150 
AFRICAN GAME TRAILS 
were larger than those our own settlers and freighters used. 
Except one small one, to which there were but eight oxen, 
each was drawn by a span of seven or eight yoke; they 
were all native humped cattle. 
We had one hundred and ninety-six porters, in addition 
to the askaris, tent boys, gun-bearers, and saises. The 
management of such a safari is a work of difficulty; but 
no better man for the purpose than Cuninghame could be 
found anywhere, and he had chosen his headmen well. 
In the thirst, the march goes on by day and night. The 
longest halt is made in the day, for men and animals both 
travel better at night than under the blazing noon. We were 
fortunate in that it was just after the full of the moon, so 
that our night treks were made in good light. Of course, 
on such a march the porters must be spared as much as 
possible; camp is not pitched, and each white man uses for 
the trip only what he wears, or carries on his horse—and 
the horse also must be loaded as lightly as possible. I took 
nothing but my army overcoat, rifle and cartridges, and three 
canteens of water. Kermit did the same. 
The wagons broke camp about ten, to trek to the water, 
a mile and a half off, where the oxen would be outspanned 
to take the last drink for three days; stock will not drink 
early in the morning nearly as freely as if the march is be¬ 
gun later. We, riding our horses, followed by the long 
line of burdened porters, left at half-past twelve, and In a 
couple of hours overtook the wagons. The porters were 
in high spirits. In the morning, before the start, they 
twice held regular dances, the chief musician being one 
of their own number who carried an extraordinary kind 
of native harp; and after their loads were allotted they 
