_ THE CARAVAN, HEADMAN, ETC. 181 
march and in a hurry to get on, cloth or beads should be issued 
to the men, who will buy whatever they like or can get. Cloth is 
given out in pieces of four hands, each of which is called a ‘shuka,’ 
‘this being a measure from the elbow-joint to the tipof the middle 
finger. A porter’s allowance is one shuka ; an askari’s, one and 
a half, or six hands ; anda neapara’s, two, or eight hands, which is 
called a ‘doti.’ As, however, the price of food varies in differ- 
ent places, and also according to the crops, information should 
be obtained on the coast as to the number of days one shuka 
. will last in a certain district, as it will be a check to a certain 
extent on the headman, and will prevent him from taking advan- 
tage of his master. In order to curry favour with the porters 
q —and some headmen do—he might say that one shuka will only 
_ buy four days’ food, whereas it might buy six. Formerly, at 
_ Taveta, a shuka was equal to six days’ food, but it will in all 
_ probability be more expensive now. Beads are given out in 
_ strings, and it is very necessary to ascertain before leaving the 
_ coast how many strings of each different kind of beads are 
equal to a shuka. 
4 With regard to the arming of the men in a caravan for 
_ defensive purposes, and the number of rifles it would be neces- 
' sary to take, it will entirely depend on the country in which the 
shooting trip is going to be made and the disposition of the 
natives of the country itself, as also of the natives of the 
countries or districts the caravan would have to pass through 
_togetthere. For a trip up to Taveta and the adjacent country, 
_as far north as Kimangelia, a short way beyond Useri, twenty- 
_ five rifles would be quite enough ; but for a more extended 
: to the Njiri plains and beyond, it would perhaps be better 
take fifty, or at the most eighty, armed men. 
I have always considered the El Moran or Masai warrior a 
? much over-rated individual, neither do I think he ever could 
2 been so awe-inspiring and terrifying as some writers have 
resented him. Still, as the porters have a very exaggerated 
of his fighting and bloodthirsty propensities, it is best to 
= them with confidence by arming them well, thus assur- 
