PACK-SADDLES 



tented frame of mind, but it makes them anxious to 

 help in the hope of further favours ; moreover, it 

 distracts their attention from your real object, and 

 in this way much can be accomplished that would 

 otherwise be impossible. At the same time the 

 presents must be given judiciously in proportion to 

 the social importance of the recipient ; otherwise 

 jealousy and ill-feeling will be aroused, which is very 

 hard to overcome. 



The pack-saddles I used were made for me by 

 Arabs at Kismayu. They consist of two V-shaped 

 pieces of wood, connected by transverse bars. The 

 former are made from a single branch of a tree, and 

 are well dried and seasoned. In choosing a saddle 

 great care has to be taken to see that the V is not 

 too broad ; for, if it is, the saddle comes too far 

 down on the back of the camel and soon causes a 

 nasty sore. The inside of this primitive saddle is 

 padded by means of two small gunny sacks tightly 

 packed with grass or dry seaweed ; and to the near 

 side of the saddle is attached a lon^ and thin sfirth, 

 made of fibre or plaited rope - strands. This is 

 tightened by means of a small cord running through 

 a noose at the end of the girth on the offside of 

 the camel. There are two mats to be added above 

 the saddle before the load can be tied on. One, 

 consisting of a large sack about 4 feet square and 

 filled with seaweed, is placed over the hump behind 

 the saddle and tied tightly to the latter, while the 

 other, which is merely a long strip of matting, hangs 

 down on either side of the camel to prevent loads from 

 chafing the animal's body. Two stout poles must 

 be provided, to which are attached 30 feet of grass 

 rope for tying on the loads ; the latter, divided into 



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