MY SOMALI BOOK 



239 



vegetables. But if you can find a brand of dried 

 vegetable that does not require elaborate cooking, 

 some should be included. It is a great thing if your 

 cook can make passable bread — Abdi could not, so I 

 had to do with biscuits. The important thing is— 

 without stinting oneself — to take nothing that is not 

 really necessary, remembering that in the interior 

 nothing in the way of food is obtamable except meat 

 and, sometimes, milk. Potatoes and onions can be 

 had in Berbera. 



Arrived m the country, the most important ques- 

 tions are those of transport and the personnel of your 





expedition. In respect of transport Somaliland has 

 the advantage over East Africa, for though I have 

 no personal experience of the human porter I think 

 there is no doubt that the camel is far more satisfactory 

 as a beast of burden. One's camels may be either 

 hired or bought. I have tried both plans and, except 

 for a short trip of a month or so, should advise any one 

 to buy. Of course it is something of a gamble. The 

 prices realised at the end of a trip will depend on the 

 state of the market and the condition of your camels, 

 on other factors too, as whether you are in a hurry 

 and must sell at once. If you have a bad lot of camel 



