TWO DIANAS IN SOMALI LAND 185 



cient. If a man would give all the substance of a buck 

 to him it would utterly be condemned. 



After what seemed like a very long period of doing 

 very little, we judged our follower was well enough to 

 be moved, and very glad we were to strike camp, as 

 the men were none the better for so much idleness. 

 It takes about an hour to strike camp, load up, and 

 set out. The camels kneel for the process of lading, 

 with an anchor in the shape of the head rope tied 

 behind the knees. Unloading is a much more expedi- 

 tious business. Everything comes off in a quarter the 

 time taken up in putting it on. Our rifles travelled in 

 cases made to take two at full length. They were not 

 very cumbersome, and we felt that the terrific amount 

 of banging about they would receive during loading 

 and unloading made it a necessity to give them entire 

 protection. 



This, I feel sure, is the very moment your hardened, 

 seasoned shikari would seize to make a few pertinent 

 remarks on the merits of various sporting rifles. 

 Anything I could say on the subject, either of rifles, 

 or the shooting on our expedition, I am diffident of 

 setting down. The time is not yet when masculinity 

 will accept from a mere woman hints or views on a 

 question so essentially man's own. In the days of my 

 youth I troubled myself to read all sorts of books on 

 shooting : Hints to beginners on how to shoot, hints 

 to beginners on how not to shoot ; how to open 

 your eyes ; how to hold your rifle that you feel no 

 recoil, how the rifle must be fitted to your shoulder or 

 you cannot do any good at all with it ; and (gem of all) 



