The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-06-28
AF R|CANs WORK
FOR 4 CENTS A DAY
Going Out on Safari" Is Sole Amuse-
ment in Land Where Roosevelt
Is Hunting Big Game.
BY WARRINGTON DAWSON.

NAIROBI. British East frica, May
2L-When people first come To Brit
ish East frica. and hear about going
out on safarl." they often have the
impression that safari must be some
particular forest or vast tract OF land
where game can be found. but the
simple truth is that safari is merely
the native word for an overland expe-
dition with porters.
Going out on safari is the sole
amusement OF residents and OF strang-
ers VINO come mere, and nine-tenths or
these intend To do ii, too, whether or
not they know the proper technical
term.
Now that the Uganda railway exists
IL Is much simpler than IL used 10 De,
for one can tap any region up 10 the
lake and get within few miles or the
game one wishes to shoot, SO that SCI
arts sometimes last only a few days,
though other more extensive ones ike
Col Roosevelts are organized TO last
some weeks, or even some months.
Garry Loads on Heads.
It Is picturesque sight TO see ma
tives drawn up In front OF sarari out
filters, waiting for their loads 10 lie
prepared and for instructions 10 start.
trees in the dusty road, and crack
Jokes as each chop box Is brought out.
These chop boxes contain all sorts or
timed things, coffee, tea butter, veg
etables, meat. fruit, often dellcacles,
and always a store OF bread; the max
imum load OF each is 60 pounds. which
the natives carry on their heads II
they are Bwagandas, and on their
necks and backs If they are Kikuyus.
The kikuyu system has the disadvan-
tage OF cutting into the back If the
box is too long OF if 1t is Improperly
loaded, but nothing will induce them
to change their tribal custom.
The number of porters taken varies
according to the duration of the eA'
pedition, to the resources OF the coun-
try through which it is 10 pass, and
also according to the tastes and had
its of the organizers. When gov
eminent safari starts out on some OIL
fetal business the allowance Is one
head man and 10 porters for each or
fetal. The porters carry the chop
boxes for their master, and the tents
blankets, cooking utensils and per
sonal kit. The amount OF food car
ried depends on the appetite or the
white men, OF course; some men want
10 eat on safari as If they were In
hotel Others, and these are the OLD
and wise residents. content themselves
with a reasonable amount OF PLAIN.
good food. AS rule, the official al
lows for each white man in his party
three chop boxes. representing from
$50 to $50 pounds OF food, for an expe-
dition lasting three or four weeks.
so Native Porters.
On Col Roosevelts safari there is
an allowance OF so native porters ana
gunbearers for each white man.
The natives carry their own rood.
too. the allowance being decided ac-
cording to their tribe.
Swahilis, Bwagandas and Manyan-
wezi are paid from TO 10 rupees. or
from $3.50 TO So a month, and are al
lowed as rations pound and hair OF
rice day.
The other tribes are allowed pound
and a half OF -four instead OF rice, ahc
are paid IL cents day in local money,
representing four American cents. Inc
meat-eating tribe OF the MKamDa, VINO
Ale their front teeth down To points
on "a To be able to tear raw meat, ''e-
mend largely on the results OF Kills and
come near starving in seasons whcn
game Is scarce or when white men
fail to come on safari.
A number OF Col. Roosevelts por-
ters are Mkambas, and their orgies
when he and Kermit between them
killed three huge giraqe on the same
dav. surpassed anything in the legends
of the TRIBE.