THE CARAVAN. HEADMAN, ETC. 183 
can be issued to them before leaving the coast. A small fine, 
say half a rupee, should be levied for every cartridge lost, or 
supposed to be lost, as the men are much given to selling their 
cartridges to the natives for food and ‘ pombe’ (native beer), 
the natives buying them for the sake of the powder and lead. 
Gun-bearers are rather difficult to find ; that is to say, good 
ones. Any number of men will come forward and offer their 
_ Services, although they have never acted as gun-bearers before, 
_-and know absolutely nothing about their duties. They do this 
because they prefer to carry a rifle, waterbottle, and cartridge- 
bag (in all some 25 Ibs.), rather than a full load of 65 Ibs. to 
75lbs., and because they know that they will have altogether 
an easier time of it than a porter or askari. On the other 
hand, men who have been gun-bearers to Europeans whom 
they either know personally or by reputation, and whom they 
would follow into any kind of danger, will not volunteer their 
services as gun-bearers to men they do not know, and in whom 
they have no confidence. 
Most Africans are gifted with not only long but very 
quick sight, are capital walkers at their own pace, are 
often extraordinarily keen about sport, and will wish to go 
on after game when their master is dead beat and wants to 
return to camp. They are wonderfully patient followers on 
a blood spoor, and if they have confidence in their master 
will follow him anywhere after wounded game, and can be 
telied upon not to run away at a critical moment. Europeans, 
however, often complain that their gun-bearers do not keep up 
with them when out shooting ; but this is very often their own 
‘fault. East Africa is a land of thorns and prickly spikes of 
every description. Europeans who are booted and clothed 
cannot well expect an almost bare-footed and bare-legged man, 
with only a thin cotton shirt on anda pair of sandals, to follow 
close at their heels (the proper place for a good gun-bearer) 
through clumps of thorns and sharp spiky aloes. To enable 
two principal gun-bearers to keep in their proper positions, 
they should each be provided with a suit of clothes, of the same 
terial and make as their master’s, with leather knee-caps, &c., 
. 
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