We Stay at Blantyre 



and the arrangement of the loads. On the line of 

 march he saw that the men maintained a reasonable 

 pace, that they did not straggle nor dump their 

 loads in villages to enjoy a chat, nor under a tree 

 while stealing a nap — failings to which porters are 

 addicted. 



Arrived at the new camp, the headman has to 

 superintend the repitching of the tents, the clearing 

 of the ground, and the general arrangements of the 

 camp, and when that is over to settle the supply 

 of water and fuel, duties that as a rule cause more 

 friction than all the others put together. At night 

 it is his business to stop undue chattering and noise, 

 and when there are sentries, see that they do not 

 go to sleep, but keep the fires alight in case wild 

 beasts are about. He is in constant touch with the 

 men, but as he has no real authority beyond that 

 which his personality gives him, he has to keep 

 them in a good temper and get the work done as 

 best he can ; in fact, his position is frequently by 

 no means a bed of roses, and the excellent manner 

 in which the majority of those who have risen to 

 the position of headmen do their work speaks well 

 for their ability as a class. Travellers of experi- 

 ence thoroughly understand a headman's duties; at 

 the same time, few care to be bothered with the 

 routine work of their caravans, so when a headman 

 is paid to do the work the less he is interfered 

 with the better for all concerned, provided all goes 

 smoothly. 



For cook we engaged a man named Moffat, an 

 Anatonga who had been educated at the Blantyre 



19 



