vii THE SWAHILI AND THE SOMALI 73 



attention to himself. The Swahili, however, is staunch 

 enough for any moderate man, and without making 

 the same parade of heroism will invariably be found 

 ready to place a rifle in his master's hand at the right 

 moment, whereas the Somali has not inconceivably 

 fired it off on his own accord and contrary to order. 

 These, then, are his valuable qualities, and them he 

 takes to the best market, which he usually finds in the 

 person of those big game shooters and tourists to whom 

 expense is no object. 



In making up one's mind whether to take Somalis 

 or Swahilis as gunbearers or in some other capacity on 

 an expedition, the drawbacks as well as the advantages 

 of the former must be considered. In the first place 

 his bump of avarice and extortion is developed to the 

 maximum degree. Not only will the Somali demand 

 wages at least double those of the Swahili, but he 

 will be insistent for every kind of extra clothes, boots, 

 putties, special tents, special plates, knives, and indeed 

 any mortal thing that he can extract. Then, of course, 

 he must have extra food such as tea, rice, and ghee, till 

 finally, unless one is careful, each Somali will mean an 

 addition of two extra porters to himself, requiring of 

 course further food and wages. Once you have got him 

 away he will, as I have said, work well and hard, but 

 generally speaking he will not be able to enforce 

 anything like equal efficiency in the porters and 

 boys, as will a Swahili of the old caravan 

 days. Again, directly the M Safari " approaches 

 civilisation even of the most modest order, his rapa- 

 cious demands commence again ; he will have lost his 

 knife or finished his rice or tea, and will approach ask- 

 ing for more with a pathetic expression on his face and 

 in his eyes like a replete spaniel begging for a piece of 



