François Dulière started off in Congo as an electrician in 1914, then a draughtsman for UMHK around 1917. He came to Europe in 1921 to complete his qualification of Surveying Engineer at the famed School for Travaux Publics in Paris. From there on, he never ceased to map out, draw and survey. Except for a brief spell in the early 30s, it was always Africa. First Kasai in Belgian Congo, Mali, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and finally Katanga from 1941 until his retirement in 1957.
With no satellites, GPS, drones, Lidar or advanced radar techniques, only one way to do mapping: boots on ground, theodolites on tripods, and, of course, spades and sieves.
Katanga in Congo had been roughly mapped out years before, but a new rush of activity took place in the 1920s, to map out the remaining blind spots, looking for gold and diamonds. 1929-1930 turned out to be the most intense period for François and Suzanne: 64 moves as they called it (déménagements) in two years, 64 camps. One of the main areas was around the basin of the Kiymbi river, east of Katanga, not far from the Lake Tanganyika.
64 “home” moves in 2 years, that meant 64 temporarily camps deep in the bush, 64 places to make, then call home. Life on the trail. There is so far only a photo diary, but that is in itself a mountain of material to give us a whiff of the lifestyle on the trail.
Look at the pictures of the “Brousse” years, and you will always see a rudimentary “home”, sober, efficient and systematic. There is a clear bedroom area, a kitchen, cooking spots and even a bathroom. Granted, a bucket that always reminds me of old cowboy movies. And of course, “the office”, the table, the tools and even the coffee can for these long evenings of mappingwhat you explored during the day. I fill in the blanks of these days as much as they linked the map dots.
The picture upfront, and the one above, is the best summary of what it meant to camp in the bush. The photo heaves with details. You can spot the authentic elements of the daily routine that was also life on the trail. Some of these routines even made it to Claviers.
- The landscape is in itself unremarkable, chosen for its functionality, not a photo shoot. A few trees. A location clearly chosen for its suitability as base camp first.
- The dress code is as well functional, practical during the halt. The actual walking equipment is close at hand, with pith helmets close by.
- The comfort may be spartan, but never absurdly so: a mosquito nest, a double bed, lounging chairs to catch the sunset, and a painting on the tent pole. The fishbones of a home.
- Travelling light? Maybe. But you still need to be able to operate. And, with the legendary Tsetse flies, malaria, Dracunculiasis and the endless list of other parasites in the air, the water, the meat, the vegetables, washing and eating is a deadly serious business. So, the kitchenware is extensive, everything with a precise function Suzanne would still remember decades later. Check out the washing basin and soap box, and the full dresser of cutlery and pots.
- Everything can be packed. Some even has to be packed for the night; hence the cutlery, pots near the travelling trunk. You probably would not want a “bilulu” (bug) to crawl in your mug, hide under your plate or slither in your shoes.
- Even though life on the trail is your dream-job, deep in the middle of nowhere, you are still living in the real world. Never forget why you are doing all this, apart from the sense of wonder. Suzanne keeps a close eye on the weeks finances on her trusty notebook at the table while the food is cooking.
- You need advanced bushcraft to survive two years like that. And it shows. Decades before Bear Grylls, the cooking fire is propped up against a reed wall, the smell and smoke drifting away from the tent.
- And so the day goes by, the help is ironing some dresses and shirts, the food is simmering (on the right of the photo), probably one of Suzanne’s venison ragouts. Her reputation for cooking would still entice friends from these years to visit her in Claviers. “You know we only come for the food, Suzanne”.
- And the job in all that? Never forgotten! After all, the warehouse is in front of the tent. Tools laid down after the day prospection. Spades, sieves and hoppers ready for the team tomorrow. By counting the toolsets, the team is probably around 5 people.
2 years. 64 home moves.
64 times to build the camp for the day, for the week. Deep in the bush.
A moment captured, a moment in time and space. Adventure, routine and comfort. A barebone life. At ease with the environment, “la brousse”, the bush. No affectation, just the joy of getting the job, the exploring, well done.
3 months later, on the 24 October 1929, the Stock Exchange collapsed. Black Thursday. And with it the Roaring 20s would come to an end.
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