WITH FLASH-LIGHT AND RIFLE 



day. Drinking-places, flowing water, or pools have to 

 be reached at least every second day. 



In the good old time caravans crossed the steppe pro- 

 viding food by killing game as they went along. As soon 

 as the tents were pitched all went out to hunt antelopes 

 and other animals. I made it a point that everv one 

 of my men should eat every day a certain amount of 

 vegetable food besides meat. This rule I carried out 

 in spite of the enormous expense, even in the famine 

 year, 1899-1900. As I could not secure enough of the 

 desired food in the country through which I travelled, 

 I carried with me a large supply of Indian rice, which 

 had to be replenished from time to time by sending 

 small detachments of carriers back to the stations or 

 even to the coast. 



In ordinary times maize or beans may be obtained 

 from the natives living within more or less easy reach. 



It takes some time to fit out such an expedition into 

 the interior with a caravan of about one hundred and 

 twenty men. All the material has to be judiciously 

 divided into loads of about sixty pounds, each man has 

 to be assigned as carrier or as guard, and the guards 

 have to be instructed and drilled. The disposition and 

 packing of my apparatus and chemicals must be attend- 

 ed to with particular care. Many important things 

 have to be taken along in double quantities packed in 

 different loads, in case one should be lost or spoiled in 

 crossing rivers or in other ways. At last the "safari" 



372 



