36 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT 



CHAP. 



The men who proved the most useful in my caravan 

 were the seven Somah. Two of these had served with 

 Count Teleki and Lieutenant von Hohnel in the years 

 1888 and 1889; their names were Mohamet Aman and 

 Karscho, The former of these I placed in command of 

 his compatriots, and the latter I made my gun-bearer. 

 Mohamet Aman was a very black fellow, some thirty 

 years of age, with the well-developed head of his race, 

 and very large, intelligent eyes. As a worker he was 

 practically untiring. He was able to read the numerals 



Somali Hut 



on my boxes and loads, and capable of carrying in his 

 head many details which a European would find it nec- 

 essary to transmit to paper. His special province was 

 the charge of all the goods. Karscho was tall, light 

 in colour, possessed of really beautiful features of abso- 

 lutely Caucasian type, and active and lithe as a panther. 

 He was devotion itself, but lacked the qualities of pa- 

 tience and self-control, which are so necessary for a 

 leader. Another of the Somali was Achmet Dualla. 

 He had been employed as a soldier with Dr. Peters' 

 expedition. He was very stupid, but willing and un- 

 tiring in his work. The other four Somali lacked 



