We had brought with us from Europe two long-haired
retrievers, and at Aden Lieutenant von Hohnel had
bought a little, bright-eyed fox-terrier.
For the two weeks immediately preceding we had
been drilling our men in loading and unloading the
camels and donkeys. The camel saddles consisted of
two heavy mats; the one placed next the animal’s
back being made of long, soft grass, and the other,
placed over this and next the load, of coarser texture.
Over these mats four poles were placed, tied
together at the upper end, each of which was six feet
in length. The fastening at the upper ends of the
poles was about one foot from their tips. The poles
were then paired, one pair being taken forward, and
securely tied to the rear of the fore-legs, and the other
pair being carried back, and tied just in front of the
hind legs, thus forming a skeleton pyramid. Upon
these sticks the loads were bound. A camel can
easily carry from 300 to 400 pounds; so we fastened
from four to five loads upon each animal.
The donkey saddles consisted of two bags made of
untanned ox-hide joined together, and falling like panniers
on each side of the beast’s back. In order to
prevent friction and the consequent soreness of the
animal, a pad of soft grass was placed between the
donkey and the saddle. A breast strap and a breeching
retained the saddle in proper position; and equal
weights being placed in each pocket of the ^ saddle,
and the gait of the donkey being even, equilibrium
was maintained, and their positions rarely had to be
rearranged while on the march.
I placed in charge of the donkeys three men well
accustomed to the care of such animals. These men
had been, from earliest youth, traders of ivory and
slaves in Masai Land, and were one and all thoroughly
conversant with the Masai language. We
expected to fall in with tribes familiar with this tongue
during our journey, and their acquaintance with it was
considered an advantage by us when we engaged them.
At 5 o’clock, on the morning of September 18,
the resounding tomtom broke the stillness of our
camp. Soon the air was filled with cries; some of
the porters shouting joyfully to one another, “ Safari!
Safari!” (Journey! Journey!); others, “ Haya! Haya!
Tuta fuata bwana baranai.” (Hasten! Hasten! We
will follow master to the desert.) Even the laziest of
the porters seemed glad we were to make a start, for
to them a life on the coast without the pleasures of
towns, coupled with the hard work incident to the
preparation of a caravan for the march, had been tedious
in the extreme. Others feigned joy; for they
but looked forward to the departure from Mkonumbi,
and the march through the tall grass and thick
coverts, as a means of happy deliverance from an
expedition of whose outcome they were in total ignorance.
All the loads and pack-saddles had been
laid out in orderly arrangement the night before; so
that in little more than an hour all was ready for
marching.
The governor of Lamoo came to bid me God-speed,
but in the hurry and bustle I fear he failed to have the
courtesies offered him which his official dignity seemed
to demand. He eyed the loads, however, with a longing
expression. To him it seemed very ludicrous that any