Vintage Safari equipment list

[baxterb]

Like a lot of you fellas, I’m a bit of a gear junkie. In point of fact I’m taking a break from sorting my gear for a mule deer hunt at the end of this week.

But to keep it Africa, I have always been very curious to know just what it took to put on a 30-60 day safari. I’m thinking more of the 30s-50s era safari, not necessarily the 500-porter Roosevelt style. As much as I have searched, I’ve yet to find anything from that era.

So, if anyone has such a vintage gear/supply list, I’d love to see it.

 

[Fabnosh]

I think mostly it was a couple of cases of a good single malt whisky and maybe a little ammunition. Everything else was probably considered non-essential.

FN

 

[baxterb]

I think mostly it was a couple of cases of a good single malt whisky and maybe a little ammunition. Everything else was probably considered non-essential.

FN

ha! They wouldn’t have lasted very long!

 

[Fabnosh]

True. Perhaps it should have been half a dozen cases lol.

FN

 

[Berettaco]

Money - big briefcase full of it. Everything else could be sourced locally maybe not all the whiskies - but you’d get by

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Like a lot of you fellas, I’m a bit of a gear junkie. In point of fact I’m taking a break from sorting my gear for a mule deer hunt at the end of this week.

But to keep it Africa, I have always been very curious to know just what it took to put on a 30-60 day safari. I’m thinking more of the 30s-50s era safari, not necessarily the 500-porter Roosevelt style. As much as I have searched, I’ve yet to find anything from that era.

So, if anyone has such a vintage gear/supply list, I’d love to see it.

 

[flatwater bill]

One hobby of mine is finding and reading old accounts of exploratory trips, and safaris. While there are no complete lists, you can get a pretty good idea from extensive anecdotes. Trade goods were a huge part of the safaris in East Africa.....copper wire, bright clothing, tobacco especially, axe heads and beads. For personal use of course a tent, folding chairs, canvas bath, lanterns, sleeping cot and mosquito nets, table, first aid kit with the usual potassium permanganate for everything, and quinine sulfate for everything else, spare clothing, an complete cook kit for the cook and his two helpers, The list is extensive. But this was the black powder cartridge era, with porters, and you are after the wheeled safari perhaps. What is interesting, are the things NEVER mentioned: Sunglasses and shooting glasses, a canteen, a day pack, a waxed canvas rain fly, any clothing for the porters, a handgun, soap, a woman. Equally interesting are the frivolous: Apollinaris Water, rockets, coat and ties. And, of course, plenty of ammo. Eg, a quote from Lt VH's log in 1888........."on this day we shot our 99th and final rhino"........ya, plenty of bullets!........FWB

 

[baxterb]

One hobby of mine is finding and reading old accounts of exploratory trips, and safaris. While there are no complete lists, you can get a pretty good idea from extensive anecdotes. Trade goods were a huge part of the safaris in East Africa.....copper wire, bright clothing, tobacco especially, axe heads and beads. For personal use of course a tent, folding chairs, canvas bath, lanterns, sleeping cot and mosquito nets, table, first aid kit with the usual potassium permanganate for everything, and quinine sulfate for everything else, spare clothing, an complete cook kit for the cook and his two helpers, The list is extensive. But this was the black powder cartridge era, with porters, and you are after the wheeled safari perhaps. What is interesting, are the things NEVER mentioned: Sunglasses and shooting glasses, a canteen, a day pack, a waxed canvas rain fly, any clothing for the porters, a handgun, soap, a woman. Equally interesting are the frivolous: Apollinaris Water, rockets, coat and ties. And, of course, plenty of ammo. Eg, a quote from Lt VH's log in 1888........."on this day we shot our 99th and final rhino"........ya, plenty of bullets!........FWB

we have a similar hobby! I was reading sport and travel in east Africa by POW and he makes small mention of how Finch Hatton provisioned a trip. But it would be really neat to see a hand-written list from back in the day from one of the “famous” outfitters. I contacted one of finch-hatton’s relatives and unfortunately nothing survives.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

We do something quite similar and our list has been gleaned from photographs mostly, here it is. This is four a group of four, it could be six:
A tent each (originally pointed canvas type, see picture. We use walk in bell ones now.)
Mozzie net, shaped to half the tent. Out tents now have integral mozzie protection.
Cot with coir mattress.
Sheets, pillow and blankets, no sleeping bags allowed!
Bed side folding table.

