han an actual blow. Its effect
is immediately upsetting. Impertinence is best dealt with in this manner
on the spot. Evidently intended slowness in coming when called is also
best treated by a flick of the whip-and forgetfulness. And so with a
half dozen others. But any more serious matter should be decided from
the throne of the canvas chair, witness should be heard, judgment
formally pronounced, and execution intrusted to the askaris or
gunbearers.

It is, as I have said, a most interesting game. It demands three sorts
of knowledge: first what a safari man is capable of doing; second, what
he customarily should or should not do; third, an ability to read the
actual intention or motive back of his actions. When you are able to
punish or hold your hand on these principles, and not merely because
things have or have not gone smoothly or right, then you are a good
safari manager. There are mighty few of them.

As for punishment, that is quite simply the whip. The average writer
on the country speaks of this with hushed voice and averted face as a
necessity but as something to be deprecated and passed over as quickly
as possible. He does this because he thinks he ought to. As a matter of
fact, such an attitude is all poppycock. In the flogging of a white man,
or a black who suffers from such a punishment in his soul as well as his
body, this is all very well. But the safari man expects it, it
doesn't hurt his feelings in the least, it is ancient custom. As well
sentimentalize over necessary schoolboy punishment, or over father
paddy-whacking little Willie when little Willie has been a bad boy. The
chances are your porter will leap to his feet, crack his heels together
and depart with a whoop of joy, grinning from ear to ear. Or he may draw
himself up and salute you, military fashion, again with a grin. In any
case his "soul" is not "scared" a little bit, and there is no sense in
yourself feeling about it as though it were.

At another slant the justice you will dispense to your men differs from
our own. Again this is because of the teaching long tradition has made
part of their mental make-up. Our own belief is that it is better to let
two guilty men go than to punish one innocent. With natives it is the
other way about. If a crime is committed the guilty MUST be punished.
Preferably he alone is to be dealt with; but in case it is impossible to
identify him, then all the members of the first inclusive unit must be
broug