VII 
THE SWAHILI AND THE SOMALI 
73 
attention to himself. The Swahili, however, is staunch 
enough for any moderate man, and without making 
the same parade of heroism will invariably be found 
ready to place a rifle in his master’s hand at the right 
moment, whereas the Somali has not inconceivably 
fired it off on his own accord and contrary to order. 
These, then, are his valuable qualities, and them he 
takes to the best market, which he usually finds in the 
person of those big game shooters and tourists to whom 
expense is no object. 
In making up one’s mind whether to take Somalis 
or Swahilis as gunbearers or in some other capacity on 
an expedition, the drawbacks as well as the advantages 
of the former must be considered. In the first place 
his bump of avarice and extortion is developed to the 
maximum degree. Not only will the Somali demand 
wages at least double those of the Swahili, but he 
will be insistent for every kind of extra clothes, boots, 
putties, special tents, special plates, knives, and indeed 
any mortal thing that he can extract. Then, of course, 
he must have extra food such as tea, rice, and ghee, till 
finally, unless one is careful, each Somali will mean an 
addition of two extra porters to himself, requiring of 
course further food and wages. Once you have got him 
away he will, as I have said, work well and hard, but 
generally speaking he will not be able to enforce 
anything like equal efficiency in the porters and 
boys, as will a Swahili of the old caravan 
days. Again, directly the “Safari” approaches 
civilisation even of the most modest order, his rapa¬ 
cious demands commence again ; he will have lost his 
knife or finished his rice or tea, and will approach ask¬ 
ing for more with a pathetic expression on his face and 
in his eyes like a replete spaniel begging for a piece of 
