INTRODUCTION 11 



able forethought in the arrangement of the Expedition was 

 the organisation of the transport according to the resources 

 of the countries traversed. Thus, in Nigeria we had to 

 be prepared to raise a supply of carriers, often to be 

 brought from distant centres ; and in Bornu reliance 

 was placed entirely on oxen, sometimes supplemented 

 by donkeys ; for the Kanuri, who are the chief people of 

 the province, are too proud to bear the white man's loads, 

 and the Shuas cannot be induced to leave their flocks and 

 herds. On the River Benue native canoes were requi- 

 sitioned. Then, after crossing Lake Chad, our boats had 

 to be depended upon for everything, with the addition of 

 Kotoko canoes to carry the commissariat. 



While on the subject of transport it may not be out of 

 place to say a little about the carriers. We are exceptionally 

 fortunate in this respect in our West African possessions, for 

 the Hausa, Nupe, Wongara and pagan Fulani are almost bred 

 and born to the load and, having the instinct for discipline 

 and order, are very easy to organise. So this fine supply 

 of labour is a most important asset in the resources of our 

 territories. In comparison with ourselves, the French are 

 poorly provided with labour, for great stretches of their 

 possessions are very sparsely populated, and in those parts 

 where there are people they are pagan tribes, who are not yet 

 very adaptable to the white man's service. And as far as my 

 observations reached in German territory, I should think 

 that they were not much better ofi than the French. 



The pay of the carrier as authorised by the Government 

 in our West African colonies is very high, so that one should 

 expect good service. It is 9d. a day for the work and 3d. 

 subsistence money, and to every fifteen men there is a head- 



