Richard G. Miller

June 4.

One plane will have to stay here because a wing tank developed a leak - poor devils that have to stay with it. One pilot, Moore, went to the hospital with something that has had him in a daze for two or three weeks. There isn't a thing to do here - work a little on the planes, try to sleep at night, and it is too hot - try to sleep again in anytime, but it is hotter. The working hours are from 7:00 a.m. to 12 noon and 4:00 p.m. till 7:00 p.m.  Siestas are necessary because of the intense heat. All during the day, these African natives may be caught praying to their God, Allah. I believe it is a curious sight in some respects. First, the native stands facing the east, then he bows, then to his knees where he sits and prays some, kisses the ground several times (usually three), sits and prays a little more, rises and goes about his business. The natives are shy and do not like to be watched when they pray, but after all, most of us are backward about having an audience who does not do likewise. The natives are quite religious - e.g. they have a prayer-like chant that they sing when doing heavy work like pulling a barge.

If they can't pull it with this chant, they have another prayer in which they ask God for strength to pull said barge, and strangely enough, they seem to get greatly increased strength and power. All the natives here scar their face~ - somewhat of a brand.

Each tribe seems to have a different mark, e. g. three stripes or hash marks or a T.