WAGON AND CARRIER TRANSPORT 243 



in the hands of the Boer farmer, and no shooting 

 agent who might arrange transport has yet started 

 operations in Angola. The most likely place to 

 hire a wagon would be at Bihe or Huambo, and 

 the most likely person to give information on this 

 subject, the Director of the Central Angolan 

 Railway (Bcnguella-Katanga Railway), who re- 

 sides either at Huambo or Lobito Bay. 



The last form of transport to be mentioned, 

 though the most employed, and probably the 

 best, if the expedition be small, is that by carriers. 

 The advantages of carriers are their mobility, 

 carrying power (50 Ib. a man), relative immunity 

 from disease, and ability to go away from roads 

 through jungles, over swamps, and into fly 

 country. A further advantage is their cheapness, 

 the carrier and his food costing less than Is. a 

 day and the twenty-five carriers of a small expedi- 

 tion about 30 a month. The disadvantage of 

 carrier transport is the uncertain temperament 

 of the carrier, who may bring the expedition into 

 difficulties by deserting when most needed, and 

 that of food, which cannot be provided, as with 

 oxen and donkeys, from the jungle itself. The 

 danger of desertion can be overcome by treating the 

 carriers kindly, but firmly ; recognizing that the 

 African is very much a child, and to be judged by 

 that standard. If a carrier recognizes that in his 

 white employer he has a master, if a kindly one ; 

 if he knows that this kindness is not based on 

 weakness or any sense of equality ; and if he 

 recognizes that his employer, through knowledge 

 of the country and of the native, is not going to 



