32 TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 
being better than wooden boxes on account of damp 
and rainy weather. Leather, besides being heavy, is so 
attractive to ants. Our rifles, in flat cases, specially 
made, were compact and not cumbersome, at least not 
untowardly cumbersome. Our food stores were in the 
usual cases, padlocked, and a little of everything was 
in each box, so that we did not need to raid another 
before the last opened was half emptied. The ammuni- 
tion was carried in specially made haversacks, each 
haversack being marked for its particular rifle, and 
more spare ammunition was packed away in a con- 
venient box, along with cleaning materials, &c. We 
made our coats into small pantechnicons, and the 
pockets held no end of useful small articles and useful 
contraptions. My two coats, one warm khaki serge, 
one thin drill, were both made with recoil pads as 
fixtures, and this was an excellent idea, as they saved 
my shoulder many hard knocks. 
We heard of a man who was anxious to go out as 
skinner, but the Opposition, for we had by now 
christened the rival camp so, snapped him up before 
we had an opportunity to engage him. On learning 
of our disappointment they nobly volunteered to waive 
their claim, but when I saw the trophy in discussion I 
would not take him into our little lot at any price. A 
more crafty, murderous-looking individual it would be 
hard to find. 
The Opposition watched us do some of the packing, 
and were green with envy as they handled our rifles. 
The elder tried to induce me to sell him my double- 
barrelled hammerless ejecting .500 Express. I don’t 
