ENGAGING MEN 



Cunninghame, the well-known naturalist, very kindly- 

 found me a good native boy, who could collect birds, 

 if necessary, and was an expert skinner. He proved 

 to be an Akamba boy of powerful build and ex- 

 ceedingly ugly, who rejoiced in the name of Kampi 

 Mbaya (bad camp). He had been so nicknamed, it 

 appeared, from the fact that he had once distinguished 

 himself in a big fight between porters of a safari, in 

 which he had stunned three men ; both he and the 

 camp at which it occurred had been christened 

 simultaneously! In spite of his quick temper, he 

 proved to be one of the best men I had with me, 

 and served me well and faithfully throughout my 

 journey. I left Nairobi without regret and reached 

 Mombasa with pleasure. In this delightful old town, 

 so full of historical interest, I spent some pleasant 

 days waiting for the steamer to sail for Kismayu. I 

 engaged six porters here, chiefly Swahili ; for although 

 the arid nature of the country I was to traverse 

 rendered it imperative to use camels which were best 

 obtained on the coast, it was necessary to take a few 

 porters to carry scientific instruments and cameras 

 on the march, which would have shaken to pieces 

 on a camel, and to collect wood and water in the 

 evenings. I always try to reduce the number of 

 my men to a minimum, for it greatly simplifies the 

 question of food-supply and renders the traveller far 

 more independent and the caravan far handier, in 

 case hard marches are necessary. I also bought part 

 of my trade goods here. At last everything was 

 settled, the little steamer Wiesman sailed into 

 Mombasa harbour, and I went down towards the 

 dock full of eagerness and impatience to be gone, 

 and to start on the long journey that lay before me. 



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