6 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT chap. 



sort of work; namely, bearing burdens upon their heads 

 and shoulders. We hoped, however, should we be fort- 

 unate enough to reach the Rendile, and purchase 

 camels from them, to instruct our porters in the care of 

 these beasts, and, further, to use them, should necessity 

 arise, as an armed force. 



For the management and care of the beasts of burden 

 I engaged seven Somali. These people possess camels, 

 flocks, and horses of their own at home, and conse- 

 quently are well fitted for such work. Owing to the 

 warlike nature of the tribes through which we expected 

 to pass, we engaged twelve Soudanese soldiers from Mas- 

 sowah. Thus my caravan was composed of three dis- 

 tinct peoples. These we hoped to weld into one efficient 

 whole, notwithstanding the fact that we had been 

 warned that their cohesion was not to be expected in an 

 African expedition, particularly when it is borne in mind 

 that their customs as well as characters differ in a great 

 degree. As the narrative of our journey progresses, it 

 will be found which view was the correct one. 



The Tana River enters the Indian Ocean near the 

 town of Lamoo, and we^ pitched upon this place as the 

 starting-point of our journey. The preparations for a 

 journey of exploration in the interior of Africa cannot 

 possess great attraction to the general reader, and, there- 

 fore, little stress will be laid upon the detail. 



All the material which it was possible to procure in 

 Europe had been purchased and packed either in Lon- 

 don or in Vienna ; and from these points we shipped 

 them directly to Lamoo. There yet remained, however, 

 the enlistment of men, the purchase of beasts of burden, 

 with their pack-saddles, etc., and a thousand and one 



