IN BRITISH EAST AFRICA 
111 
inaccurate and inadequate. A safari comprises a 
mobilised expedition organised and equipped to take the 
field and to travel in any direction, whether for purposes 
of sport, trading or otherwise. Its component parts 
include:—(1) the native porters, who carry the tents, 
camp- and cooking-gear, stores, commissariat, and, in 
short, the whole outfit; but whose main burden, after 
all, is the rice for their own consumption. These men 
carry 60 lbs. apiece on their heads, and their numbers 
necessarily depend upon the extent and duration of the 
expedition. Thirty or forty porters suffice for such 
purposes as ours. Next come (2) the askaris, or native 
police, each armed with a Snider rifle for protection of 
the camp by night and day. Their duties involve the 
night-watch, maintaining fires, etc., but no burden-bear¬ 
ing. Thirdly, come the cook and cook’s mates, a “ tent- 
boy,” or personal servant for each sportsman—these 
being usually “ mission-boys ” who have acquired some 
slight smattering of English—and syces for ponies, if 
ponies are used. Lastly, though of first importance, 
comes the Neapara, or headman, who directs the whole 
crowd, and upon whose capacity to lead depends largely 
the comfort, if not the success, of the expedition. 
There remain to be enumerated the hunters, each 
with his attendant gun-bearers. Somalis are usually 
employed, and, if of the right sort, are by far the best 
shikaris; but the “hunter” question is big, and can 
only be mentioned here incidentally. 
Enough, however, of such detail. The purpose of 
this chapter is to sketch in outline the hunter’s daily 
life when encamped on the open veld. Assuming that 
he has reached his hunting-ground, the point I would 
place first, as the most essential to enjoyment, if not 
also to success, is this—Breakfast by candlelight, and 
be a mile away from camp when day breaks. In Africa 
there is no hardship in this. When lights are out by 
nine o’clock, not even a sluggard can complain, after 
eight hours in the blankets, of turning out at five! 
