CHAPTER V. 



ON " SAFARI " TO HOIMA. 



The word "safari" will be met with frequently in 

 this book, and I may as well explain at once, as 

 nearly as I can, what it means. It is a very 

 distinctive word in East Africa and Uganda, and, 

 having the advantage of being also comprehensive, 

 it has become quite an English word in those parts. 

 Derived from the Arabic, it is closely allied to the 

 words, "m'safara," a caravan; and "m'safiri," a 

 traveller. In its present Swahili form it conveys 

 first the meaning " travel," whether on business or 

 pleasure, for fighting or for sport, then a gang of 

 porters carrying loads, or a caravan, and, finally, 

 sport, which includes both travel and porters forming 

 a caravan. 



As soon as my rifle had arrived from the Customs, 

 I was able to start on my journey to distant 

 Hoima, where I was to be quartered. I immediately 

 chartered thirty-six porters and a headman, packed 

 up all my goods and chattels, collected two months' 

 stores, bought a bicycle from a local trader for a 

 large sum of money, and said all my goodbyes. It 

 was not, however, until I had made a preliminary 

 donation of one rupee per porter and backshish to 



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