Log 3

I have to wonder:
If one is in poor health, what would posses them to burden a caravan of no less than 60 men if they are not fit for the journey? I asked this question to the portly man that fell ill and was as a result carried around like a babe, and he answered with an assertion that he was tagging along for financial reasons. I have no qualms towards this motivation, though perhaps if the man made enough money he could afford private stretcher-bearers that would be less likely to desert the caravan because of it.
This being the least of my problems, I was informed when I finally reached the next Station after a 15 day journey that my charged steamer had sunken!

What other explanation for this would there be, save the ill intention of the Manager of this station to prevent my journey to the Inner Station? After hearing whispers of his name under the context of glory and prestige since I have arrived, I would feel robbed of opportunity if I did not have the chance to meet the famed Kurtz. Even the ordinary-looking man that is the Manager of this place holds his name in high esteem. No, I will not allow my journey to stop here! I had set work on repairing the ship immediately, and after 3 months, I had her ready to sail.

Other than the strange and mundane nature of this Station's Manager, this place is full of peculiar men that have full faith in my ability to meet the man Kurtz and put in a good word for them. Strangely enough, while I was laying on the deck of my steamer a few nights ago, I heard talk between the Manager and what I later figured out was his Uncle about the best way to essentially dispatch a traveling tradesman! I could hardly believe that such a mad and irrational conversation were taking place, and I rose in alarm (causing no explanation or remorse, but nothing more than their departure and later the later's disappearance into the brush).

This incident and what I have seen of the savages during my time here leads me to wonder how different we civilized men are from the natives of this land.

This journey upriver is expected to be particularly lengthy and treacherous. It would be wise for me to get some rest.