I 



TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 



9 



As all readers of African travel are aware, the most 

 important of the porters of a caravan is the headman. I 

 had hoped to engage the headman of my former jour- 

 ney, who had also accompanied Royal Phelps Carroll 

 upon his shooting expedition to Masai Land. Unfortu- 

 nately, he, being a slave, was at that time away upon a 

 trading journey up-country in the service of his master. 

 I deemed myself fortunate, however, in being able to se- 

 cure the man who had performed the duties of second 

 headman on my former journey — by name, Hamidi. 

 He was a young and intelligent native of the Comoro 

 Islands ; he had served in many up-country expeditions, 

 and had behaved, as far as my experience and the testi- 

 mony of others went, in an efficient and trustworthy 

 manner upon all occasions. To him I left the choice of 

 three under-headmen. 



As his first lieutenant he chose one Mohamadi, who 

 had been second headman on the unfortunate expedition 

 which resulted in the death of Captain Stairs. The 

 other two headmen were unknown to me, but I was 

 assured by Hamidi that they were capable and trust- 

 worthy. 



I succeeded in getting but one porter who had accom- 

 panied me on my former journey, but was more fortu- 

 nate in the matter of tent-boys, employed as body 

 servants. Two of these are worthy of some mention — 

 I refer to those attached to my own person, Sururu and 

 Baraka. Sururu had served with Mr. Stanley three 

 years on the Congo, and had been engaged in any num- 

 ber of missionary caravans. He had on one occasion 

 seen his master shot before his eyes during an Arab up- 

 rising, had travelled more miles on foot than I care to 



