A SAFARI AND WHAT IT IS 
71 
slow, but that our appetites might have been so fast 
that he seemed slow. 
The cook usually picks out a likely porter to help 
him, or a toto, which means “little boy” in Swa¬ 
hili. There are always a lot of boys who go along, 
unofficially, just for the fun and the food of the 
trip. They are not hired, but go as stowaways, 
and for the first few days out remain much in the 
background. Gradually they appear more and 
more until all chance of their being sent back has 
disappeared, and then they become established 
members of the party. They carry small loads and 
help brighten up the camp. Then there are the tent 
boys, personal servants of the white people. Each 
white person has his tent boy, who takes care of his 
tent, his bedding, his bath, his clothes, and all his 
personal effects. A good tent boy is a great fea¬ 
ture on safari, for he relieves his master of all the 
little worries of life. The tent boys always wait 
on the table and do the family washing. They 
also see that the drinking water is boiled and fil¬ 
tered and that the water bottles are filled each even¬ 
ing. 
Last of all come the porters, of whom we had 
eighty. There were Swahilis, Wakambas, Kikuyus, 
Masai, Minyamwezis, Lumbwas, Bagandas, Kavi- 
rondos, and doubtless members of various other 
tribes. It was their duty to carry the camp from 
place to place, each porter carrying sixty pounds 
on his head. When they arrive at the spot selected 
for camp they put up the tents, get in firewood, and 
