SEFARI LIFE 147 
as yet—no, not even in English territory —a dawn- 
ing perception of their rights, as these may exist, against a 
white man. Momba’s saying, as he looked at a picture, 
gave well the native point of view: “The white man is 
like God — he can do what he likes.” If they are unfairly 
deprived of potio, or unjustly kobokoed, they may run 
away, but, even if they do, they make no reprisals, and are 
sure to leave their load behind them. They seldom make 
a complaint against the white wrongdoer. 
One thing they strenuously object to, that is a reduction 
in their potio, and each tribe wants — when it can be got — 
its own sort of meal. The government, I think, has made 
a mistake in entering on sefari regulations an order to get 
rice potio. Rice is sometimes not obtainable, and is even 
then excessively dear. Moreover, rice can not be at present 
grown in the English Protectorate. Now good mealie 
meal, well ground, is quite as nutritious, and not nearly so 
costly, and can be grown everywhere. Were its cultivation 
encouraged, much more grain would be raised, and money 
now going in very large sums to German growers (for all the 
rice comes from German East Africa) would come to natives* 
living comparatively nearby, whose success in selling their 
crop could not fail to have an encouraging effect on those 
other natives who, sooner or later, must cultivate the land 
in order to live, but who have not yet had the courage to 
change their method of living, and make a beginning as 
cultivators. 
This subject of potio is a very serious one, indeed the 
all-important one, and needs further explanation. All 
_ I will say here is, look ahead; don’t put your sefari on half- 
rations, unless you have to. When you do, explain every- 
thing to the men, so that they all understand that your action 
is not the result of niggardliness on your part. Under such 
circumstances I have always found them most reasonable. 
* I understand this change has been made since I wrote. 
