Preparations for the Journey 9 
by the Uganda Railway and steamed thence in the English 
boat Winifred to Muansa, the chief German post on Lake 
Victoria. Here he secured a very useful set of bearers, 300 
Wassukuma, and despatched them to Bukoba on the west coast 
of Lake Victoria, the starting-point of the expedition. 
On arrival he was enabled by the friendliness of the Resident, 
Captain von Stuemer, to recruit another 250 followers from 
the Wahaia. This was the first occasion for a very long time 
on which these natives were employed as bearers outside their 
own country. They had been left alone as, generally speaking, 
they were not thought much of as carriers. It was feared that 
in the event of the bananas giving out, the lack of their staple 
article of diet might prove a serious matter. I will say at once, 
that though the Wahaia did not equal the Wassukuma in 
efficiency, they marched well with light loads; and that in spite 
of a total change of conditions as regards diet, their health 
left nothing to be desired. Whereas the Wassukuma, who are 
in considerable demand as bearers, make great pretensions and 
must receive their eight rupees monthly in addition to free food 
and tent supplies, cooking pots and woollen blankets, the 
Wahaia are content with a wage of four rupees, apart from 
allowances. The experiment made by this expedition with the 
Wahaia may therefore possibly be of some interest to the 
Government of German East Africa. Later on, at Lake Kiwu, 
we replaced these Wahaia by 200 Manjema, obtained from 
Tanganjika through the good offices of Captain Goring of 
Udjidji. 
Seven additional mules were purchased to serve as riding 
mounts, and were conveyed to Bukoba, where the ten half-bred 
Maskat and native donkeys ordered from Muansa had already 
come to hand. 
Early in May I was advised by telegram that the whole 
company requisite for the undertaking, a total of 700 souls, 
was in readiness at Bukoba. 
The caravan was composed as follows; — 
One Betschausch (field-cornet), 2 Schausch (sergeants), 5 
C 
