have textile and artefacts I picked up from various markets- yes even then I was into home-decoration.  My living room does reflect an African flavour, and I have altered some traditional skirts from 30 years ago that I wore last summer ( fashion always comes around). I love spicy food and enjoy humid tropic weather. I also know that I come from a privileged part of the world, that comes with a responsibility to be socially aware and care for those who are less privileged.

Most of all the book resonated with a landscape hidden away deep in my soul.  Butcher was chasing the devil through walking the jungle of war torn  and forgotten corners of two countries, never really solving the question of how much the secret society “devils” actually influence modern Liberia and Sierra Leone.  Always suspecting the presence but never able to prove his gut feelings. Almost sensing a disappointment in Butchers slightly naive approach to  what  are some strong and powerful secret societies, that seemingly shape so much of the life among the people groups he writes about.

Tragic war atrocities  has defined this part of West Africa, and one can only hope that they will be able to rebuilt nations that have so much potential, but it remains to see.