Preparations for the Journey 9 



by the Uganda Railway and steamed thence in the English 

 boat Winifred to Muansa, the chief German post on Lake 

 Victoria. Here he secured a very useful set of bearers, 300 

 Wassukuma, and despatched them to Bukoba on the west coast 

 of Lake Victoria, the starting-point of the expedition. 



On arrival he was enabled by the friendliness of the Resident, 

 Captain von Stuemer, to recruit another 250 followers from 

 the Wahaia. This was the first occasion for a very long time 

 on which these natives were employed as bearers outside their 

 own country. They had been left alone as, generally speaking, 

 they were not thought much of as carriers. It was feared that 

 in the event of the bananas giving out, the lack of their staple 

 article of diet might prove a serious matter. I will say at once, 

 that though the Wahaia did not equal the Wassukuma in 

 efficiency, they marched well with light loads ; and that in spite 

 of a total change of conditions as regards diet, their health 

 left nothing to be desired. Whereas the Wassukuma, who are 

 in considerable demand as bearers, make great pretensions and 

 must receive their eight rupees monthly in addition to free food 

 and tent supplies, cooking pots and woollen blankets, the 

 Wahaia are content with a wage of four rupees, apart from 

 allowances. The experiment made by this expedition with the 

 Wahaia may therefore possibly be of some interest to the 

 Government of German East Africa. Later on, at Lake Kiwu, 

 we replaced these Wahaia by 200 Manjema, obtained from 

 Tanganjika through the good offices of Captain Goring of 

 Udjidji. 



Seven additional mules were purchased to serve as riding 

 mounts, and were conveyed to Bukoba, where the ten half-bred 

 Maskat and native donkeys ordered from Muansa had already 

 come to hand. 



Early in May I was advised by telegram that the whole 

 company requisite for the undertaking, a total of 700 souls, 

 was in readiness at Bukoba. 



The caravan was composed as follows: — 



One Betschausch (field-cornet), 2 Schausch (sergeants), 5 

 C 



