"A HEADMAN" AND HIS DUTIES 



small, temporary kraals, and nothing is obtainable in the 

 way of food excepting exceptionally rancid milk. Hence, 

 rations for the men, personal luggage and stores, must all be 

 carried on camels, and this constitutes a large caravan. 



The newly -recruited escort, too, had to be put through 

 a course of musketry and rough drill, such as advancing and 

 retiring in skirmishing order, etc., etc. However, the 

 Somali are brought up from childhood midst an atmosphere 

 of raids and skirmishes. They soon grasped some idea of 

 military movements. 



Finally, the purchase of two horses for elephant and lion 

 hunting completed my preparations. I was very fortunate 

 in obtaining the services of one Abdi as headman or 

 leader of the caravan, a most important and responsible 

 position, for on his efficiency, or otherwise, depended in a 

 great measure the success or failure of the expedition. 



He must know Arabic or Hindustani, and his business 

 is to superintend the loading of the camels, giving out the 

 daily rations, interviewing chiefs and natives, who visit the 

 camp, acting interpreter, etc., etc. He is also required to 

 take military command of the caravan on the absence of 

 his master, and in this capacity must arrange for the relief 

 of the sentries at night and select the places where the 

 zarebas are to be put up, etc. 



The construction of zarebas, by the way, is by no means 

 an easy matter, especially after a long march, for trees have 

 to be felled and brushwood collected and placed round the 

 camp in a circular formation, low enough to fire over, yet 

 sufficiently deep to prevent a sudden rush being made on the 

 encampment. 



Towards evening the camels and horses are all collected 

 and driven into this enclosure, the hunter's tent being 

 erected in the centre, midst a seeming chaos of multi- 

 farious packages bubbling of camels, neighing of horses, 

 and the cheery groups of Somalis enjoying their frugal 

 evening meal of rice and dates. Add to this the white-clad 

 figure of the sentry, as he stands, rifle in hand, crooning 

 to himself some wild and invariably mournful song ; and 

 we have as animated and picturesque a scene as it would 

 be possible to imagine. 



Then, as daylight wanes, comes the stillness of the 



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