X INTRODUCTION 



that that should happen in England. As a set-off they 

 see big game and shoot it if their eye is straight. 

 They see countries and peoples. They administer 

 large districts. Very often they wander in those most 

 fascinating tracts of the world — the blank places of 

 cartographers — the unexplored. In a word, they make 

 Empire. 



Which of the three would one choose ? 



I have often heard those in Cairo and Khartum 

 jeered at when they were heard to long for life at an 

 out-station. I never jeer. To my mind there is no 

 comparison. 



To those who wish to join the E.A. it is well to say 

 that previous experience, however short, in say West 

 or East Africa, is invaluable. But more so is seniority 

 as captain. 



One's seniority in the British Army (after the first 

 contract of two years is over) is practically the touch- 

 stone for promotion to the rank of kaimakam 

 (lieutenant-colonel). Hence it continually happens 

 that those who arrive at the eleventh hour, by reason 

 of their seniority, step into the vacancies to the higher 

 appointments, passing those junior to them in British 

 rank who have borne the burden of the day and the 

 heat thereof. I must, however, hasten to say that this 

 is not at all a hard-and-fast rule ; it has its exceptions 

 occasionally. The conditions of service in the Egyp- 

 tian Army are contained in a contract, the main point 

 of which is that the pay for a bimbashi (major) is 

 ^540 a year, with ^60 in addition while quartered in 



