246 A HUNTER'S TRIP INTO THE WILDERNESS. 



self tolerably comfortable in the field, and seldom went out 

 in quest of elephants without the following impedimenta: A 

 large blanket, which I folded and secured before my saddle, 

 and two leather sacks, containing a flannel shirt, warm 

 trousers, and woollen nightcap, spare ammunition, washing rod 

 (for guns), coffee, bread, sugar, pepper, salt, dried meat, and 

 wooden bowl and spoon. These sacks were carried on the 

 shoulders of natives, for which services I remunerated them 

 with beads. They also carried my kettle, two calabashes of 

 water, two American axes, and two sickles, which I used to- 

 cut grass for my bed and likewise for my horses to eat through- 

 out the night. My after-rider carried extra ammunition, and 

 a spare rifle. My own personal appointments consisted of a 

 wide-awake hat, a coarse linen shirt, a kilt or pair of knee 

 breeches, and a pair of veld shoes. I entirely discarded coat, 

 waistcoat and neckcloth, and always hunted with my arms 

 bare. My heels were armed with a pair of powerful per- 

 suaders, and from my left wrist depended by a double rheimpy 

 (or strip of dressed hide) an equally persuasive sea-cow jambok 

 (whip). Around my waist I wore two leathern belts, 

 the smallest discharged the duty of suspenders the larger 

 girdle was my shooting belt."* 



In Mr. Gordon Cumming's time, this girdle carried 

 a powder horn and other things now out of date ; also 

 a sharp clasp knife, a compass, a flint and steel which 

 last-named articles the modern traveller should of course 

 carry, unless he takes matches in place of the flint 

 steel; the objection to matches being that they are 

 liable to get wet, and also in very hot climates are 

 dangerous to carry about with one in luggage; in 

 other respects we do not know that Mr. Gordon Cum- 

 ming's arrangements could be very greatly improved 



* Five Years of a Hunter's Life in the Far Interior of South 

 Africa, by Roualeyn Gordon Gumming of Altyre, 1850, Vol. i., pp. 

 383 to 385. 



