CHAPTER XII 



SYCE'S ADVENTURE 



I THINK all who have travelled much on sefari will agree 

 that one of the least satisfactory individuals in it is the 

 syce. To begin with, he is pretty sure to know nothing 

 either of horses or mules, and these are of course his one 

 cause for being. 



Then he is disposed to act the part of gentleman of leisure. 

 He has an easy time of it, for he has no burden to carry, 

 except it may be a water bottle or a spare gun, and he may 

 kick at carrying even these; and when the sefari is hard 

 pressed and trophies have somehow to be brought along, he 

 is sure to demur at carrying his own sleeping mat and 

 "potio." 



Next because he walks behind you on the march or when 

 hunting and generally has to consort with the gunboys, he 

 too demands "boots." Now boots are unfortunately 

 a time-honoured perquisite of the gunboy, unfortunately, 

 because the boots are dear and bad, and since nothing will 

 induce the gunboy to keep his feet clean, he often seriously 

 injures those members of his just because he insists on 

 looking smart after his own idea. The syce, in short, copies 

 the gunboy in everything except in the altogether necessary 

 virtue of standing by his bwana in a tight place. 



My syce, Amesi, alas, is no exception to the general rule. 

 If he has to knee halter his mule he is apt to cut the foreleg 

 of the unfortunate animal, so tightly does he fasten the hide 

 rope. If he neglects to knee halter him he calmly lets him 

 stray or take the back track. 



Yesterday, however, he displayed unexpected qualities of 



284 



