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“Vessel of Last Resort” Jeffery Tayler, author of “Vessel of Last Resort,” describes his voyage up the Congo River on a primitive barge. He expresses his excitement of learning, seeing, and exploring the Congo, as well as his opinions and feelings toward the harsh conditions. He shares his feelings of disgust, interest, and sadness toward the conditions of the city, the people, and his experiences on the boat. His essay should be looked upon as very informative and real in portraying the misfortune and deprivation of Zaire and other similar African nations. One area of misfortune that he first encounters is while he is in the city. In his visit through the city, he describes various details painting an ugly picture of the city that from a distance “had looked so prosperous, with its skyscrapers and dock cranes.” However, he discovers that the city up close is “a farrago of squalor and raucous mayhem.” The street as a multilane Boulevard is filled with “the ulcerous, emaciated bodies of those too weak to beg,” while, in contrast, “silver Mercedes rocketed through the rubble carrying their owners to hush-hush diamond deals in posh Gombe.” The “living dead” of Kinshasa symbolize the city’s state as “