A SAFARI AND WHAT IT IS 71 



slow, but that our appetites might have been so fast 

 that he seemed slow. 



The cook usually picks out a likely porter to help 

 him, or a toto, which means "little boy" in Swa- 

 hili. There are always a lot of boys who go along, 

 unofficially, just for the fun and the food of the 

 trip. They are not hired, but go as stowaways, 

 and for the first few days out remain much in the 

 background. Gradually they appear more and 

 more until all chance of their being sent back has 

 disappeared, and then they become established 

 members of the party. They carry small loads and 

 help brighten up the camp. Then there are the tent 

 boys, personal servants of the white people. Each 

 white person has his tent boy, who takes care of his 

 tent, his bedding, his bath, his clothes, and all his 

 personal effects. A good tent boy is a great fea- 

 ture on safari, for he relieves his master of all the 

 little worries of life. The tent boys always wait 

 on the table and do the family washing. They 

 also see that the drinking water is boiled and fil- 

 tered and that the water bottles are filled each even- 

 ing. 



Last of all come the porters, of whom we had 

 eighty. There were Swahilis, Wakambas, Kikuyus, 

 Masai, Minyamwezis, Lumbwas, Bagandas, Kavi- 

 rondos, and doubtless members of various other 

 tribes. It was their duty to carry the camp from 

 place to place, each porter carrying sixty pounds 

 on his head. When they arrive at the spot selected 

 for camp they put up the tents, get in firewood, and 



