76 
SEEDEES AS SOLDIERS. 
would not live long if they were made to carry beef ; 
and this I believe was only a device to get the meat 
themselves. 
When detained for want of porters at Mineenga, we 
taught our men the sword exercise for an hour every 
afternoon. They were apt at learning, did remarkably 
well, and enjoyed it very much, though kept strictly 
to it for the time they were out. Not understanding 
discipline, if a shower of rain fell, they thought them- 
selves at liberty to run off our parade-ground; and 
when I brought a cane in my hand, they could not 
resist a titter, thinking I had brought it to enforce 
orders, and not merely to show the sword positions. 
On the coast we had taught them the platoon exer- 
cise and target practice, but they never would take 
care of their ammunition, ramrods, or stoppers — al- 
ways firing them away. On the arrival of a detach- 
ment, salutes of welcome must be fired, and always, 
on new moon being visible, each one would try to be 
the first to fire his gun. But with six months drill 
and strict discipline, we saw that a negro could be 
made into a good light-infantry soldier; and if he 
only becomes attached to his officer, there is no more 
devoted follower in the world. 
On arrival outside a Wezee village, generally a set 
of armed men would meet us, bounding on the grass, 
running in circles, making feints at our caravan, either 
in delight, or in attempts to frighten us. A shot in 
the air would cool their courage, though our porters on 
hearing it would sometimes drop their loads and fly 
in fear, but speedily returning when reassured. Men 
were in abundance in the country, and if a solitary 
one ran away, he could always be replaced. For 
