346 A NATURALIST IN MID-AFRICA. 



have a real affection for a physical-force school- 

 master, at any rate while they are boys. 



On one occasion I had great difficulty with a 

 thoroughly lazy porter. The headman and askaris 

 complained that he would not keep up with the 

 rest of the caravan. So I first set apart one askari 

 to look after him, but I found that this was too 

 dangerous, as the two came in long after everybody 

 else had arrived. 



I then put him at the head of the caravan, and 

 kept him well up to his work all day. Afterwards 

 I made a long speech to him, saying that I was 

 not going to risk the life of an askari on his 

 account, and that I would beat him more and 

 more every day till he did his duty. He went 

 away rather impressed, and a few minutes after- 

 wards brought me back a few heads of flowers as 

 a peace-offering. 



It is, I think, very rare for them to show any 

 real affection for their "bwana." Yet there are 

 some things they thoroughly admire, such as 

 physical courage or extent. A big man has a 

 great influence simply through his size. They 

 have a good deal of the slavish devotion of a dog 

 to a severe master, as can be readily understood 

 from their experience of Arab slave-owners. Yet 

 I have seen and heard of really brave actions 

 amongst them. A native boy has been known to 

 pick an arrow out of his master's neck under a 

 heavy fire ! 



