THE SEFARI 23 



friend. None marked it if they failed to return. Some 

 one grabbed their pittance due, at the coast. The hyenas 

 had the rest. The sefari struggled on! 



I am drawing no fanciful picture. I am simply stating 

 what I have been myself told by men who took part - 

 white men be it understood in many such old time sefaris 

 from Zanzibar and Mombassa. 



It is needless to say that with the abolition of slavery, 

 and far more still, with the introduction of Protectorate 

 rule by England, rule that does most really attempt at least 

 to protect the native, all this has ceased. You are obliged 

 to do a good deal for your sefari often much more than 

 local opinion deems necessary. 



The porters' wages are fixed. You cannot pay less, 

 and for this country they are high. The quality and quan- 

 tity of food you must give him are fixed. He must have a 

 blanket, tent, and water bottle from you, even if he is en- 

 gaged for but a few weeks. He is supposed to be examined 

 and passed as fit to work by the medical officer. He "signs 

 on" for so long a time with you, and at the end of that 

 time, if he demands them, you must pay him his 

 wages. You are supposed not to punish him, but hand 

 him over in case he misbehaves to the civil authorities. 

 But as you are likely to be often more than a hundred 

 miles from any court, a reasonable enforcement of 

 discipline, when necessary, is expected from you, and not 

 resented by him. 



So much about present sefari life. Every would-be 

 traveller soon learns. He knows his own amount of bag- 

 gage. He knows it to the pound, and to his cost, if he 

 pays his steamer bills at Mombassa before coming up 

 country, and a further interview with the railroad authori- 

 ties on the question of baggage is likely to impress him 

 still more. He reads in books, or hears from friends that 

 he will need so many men, and that he had better engage 



