143 Seven Years in Central Africa. [Nov. 
by a company of bee-hunters, and on arriving in camp again he 
looked somewhat ashamed at having been robbed in such an 
ignominious way. 
AFRICAN CAMPS. 
Our camping-places are generally on the borders of some forest 
belt. My men are always on the look-out for shelters which 
have been built by former native travellers. Many of these have 
been so often used by passing caravans that they assume the 
appearance of old stackyards in some ill-kept farm. 
The manner in which these shelters or huts are made is very 
simple but effective. Poles are cut in the forest with a natural 
fork at one end. Three or four of these are placed together, 
much as soldiers w^ould pile their rifles. Poles and branches are 
rested against them, and in the rainy season all is covered with a 
heavy thatching of grass. African grasses are so long, and so 
abundant, that it takes but a short time for the men to secure 
enough to make an efficient covering for their hut or shelter. 
The wind, however, is apt to make sad havoc of these shelters, 
and sometimes when a storm comes on suddenly they prove 
delusive refuges. The next travellers who come along repair 
them with fresh grass, and thus save the time which would be 
occupied in building new ones. There is always a great danger 
of fire in old camping-places, and I am often nervous about my 
men sleeping in them. They are so fond of keeping large fires 
burning at night that I generally pitch my own tent at some 
distance. 
DAILY ROUTINE. 
The daily programme in travelling through a country like this, 
where but few villages are met with, is much as follows : By 
break of day all in camp are astir. African porters require no 
breakfast in the morning. They get up from their camp-fires, 
wash their hands and face with a little water placed by their side 
the night before, buckle on their belts, shoulder their 60 lbs. 
bale of cloth, bag of beads, or box, and with flint-lock musket 
in hand, trot off. Someone begins a solo in a high key, all 
joining in the chorus. Very little regard is paid to waiting for 
orders ; all that must be settled the night before. It is enough 
if they understand that they are to march next day, and every 
one hastens to get well along the road in the cool of the morning. 
