Put at least one if not two layers of cardboard between it and the end of the box. You will probably want to put a plastic bag over the head before doing much of any packing, to keep moisture and stray packing fluff off the drum. Good luck, and Regards for the season. I've been shipping drums throughout the US for 6 years and have not had a single problem with them. Ex. is dreadfully expensive and has lost 2 shipments.
Emery is very good but expensive.
People usually send drums to me via UPS, and they've been fine. So that leads me to believe that UPS is a good shipping service. Plus, if you goto to a UPS Package store, they will help you pack and secure the drum for a reasonable fee. I have shipped over 100 djembes and never has one arrived damaged or has one ever been lost. The U.S. Postal system is a close second in reliability and is a bit cheaper for standard delivery times.