CH. IV] CAMP ARRANGEMENTS 88 



the mail's natunil hair, some strips of skin, and an 

 empty tin can. 



If it were a long journey, and we broke it by a noon- 

 day halt, or if it were a short journey, and we reached 

 camp ahead of the safari, it was interesting to see the 

 long file of men approach. Here and there, leading the 

 porters, scattered through the line, or walking alongside, 

 were the askaris, the rifle-bearing soldiers. 'I'hey were 

 not marksmen, to put it mildly, and 1 should not have 

 regarded them as particularly efficient allies in a serious 

 fight ; but they were excellent for police duty in camp, 

 and were also of use in preventing collisions with the 

 natives. After the leading askaris might come one of 

 the headmen ; one of whom, by the way, looked exactly 

 I like a Semitic negro, and always travelled with a large 

 ' dirty-white umbrella in one hand ; while another, a tall, 

 powerful fellow, was a mission boy who spoke good 

 English. I mention his being a mission boy because it 

 I is so frequently asserted that mission boys never turn 

 I out well. Then would come the man with the flag, 

 followed by another blowing on an antelope horn, or 

 I perhaps beating an empty can as a drum ; and then the 

 I long line of men, some carrying their loads on their 

 I heads, others on their shoulders, others, in a very few 

 I cases, on their backs. As they approached the halting- 

 ] place their spirits rose, the whistles and horns were 

 blown, and the improvised drums beaten, and perhaps 

 the whole line would burst into a chant. 



On reaching the camping ground each man at once 



set about his allotted task, and the tents were quickly 



i pitched and the camp put in order, while water and 



I firewood were fetched. The tents were pitched in long 



J lines, in the first of which stood my tent, flanked by 



those of the other white men and by the dining-tent. 



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