ZANZIBAR. 25

folded over the whole, and a long rope of cocoanut

fibre wound tightly round it at frequent intervals. Then one of the packers taking the first coil of the

rope in his hands and steadying the bale with his

feet, pulls hard at it while another man beats the

bale rapidly with a heavy piece of wood ; the slackened

rope is pulled tight, and the next coil treated in a

similar manner. By this means the whole bale is

powerfully compressed, and becomes as hard and

rigid as a board, and will stand an immense amount

of knocking about without becoming unfastened ;

moreover, should a shower of rain come on at any time during the march, the wet does not penetrate

to any depth. The bales are then sewn up in

matting bags, and are then numbered and lettered,

after which they are ready to be handed over to

the porters who have to carry them.

We had at first intended to form one large

caravan, and that the whole of our party should

proceed together to the interior, but by the time

that I had reached Zanzibar the height of the

travelling season was come, and it was found to be

impossible to collect at one time or place the number

of porters we required. So after consideration it

was decided to despatch a number of small caravans,

as porters could be procured, under one or two of

our number, and to meet at some convenient place

in the interior. O'Neill was selected as the leader of

the first caravan, and about July 10th he left for the