re SEEKING ROMANTIC ADVENTURES. 



The worst-used toto I ever knew was such a one. I found 

 him one dreadfully hot day when we were marching, without 

 water, for eight hours, struggling along two miles behind his 

 useless father, who, since he was an askari, carried not one ounce 

 himself but his short Schneider carbine. That half-starved child 

 was struggling under four men's potio for eight days — i. e., forty- 

 eight pounds of meal — besides a large sufaria and his father's sleep- 

 ing-mat — quite sixty pounds in all. I was very ignorant, as I say, 

 of African matters then, but that day taught me a lesson, and ever 

 after I made a point of turning up unexpectedly at the tail of the 

 column and staying there sometimes for hours, when long marches 

 have to be made. 



No totos should be admitted to any safari till they have passed 

 the bwana's inspection, and the men who engage them should be 

 obliged to come forward and show themselves. Nor should these 

 men be paid their wages (this is very important) when the safari 

 is paid off, till you are sure the toto has received his modest and 

 well-earned dole. 



In this poor child's case I was able to see rough justice done. 

 We had fully two hundred miles steady marching ahead of us, and 

 for every mile of it his father carried that load, while he marched 

 free. I got him to hospital on my return, and after long sickness 

 he at last recovered from that awful day's march. 