Folding canvas chair each.
Four small folding tables for around the fire.
Ten paraffin tilley lamps.
Two pressure paraffin hurricane lamps.
A field bar with crystal glasses
A roll of hessian to screen off the kitchen or bath area.
A half 200 litre drum on a stand to heat water over a fire for showering and washing up.
Two wooden pallets for the shower floor.
Four medium sized tables for the kitchen area.
Vertical charcoal cooler (ours takes a block of ice).
Vertical pantry.
Two braai grids, one for the sit around braai fire and one for the kitchen.
Potjie pot and bread pot.
Meat, eggs, veggies, dry rations.
Steel trunk for reserve food store.
Lots of ground coffee
Lots of condensed milk.
Tea bags
Pots, pans, knives, forks etc, twice as many as there are people in camp.
Four buckets
Spade, pick, badza, broom.
Tons of mutton cloth.
Four hanks of 6mm rope.
Four hanks of 10mm rope.
Four 350ml bottles of drinking water per person per day.
Folding rifle rack.

That isn't exhaustive, but it gives an idea.

 

[baxterb]

Good stuff @Kevin Peacocke !!!!

 

[Berettaco]

@Tokoloshe Safaris and @Kevin Peacocke - you lot know how to have a good safari!
I need one of those trucks

 

[Jay Kelley]

View attachment 493922View attachment 493923View attachment 493924

I love that truck! What are the particulars, if you don't mind my asking.

 

[steve white]

We do something quite similar and our list has been gleaned from photographs mostly, here it is. This is four a group of four, it could be six:
A tent each (originally pointed canvas type, see picture. We use walk in bell ones now.)
Mozzie net, shaped to half the tent. Out tents now have integral mozzie protection.
Cot with coir mattress.
Sheets, pillow and blankets, no sleeping bags allowed!
Bed side folding table.View attachment 493950View attachment 493944View attachment 493949
Folding canvas chair each.
Four small folding tables for around the fire.
Ten paraffin tilley lamps.
Two pressure paraffin hurricane lamps.
A field bar with crystal glasses
A roll of hessian to screen off the kitchen or bath area.
A half 200 litre drum on a stand to heat water over a fire for showering and washing up.
Two wooden pallets for the shower floor.
Four medium sized tables for the kitchen area.
Vertical charcoal cooler (ours takes a block of ice).
Vertical pantry.
Two braai grids, one for the sit around braai fire and one for the kitchen.
Potjie pot and bread pot.
Meat, eggs, veggies, dry rations.
Steel trunk for reserve food store.
Lots of ground coffee
Lots of condensed milk.
Tea bags
Pots, pans, knives, forks etc, twice as many as there are people in camp.
Four buckets
Spade, pick, badza, broom.
Tons of mutton cloth.
Four hanks of 6mm rope.
Four hanks of 10mm rope.
Four 350ml bottles of drinking water per person per day.
Folding rifle rack.

That isn't exhaustive, but it gives an idea.

It's a lot of work

 

[Sika98k]

we have a similar hobby! I was reading sport and travel in east Africa by POW and he makes small mention of how Finch Hatton provisioned a trip. But it would be really neat to see a hand-written list from back in the day from one of the “famous” outfitters. I contacted one of finch-hatton’s relatives and unfortunately nothing survives.

I was in a fishing lodge in the west of Ireland years ago. A bookcase in the hall had a lot of books on fishing, naturally and hunting.
”Notes on provisioning for Shikar”. I forget the author. Instructions on how many porters, tents, pounds of sugar, tea, flour, ghee etc were required for say a 20 day Shikar. i spent a delightful evening browsing it and how I would now love a copy.

 

[flatwater bill]

@Kevin Peacocke . Regarding your previous questions as to what era one should have lived, and what age one should be? I gotta say, after seeing the above photos and hearing of your location and adventures: The age you should live is whatever age you are now, and the era you should live in is now......because you are living the dream my friend. And I suspect you are aware of that. I salute you. .......FW Bill

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

@Kevin Peacocke . Regarding your previous questions as to what era one should have lived, and what age one should be? I gotta say, after seeing the above photos and hearing of your location and adventures: The age you should live is whatever age you are now, and the era you should live in is now......because you are living the dream my friend. And I suspect you are aware of that. I salute you. .......FW Bill

Thank you FWB. Yes I am aware, and I love life, not a day goes by where is air isn't the sweetest yet.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

It's a lot of work

Yes it is Steve, but worth it. We sometimes take along a camp hand to assist, or the plase we go provides one.

 

[CBH Australia]

No mention of a Pith Helmet in Kevin's post.
I don't think it will be forgotten, like the Land Rover it's an essential part of his hunt.

 

[zip4644]

Thank you FWB. Yes I am aware, and I love life, not a day goes by where is air isn't the sweetest yet.

I would like to be you when I grow up......just sayin'.......lol

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

I love that truck! What are the particulars, if you don't mind my asking.

I wish it was my truck! A few years ago someone sent me the pictures. I love it!