4 MY SOMALI BOOK 



of John, my old Madrasi bearer, and an Indian Maho- 

 medan police orderly who accompanied me from Aden, 

 with eleven Somalis consisting of three shikaris, five 

 camel-men, one syce, and two youngsters— a cook-boy 

 to help John and a donkey-boy to look after the lesser 

 animals. These latter were two donkeys, half a dozen 

 sheep, and two milch-goats. 



For my own riding, I had brought from Aden a 

 half-bred Arab pony, Brian, and had hired a riding- 

 mule to take his place when necessary or for Elmi 

 to ride on occasion. There was also an extra " weight- 

 carrying " donkey for John. 



The eight camels, which completed the four-footed 

 portion of the outfit, of course carried all the baggage, 

 comprising stores, rifles and ammunition, personal kit, 

 an 80-lb. tent, camp equipment, water-tanks, and 

 rations for the men. This last consisted of rice, dates, 

 and ghee (clarified butter) ; the amount for the whole 

 trip calculated on a regulation daily allowance of 1 lb. 

 rice, J lb. dates, and 2 oz. ghee per man. This would be 

 supplemented by meat now and then when game was 

 plentiful, and an occasional sheep. Except for meat 

 and milk (sometimes), one cannot count upon obtaining 

 any article of food in the interior, so everything had 

 to be taken with us. 



My battery consisted of a 12-bore shot gun, a 

 •355 Mannlicher-Schonauer magazine rifle, and two 

 double express (black jDo^v^der) rifles, -500 and '57 7 ; 

 the latter a grand killing weapon but decidedly heavy 

 to carry about. 



As I have said the caravan made a start at 1 o'clock, 

 Elmi and I to follow later in the afternoon. But 



