Originally Posted by MontanaMarine
Nice pics and memories Birdwatcher.

I was in that part of the world around the same time. Brazzaville, Congo, 1982-83.


Back then the Congo and Gabon were known to be unpleasant places to be, in Ghana we had a ruined economy and a military coup and all, but Ghana was and prob'ly still is one of the friendlier and most laid back places in Africa, made all the difference.

Only was ever nervous once, that was on that same trip when a poacher coming the other way purposefully unshouldered his single-shot 12 gauge and broke it open like he was gonna load it, all the while looking at us, me and my buddy separated so as to present two targets, nothing was said, nothing came of it, we just continued on our separate ways.

This was from that same hike, a poacher's camp out in the bush we stayed at one night. That is a Greener 12 gauge built on a Martini-Henry action, they used black powder and reloaded brass shells, loaded with a single round lead ball. To hunt they went out at night using carbide lanterns to spotlight game.

[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]


"...if the gentlemen of Virginia shall send us a dozen of their sons, we would take great care in their education, instruct them in all we know, and make men of them." Canasatego 1744