History

Stories from Africa: Drum Hill


Travel opens doors for unexpected experiences.

It was no different for the 1959 Airstream Caravan. After leaving northern Rhodesia, we began to experience many different types of roads. Limited tarmac, smooth but unpaved roads, and even shake-you-up washboard roads.

If you've ever experienced road construction in the United States, you've seen how we control traffic. A flagger directs you with a handheld stop sign, hand motions, or some other way of coaching you through safe passage.

In the Belgian Congo, the Caravan approached an area called Drum Hill. In several respects, the tight control of the Hill was atypical of any traffic control I'd ever witnessed, with one exception.

At either end of the hill was a watchman, who controlled the flow of traffic. There were no handheld radios, walkie-talkies, telephones, or modern technologies of any sort. In between the communication system is set up with drums and drummers set up at intervals to beat a rhythmic message from the bottom on one side to the other. As it had been for centuries, it was now the same, the drum used for messages over a distant area.

We waited for our turn to climb over the Hill.

The signal was given, and the first few Airstreams were ready to roll. We found a very narrow single-lane dirt road, treacherous overhangs, and, of course, drummers at intervals.

Slowly, ever so slowly, we made it over. Hours went by. That evening at meeting time, we shared stories about what was encountered going over Drum Hill.

The one story that stood out above all was the family from Pennsylvania whose Airstream right rear tandem tire went almost completely over the side.

Wally Byam had encouraged and even set a rule that 26 feet was the maximum length for Airstream trailers permitted on the African Caravan. Personally, Wally felt 22' Airstreams would be the better length cap. (His own Gold Airstream was 22' in length.)

Our family from Pennsylvania negotiated with Wally to allow them to bring a 30' Airstream. Wally was concerned about the narrow passageways and treacherous trails the Caravan would blaze. And these concerns proved valid when the 30' Airstream came so, so close to rolling down the mountainside!

We took away the memories that Drum Hill had presented many hazards for the Caravan. The memory in listening to the drums communicate our safety up and over is one that typified the "old Africa" that we read about and had expected.

Dale “Pee Wee” Schwamborn has silver in his blood. Each week, Pee Wee shares one of his many stories, including his experiences on the iconic Airstream Caravans, his time spent working in the Airstream factory, and the many Airstreamers he’s befriended, far and wide.