An ivory trader in North Kenia : $b the record of an expedition through Kikuyu to Galla-land in east equatorial Africa; with an account of the Rendili and Burkeneji tribes — John Shaqi
An ivory trader in North Kenia : $b the record of an expedition through Kikuyu to Galla-land in east equatorial Africa; with an account of the Rendili and Burkeneji tribesArkell-Hardwick, A. (Alfred)
History
An ivory trader in North Kenia : $b the record of an expedition through Kikuyu to Galla-land in east equatorial Africa; with an account of the Rendili and Burkeneji tribes
Arkell-Hardwick, A. (Alfred)
Africa, East -- Description and travel; Ethnology -- Africa, East; Rendille (African people); Samburu (African people)
I also carried a supply of ·303 solid bullets, both for elephants and
for possible defensive operations. For rhinoceros, buffalo, or giraffe,
I carried an ordinary Martini-Henry military rifle, which answered the
purpose admirably. A 20-bore shot-gun, which proved useful in securing
guinea-fowl, etc., for the pot, completed my battery. George carried a
·303 military rifle and a Martini-Henry carbine.
It was essential that we should have a good “Munipara” (head-man), and
the individual we engaged to fill that important position was highly
recommended to us as a man of energy and resource. His name was Jumbi
ben Aloukeri. Jumbi was of medium height, with an honest, good-natured
face. He possessed an unlimited capacity for work, but we discovered,
too late, that he possessed no real control over the men, which fact
afterwards caused us endless trouble and annoyance. He was too easy
with them, and made the great mistake—for a head-man—of himself doing
anything we wanted, instead of compelling his subordinates to do it,
with the result that he was often openly defied, necessitating vigorous
intervention on our part to uphold his authority. We usually alluded to
him as “the Nobleman,” that being the literal translation of his name.
Next on the list of our Swahili porters was Sadi ben Heri, who had been
up to North Kenia before with the late Dr. Kolb, who was killed by a
rhinoceros a couple of marches north of M’thara, Sadi was a short,
stoutly built, pugnacious little man, with a great deal to say upon
most things, especially those which did not concern him. He was a good
worker, but never seemed happy unless he was grumbling; and as he had
a certain amount of influence among the men, they would grumble with
him, to their great mutual satisfaction but ultimate disadvantage. His
pugnacious disposition and lax morals soon got him into trouble, and
he, together with some of his especial cronies, was killed by natives,
as will be related in its proper sequence.
Hamisi ben Abdullah was a man of no marked peculiarities, except a
disposition to back up Sadi in any mischief. The same description
applies to Abdullah ben Asmani and Asmani ben Selim.
Coja ben Sowah was a short, thick-set man, so short as to be almost a
dwarf. He was one of the most cheery and willing of our men, so much so
that it was quite a pleasure to order him to do anything—a pleasure, I
fear, we appreciated more than he did. On receiving an order he would
_run_ to execute it with a cheery “Ay wallah, bwana” (“Please God,
master”), that did one good to hear.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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