IN BPJTISH EAST AFRICA 111 



inaccurate and inadequate. A safari comprises a 

 mobilised expedition organised and equipped to take the 

 field and to travel in any direction, whether for purposes 

 of sport, trading or otherwise. Its component parts 

 include : — (1) the native porters, who carry the tents, 

 camp- and cooking-gear, stores, commissariat, and, in 

 short, the whole outfit ; hut whose main burden, after 

 all, is the rice for their own consumption. These men 

 carry 60 lbs. apiece on their heads, and their numbers 

 necessarily depend upon the extent and duration of the 

 expedition. Thirty or forty porters suflice for such 

 purposes as ours. Next come (2) the askaris, or native 

 police, each armed with a Snider rifle for protection of 

 the camp by night and day. Their duties involve the 

 night-watch, maintaining fires, etc., but no burden-bear- 

 ing. Thirdly, come the cook and cook's mates, a " tent- 

 boy," or personal servant for each sportsman — these 

 being usually " mission-boys " who have acquired some 

 slight smattering of English — and syces for ponies, if 

 ponies are used. Lastly, though of first importance, 

 comes the Neapara, or headman, who directs the whole 

 crowd, and upon whose capacity to lead depends largely 

 the comfort, if not the success, of the expedition. 



There remain to be enumerated the hunters, each 

 with his attendant gun-bearers. Somalis are usually 

 employed, and, if of the right sort, are by far the best 

 shikaris; but the "hunter" question is big, and can 

 only be mentioned here incidentally. 



Enough, however, of such detail. The purpose of 

 this chapter is to sketch in outline the hunter's daily 

 life when encamped on the open veld. Assuming that 

 he has reached his hunting-ground, the point I would 

 place first, as the most essential to enjoyment, if not 

 also to success, is this — Breakfast by candlelight, and 

 be a mile away from camp when day breaks. In Africa 

 there is no hardship in this. AVhen lights are out by 

 nine o'clock, not even a sluggard can complain, after 

 eight hours in the blankets, of turning out at five ! 



