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Elephant meat for the refugees

From M.A. Hall
c/o SCC
Juba Sudan


Monday afternoon 1973(4)

Eve Hall,
Oxfam,
Box 40680,
Nairobi,
Kenya


My Sweetheart,

I'm sitting on a campbed - it feels luxurious! back at the SCC 'camp' in Juba. Got in a couple of hours ago after a really rough ride in a truck for four hours in all. I'd hoped to come yesterday but in the morning as I was all ready and packed when a group of men with a gun walked by the mission house carrying an elephant's tail (bracelets!).

The marksman was the local resettlement officer. He had shot an elephant in the bush a couple of miles away. A few minutes later all the workers went rushing past, some carrying spears, each with a newly sharpened knife - elephant meat! So we all joined them - tramped about 2 miles through 8ft high elephant grass, jumping through lines of flame. The bush is set on fire to clear it this time of year.

But the search was in vain, though I saw one live elephant a few hundred yards away. By the time we'd got back and rested it wasn't worth driving down to the road. Even if I'd found a lift it wouldn't have reached the Juba ferry by evening closing time.

The workers dashed off again and this time came back with tons of elephant meat slung on poles. And great feasting there was last night. I didn't try it. I managed to get the Norwegians to try sweet potatoes baked in ashes - a very spartan lot who manage to keep to an even less comfortable life than necessary - and that's saying something.

I had some weak tea and bread and jam and at 9 o'clock went to my hard bed - not so bruising this time, with mosquitoes dive bombing all night. Yet slept well all the same.

This morning off early down to the police post. A gathering of huts was all it was. While waiting for a lift joined them in Muslim-time late breakfast of sweetened rice.

The corporal stopped a large truck loaded with refugees returing from Uganda, and I hopped on. Stood the entire 4 hours, rough, but actually less cramping and dusty than a Land Rover drive. Not hot at all though the wind's given me a sore eye. Into Juba by about 4 after an hour's stop to offload some people at a a refugee centre.

It was fascinating to watch people who had been away for 5 - 10 years recognising places with a glad cry. We were quite a family by the end of the ride. It was free, then 15/ - for a taxi ride of about 4 miles! There's so much to tell you my darling. I hope there's a letter waiting for me at Juba Hotel or P.O. tomorrow.

I love you,

Your ever loving To.

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