The Food For The Caravan Is Mostly Rice, Of Which
The Headman Gets Two Kibabas (A Kibaba Is About 1-1/2 Lb.)
Per Day; The Cook, Gun-Bearer, "Boy" And Askaris One
And A Half Kibabas, And The Ordinary Porters, One Kibaba,
Each Per Day.
It is the duty of the Headman to keep discipline on
the safari (caravan journey), both in camp and on the
march, and to see to the distribution and safety of the
loads, the pitching and striking of camp, the issue of
posho (food) to the porters, etc.
He always brings up
the rear of the caravan, and on him depends greatly
the general comfort of the sportsman. For our trip at
the beginning of 1906, we managed to secure a splendid
neapara, and never had the least trouble with the porters
all the time. His only drawback was that he could not
speak English, but he told me when he left us that he
was going to learn. Anybody securing him as
Headman will be lucky; his name is Munyaki bin Dewani,
and he can easily be found at Mombasa.
The cook is also an important member of the caravan,
and a good one should be procured if possible. It is
wonderful what an experienced native mpishi (cook)
can turn out in the way of a meal in a few minutes after
camp is pitched.
As gun-bearer, most hunters prefer a Somali. I have
never tried one, but am told that they are inclined to
be troublesome; they certainly rate themselves very
highly, and demand about four times as much wages as
an equally good Swahili.
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