22 IN THE GRIP OF THE NYIKA chap. 



well-known peculiarity. The usual fighting for the 

 lightest loads then took place, and order had to be 

 restored by the Headman. Each porter was given 

 out a number on a tin disc attached to a string, and 

 this was slung round his neck. The number corre- 

 sponded to that on the load he had to carry, so 

 that in this way a check could be kept on each 

 individual carrier. Of course a good pagazi 

 (porter) makes it a point of honour never to 

 throw down or part from his load, no matter how 

 tired or thirsty he may be ; but then it is a rare 

 thing to get a safari together without having 

 included in it a few first-rate scoundrels who 

 have been guilty of nearly every crime in the 

 calendar. Many of these draw half a month's pay 

 and a couple of days' food in advance, and then 

 desert at the first opportunity, taking their load with 

 them if they think it is of any value, or pitching it 

 into the bush if they have no use for it. 



At last, when everything was satisfactorily 

 settled and the chaos reduced to some semblance 

 of order, the porters were all formed up in a 

 line with their loads in front of them. When 

 everything was ready, the Headman shouted 

 " Hay a bandika, bandika,'' and the men picked 

 up their loads, placed them on their heads, 

 and marched off in single file towards the first 

 camping-place — to the accompaniment of weird 



