Boys / teenagers whatever, I actually thought they were 17 or 18, so I wasn't trying to infer they were kids. Although in my book it's more perverse to be caning 19 year olds, and even more perverse to take an unhealthy interest in the marks the caning left on their buttocks.
Matas let's not play the exploited rich white guy in big bad Africa card. You don't groom up people on facebook and invite them around to your hotel for a cup of tea. If their was anyone being exploited is was probably the naive, undereducated, star struck black African, but as you said, Peter knew the place well.