This story was told to me as true by someone whose ancestor, a younger son, had been sent abroad in the late 19th century British expansion in Africa.

It is an extract from a this mans diary as he trudged through darkest Africa in search of new territories.
As you will remember this exploration was always accompanied by teams of native bearers carrying everything which the travellers reckoned to be essential for living, portable baths, wonderful toilet cabinets and thunder boxes, and foods like Marmalade, Bath Olivers and Gentleman’s Relish.

The exract from the diary reads;

This is the third day without water, had to shave in sherry again this morning.