50 THE LAND OF THE LION 
Others there are of them, of course, who are in a far better 
condition, whose mothers have died and who come along 
with their fathers. ‘The worst used toto I ever knew was 
such an one. I found him one dreadfully hot day when 
we were marching without water for eight hours, struggling 
along two miles behind his useless father, who since he 
was an askari, carried not one ounce himself, but his short 
Schneider carbine. ‘That half-starved child was struggling 
under four men’s potio for eight days, 7. e., 48 pounds of 
meal beside a large sufuria and his father’s sleeping mat, 
quite 60 pounds in all. I was very ignorant, as I say, 
of African matters then, but that day taught me a lesson, 
and ever after I make a point of turning up unexpectedly 
at the tail of the column and staying there sometimes for 
hours, when long marches have to be made. No totos 
should be admitted to any sefari till they have passed the 
bwana’s inspection, and the men who engage them should 
be obliged to come forward and show themselves. Nor 
should these men be paid their wages (this is very impor- 
tant) when the sefari is paid off, till you are sure the toto 
has received his modest and well-earned dole.* 
In this poor child’s case I was able to see rough justice 
done. We had fully two hundred miles steady marching 
ahead of us, and for every mile of it, his father carried that 
load, while he marched free. I got him to hospital on my 
return, and after long sickness he at last recovered from 
that awful day’s march. 
It is five o’clock in the morning, scarcely any sign of 
coming day yet, but every one in the sefari except perhaps 
yourself, from headman to toto is stirring. The little 
tents into which from five to seven men pack themselves, 
like sardines, are being taken down, and sleeping mats 
and personal whatnots are rolled tightly together. The 
* From one rupee to three rupees a month. 
