12 After Big Game in Central Africa 



contained a little of each kind in proportion to needs 

 and unforeseen eventualities. 



The water-bottles, each of which held three quarts 

 and a half, were made of zinc, covered with a thick 

 felt covering ; and to prevent this envelope being torn 

 by contact with thorns, it also was protected by a 

 network of ordinary string. These vessels, strongly 

 suspended at each end of a short stick, were thus 

 carried on the shoulder, and necessitated a special 

 man, the water-carrier, who is indispensable in these 

 regions. This method of attaching the water-bottles 

 was employed with the object of preventing the heat of 

 the body from warming the liquid, which would have 

 been the case had they been carried on a belt passed 

 over the shoulder. By taking care to wet the felt 

 covering each time water was met with, the evapora- 

 tion kept the contents of the bottle in a very satis- 

 factory state of freshness. These seven quarts of 

 water were often very useful on account of the great 

 distances which we covered sometimes without com- 

 ing across a river, and in case of accident (sunstroke 

 or other causes) we had the wherewithal to meet 

 first necessities. More than once we were able to cook 

 a sweet potato or brew tea with the contents of these 

 precious reservoirs. 



I had at the camp also some small wood barrels for 

 the carrying of water, and some canvas water-bottles 

 which I make myself; but those could be used only 

 on the spot, and not when on the march, like the 

 water-bottles which I have just described. These 

 latter are my own invention, like many other useful 



