TREKKING THROUGH THE THIRST 179 



by one of these savages, who led the first yoke by a 

 leathern thong, while the wagon-driver, with his long whip, 

 stalked to and fro beside the line of oxen, or rode in the 

 wagon. The huge wagons, with their white tops or "sails," 

 were larger than those our own settlers and freighters used. 

 Except one small one, to which there were but eight oxen, 

 each was drawn by a span of seven or eight yoke; they 

 were all native humped cattle. 



We had one hundred and ninety-six porters, in addition 

 to the askaris, tent boys, gun-bearers, and saises. The 

 management of such a safari is a work of difficulty; but 

 no better man for the purpose than Cuninghame could be 

 found anywhere, and he had chosen his headmen well. 

 In the thirst, the march goes on by day and night. The 

 longest halt is made in the day, for men and animals both 

 travel better at night than under the blazing noon. We were 

 fortunate in that it was just after the full of the moon, so 

 that our night treks were made in good light. Of course, 

 on such a march the porters must be spared as much as 

 possible; camp is not pitched, and each white man uses for 

 the trip only what he wears, or carries on his horse and 

 the horse also must be loaded as lightly as possible. I took 

 nothing but my army overcoat, rifle and cartridges, and three 

 canteens of water. Kermit did the same. 



The wagons broke camp about ten, to trek to the water, 

 a mile and a half off, where the oxen would be outspanned 

 to take the last drink for three days; stock will not drink 

 early in the morning nearly as freely as if the march is be- 

 gun later. We, riding our horses, followed by the long 

 line of burdened porters, left at half-past twelve, and in a 

 couple of hours overtook the wagons. The porters were 

 in high spirits. In the morning, before the start, they 

 twice held regular dances, the chief musician being one 

 of their own number who carried an extraordinary kind 

 of native harp; and after their loads were allotted they 

 marched out of camp singing and blowing their horns and 

 whistles. Three askaris brought up the rear to look after 



