WATER 



by the above-mentioned processes, no method yet in- 

 vented will completely purify water contaminated by 

 urine, and its chief danger lies in the fact that it 

 provides an admirable breeding-ground for the germs 

 of all forms of disease. The traveller should therefore 

 always try to keep for himself, at any rate, a small 

 reserve of fresh rain-water, if possible, in one of the 

 tanks, in case of meeting such a pool. But it often 

 happens that it is absolutely necessary to drink such 

 water, and when this is the case, the only course left 

 open to him is to boil it thoroughly, filter it just before 

 use and then partake of it as sparingly as possible. I 

 am strongly against the use of alcohol in any form on 

 safari. The habit of taking copious draughts of water 

 is also to be avoided, since it weakens muscular energy 

 and induces to violent perspiration, which increases 

 the feeling of exhaustion and tends to produce 

 "prickly heat." In my own case, I drink nothing 

 but weak tea without milk and with but little sugar. 

 I find that it not only quenches thirst very quickly, 

 but is also very refreshing. 



Little need be said about the saddles and equip- 

 ment of the beasts of burden, since they will be 

 dictated by the customs prevalent in the country. 

 In this, as in regard to the hours of marching, and 

 in the care and management of the animals, the 

 habits of the natives are not to be lightly condemned. 



The following general principles should be borne 

 in mind when dealino- with the Somali. It would be 

 a fundamental mistake to treat them with that con- 

 tempt, which is so often shown to the black races by 

 Europeans. It must be remembered that the Somali 

 is far superior in intelligence, and therefore far more 

 dangerous than, for instance, the Masai or Kikuyu ; 



293 



