16 PREPABATIONS IN ZANZIBAR AND ON THE COAST 



enter into a description of their peculiarities, but must content 

 myself with adding that we selected, in addition to Zanzibaris, 

 or Watu a ungudya, a good many so-called Mrima, that is to say, 

 inhabitants of the coast of the mainland between Suadani and 

 Wanga, not only because they are sturdy, willing, and obliging 

 fellows, but because they would be very useful in Masailand 

 on account of their knowledge of its language and customs. 

 We should have liked our caravan to consist of Mrima alone ; 

 but we had been told we should certainly not be able to secure 

 enough, so Count Teleki decided to take 200 Zanzibari in any 

 case. 



We began by putting on our list of men all who seemed at 

 all promising, and on the second day we had as many as 250 

 — a good many more than we wanted; but we intended to 

 weed out from amongst them later any who turned out to be 

 ill, weak, or otherwise unsuitable. The result of this was that 

 we had many a thrilling scene when the weeding-out was ac- 

 complished, and many were the touching appeals made by those 

 who were to be left behind, as they urged on us, often with 

 theatrical pathos, all they had gone through, their powers of 

 endurance, and so on ; but all was in vain, our minds were 

 made up. 



An expedition such as ours requires, in addition to the 

 porters, or pagazi, a certain number of Askari, or guards, and of 

 guides, whose dut}^ it is to aid the traveller with their experi- 

 ence. They carry no loads, but they are responsible for order 

 and safety on the march and in camp ; they keep the people 

 together, encourage them on the march, help them to place the 

 loads on their shoulders, and relieve of their burdens those who 

 have become disabled. They act as interpreters and advisers 

 in dealings with the natives, especially in regulating the amount 

 of tribute or presents, and in the buying of provisions, &c. 

 When donkeys or mules are used as beasts of burden, it is the 



