English: Africans of the 1891-2 Stairs Expedition. The men with rifles are most likely to be askaris, the others are porters, the man in the jacket is probably a nyampara (supervisor or chief). In the background at left are sections of two small boats which they carried for crossing rivers. Next to them, middle background are bales of cloth used for bartering for food and permission to cross chiefs' territories. Note the stack of rifles at right. The askaris were armed with 'Fusils Gras'. Other firearms may be officers' weapons being carried by porters.