32 TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 



being better than wooden boxes on account of damp 

 and rainy weather. Leather, besides being heavy, is so 

 attractive to ants. Our rifles, in flat cases, specially 

 made, were compact and not cumbersome, at least not 

 untowardly cumbersome. Our food stores were in the 

 usual cases, padlocked, and a little of everything was 

 in each box, so that we did not need to raid another 

 before the last opened was half emptied. The ammuni- 

 tion was carried in specially made haversacks, each 

 haversack being marked for its particular rifle, and 

 more spare ammunition was packed away in a con- 

 venient box, along with cleaning materials, &c. We 

 made our coats into small pantechnicons, and the 

 pockets held no end of useful small articles and useful 

 contraptions. My two coats, one warm khaki serge, 

 one thin drill, were both made with recoil pads as 

 fixtures, and this was an excellent idea, as they saved 

 my shoulder many hard knocks. 



We heard of a man who was anxious to go out as 

 skinner, but the Opposition, for we had by now 

 christened the rival camp so, snapped him up before 

 we had an opportunity to engage him. On learning 

 of our disappointment they nobly volunteered to waive 

 their claim, but when I saw the trophy in discussion I 

 would not take him into our little lot at any price. A 

 more crafty, murderous-looking individual it would be 

 hard to find. 



The Opposition watched us do some of the packing, 

 and were green with envy as they handled our rifles. 

 The elder tried to induce me to sell him my double- 

 barrelled hammerless ejecting "500 Express. • I don't 



