148 TREKKING [ch. vii 



huge waggons, with their white tops or " sails," were 

 larger than those our own settlers and freighters used. 

 Except one small one, to which there were but eight 

 oxen, each was drawn by a span of seven or eight yoke ; 

 they were all native humped cattle. 



We had one lumdred and ninety-six porters, in addition 

 to the askaris, tent-boys, gun-bearers, and saises. The 

 management of such a saftu-i is a work of difficulty ; but 

 no better man for the purpose than Cuninghame could 

 be found anywhere, and he had chosen his headmen 

 well. In the thirst the march goes on by day and night. 

 The longest halt is made in the day, for men and 

 animals both travel better at night than under the 

 blazing noon. We were fortunate in that it was just 

 after the full of the moon, so that our night treks were 

 made in good light. Of course, on such a march the 

 porters must be spared as much as possible ; camp is 

 not pitched, and each white man uses for the trip only 

 what he wears or carries on his horse — and the horse 

 also must be loaded as lightly as possible. I took 

 nothing but my army overcoat, rifle and cartridges, and 

 three canteens of water. Kermit did the same. 



The waggons broke camp about ten, to trek to the 

 water, a mile and a half off, where tlie oxen would be 

 outspanned to take the last drink for three days ; stock 

 will not drink early in the morning nearly as freely as if 

 the march is begun later. We, riding our horses, fol- 

 lowed by the long line of burdened porters, left at 

 half-past twelve, and in a couple of hours overtook the 

 waggons. The porters were in high spirits. In the 

 morning, before the start, they twice held regular 

 dances, the chief musician being one of tlieir own 

 number who carried an extraordinary kind of native 

 harp ; and after their loads were allotted they marched 



