MY HERTI GUIDE 



every evening, although I was so exhausted myself 

 that I had to be carried out of my tent to my table, 

 where I could dispense medicine to them. At last 

 my illness took a turn for the better, and I received 

 at the same time from Kismayu, in answer to my 

 message, medicines, invalid food, consisting of eggs, 

 cocoa and biscuits, and a stretcher in which I could 

 be carried back in case of necessity. And here I 

 must again express my great indebtedness to Mr. 

 Dundas for the trouble he took on my behalf, and 

 for the unfailing kindness he showed me. 



As I grew stronger I passed much time in a 

 shelter I had had built near my tent ; here my chair 

 was placed, and I would sit and rest, reading and 

 re-reading the books I had with me, and smoke or 

 doze the long hours away, longing to be up and 

 working once again. The days passed pleasantly 

 and quietly ; I wandered round the camp, took some 

 snapshots, and saw that everything was in good 

 order, so that I might start as soon as I felt strong 

 enough. I had long been anxious to obtain a 

 photograph of my Herti guide, but till now I had 

 not been successful in persuading him to sit for me, 

 for nearly all Somali have a great objection to doing 

 so, either from a superstitious fear of the unknown, 

 or because, by twisting the meaning of certain words 

 in the Koran, they have come to the conclusion that 

 the law forbids it. But at last, I thought that if 

 he saw the picture on the ground glass, his scruples 

 might be overcome. And my plan succeeded, for, 

 on seeing the people upside down on the focusing 

 screen, he was immensely amused, and thought it 

 a splendid joke ! He told me that if my object 

 was merely to view people in that ridiculous position 



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