1,000 MILES IN A MACHILLA TRAVEL Si SPORT IN NYASALAND & KHODESIA M^?? ARTHUR COLVILLE A THOUSAND MILES IN A MACHILLA. H3 Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive in 2007 witii funding from IVIicrosoft Corporation Iittp://www.arcliive.org/details/1000milesinmaclii00colviala 1,000 MILES IN A MACHILLA: Travel and Sport in Nyasaland, Angoniland, and Rhodesia, with some Account of the Resources of these Countries; and Chapters on Sport by- Colonel Colville, C.B. BY Mrs. ARTHUR COLVILLE, AUTHOR OF "DUCHESS SARAH." PRICE TEN SHILLINGS NET. Condon and f elling-on-Cyne : THE WALTER SCOTT PUBLISHING CO., LTD. NEW YORK AND MELBOURNE. 1911. FOREWORD. The following pages record our travels off the beaten track in an out-of-way portion of the British Empire, which, on account of its distance from the coast and other drawbacks, is likely to remain little known for some years to come. Information from the latest Parliamentary and other official papers in regard to the products and resources of Nyasa- land and Rhodesia has been collected, and may prove useful to prospective settlers and traders. A final chapter on the enlightenment of the African native may not be deemed superfluous in these days of universal education. As I do not shoot, I am indebted to my husband for the two chapters on sport and description of game. The illustrations are from photographs taken on the spot. We should both like to take this opportunity of thanking the officials, who showed us invariable kindness during our wanderings, and to express our admiration of their self-denial in devoting energy and talent to the administration of justice amid savage tribes. Their efforts, often involving the sacrifice of health, and sometimes of life, cannot be too highly appreciated by their fellow- countrymen. OLIVIA COLVILLE. May^ 191 1. CONTENTS. PART I. CHAP. PAGE I. CHINDE TO BLANTYRE — MY FIRST MACHILLA — ON THE ZAMBESI — SETTLING THE LINE OF ROUTE I II. WE STAY AT BLANTYRE — OUR MACHILLA TEAMS, PORTERS, AND SERVANTS - - - - I7 III. MERAMANA AND ZOMBA TO LIWONDE — ON THE ROAD WITH OUR CARAVAN - - - 28 IV. LIWONDE TO FORT MELANGANI — IN THE KUDU HAUNTS — "cooky's" EXPLOITS AS A GUIDE 43 V. FORT MELANGANI TO DEDZA — THE CALICO MACHILLA — THE WHITE FATHERS - - " 55 VI. DEDZA TO LILONGWE — DIVIDING THE RATIONS — A HERD OF ELEPHANT HOLD UP THE ROAD 66 VII. LILONGWE — JOHN'S UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE- 74 VIII. LILONGWE TO FORT JAMESON — OUR DOMESTIC PETS — ACHEPETA GUILE AND STUPIDITY - 80 IX. SPORT IN NYASALAND. BY COLONEL COLVILLE, C.B. - - 99 X. PRODUCTS AND RESOURCES OF NYASALAND — CROPS, MINERALS, CLIMATE - - - IO9 PART II. XI. FORT JAMESON TO NAWALIA — ENGAGING NEW SERVANTS — KAMBIRI AND HIS WIVES — "CALICO POSHO" 126 vii Contents. XII. KAZEMBE TO MPIKA — ROBERTl'S INVENTIVE MOOD — THE TSETSE FLY - - - - I48 XIII. MPIKA TO KOPAS — OUR NEW MACHILLA TEAMS — TROUBLE WITH PORTERS — HOW LUGGAGE TRAVELS THROUGH CENTRAL AFRICA - 1 63 XIV. KOPAS TO MLEMBO RIVER — ELAND AT LAST — TROUBLES WITH CARAVAN — DISCIPLINE MAINTAINED 184 XV. THE LUAMBWA TO THE DIFUNA AND KIA- MANDA RIVERS — AN UNKNOWN ROAD — TRAVELLING THROUGH HEAVY RAINS — INTELLECTUAL INCAPACITY OF NATIVES — POOR MASO'S TROUBLES - - . - 207 XVI. MKUSHI TO BROKEN HILL — VILLAGE FESTIVI- TIES — TORRENTIAL RAINS — A " HUNGRY " ROAD 226 XVII. BROKEN HILL TO BEIRA — TRAVELLING BY TRAIN — VICTORIA FALLS — ON THE SEA ONCE MORE 240 XVIII. SPORT AND IMPRESSIONS OF NO"RTH-EAST RHODESIA. BY COLONEL COLVILLE, C.B. - 248 XIX. THE PRODUCTS OF RHODESIA — SOUTHERN RHODESIA — NORTHERN RHODESIA - - 262 XX. THE AWAKENING OF THE CENTRAL AFRICAN- 282 INDEX 305 Vlll LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Note.— The pagination refers to the convenient distribution of the plates throughout the book, and not to the text references. PAGB THE AUTHOR IN HER MACHiLLA - - Frontispiece BASKET FOR LANDING PASSENGERS AT CHINDE - 2 CHINDE 4 MR. STANLEY FLETCHER'S MACHILLA - - - 12 STERNWHEELER "EMPRESS" 20 DO. DO. - - - - 24 LINE NEAR PORT HERALD 32 VIEW AT BLANTYRE 40 COLONEL COLVILLE'S MACHILLA TEAM ... 48 ZOMBA MOUNTAIN 56 "FIRST BLOOD" 64 ACACIAS AND RHODESIAN BEETLE - ... 66 COLOURED SKETCH OF SCENERY IN ANGONILAND - 70 CROSSING SHIRE RIVER 72 HEAD OF KUDU, SHOT AT CHANDAWASIKA - - 80 AUTHOR IN MACHILLA AT FORT MELANGANI - - 88 DEDZA MOUNTAIN, FROM THE BOMA - - - 96 FLAT-TOPPED MIMOSA TREES ON ROAD TO MUA - II4 SUGAR-LOAF MOUNTAIN, DEDZA PLATEAU - - I18 WHITE fathers' CHURCH AT MUA - - - - 126 MISSION HOUSE AT MUA I30 DO. DO. 138 ON THE STEPS OF THE MISSION CHURCH, MUA - I46 ix List of Illustrations. PACK WHITE fathers' FIELD OF WHEAT - - - 1 50 WOMEN POUNDING CORN AT MUA - - - - 158 JOHN WITH SABLE ANTELOPE 166 SABLE ANTELOPE AND JOHN 17O JOHN AND SAIDI WITH SABLE HEAD - - - I78 GROUND ORCHID — STROPHANTHUS ECANDATUS — CRIMSON LILY 180 THE CHIEFTAINESS CASADILLA - - - - 186 NATIVE VILLAGE IQC NATIVE HUTS AND GRAIN STORE - - - - 198 SELLING CORN-COBS 202 OUR FIRST PUKU 210 THREE HARTEBEEST SHOT NEAR BUA RIVER - - 2l8 SABLE ANTELOPE 226 SKETCH OF NATIVE COMB AND PILLOW - - - 232 NYASALAND PORTERS WITH THEIR LOADS - - 234 JOHN, FRANCO, AND MACHILLA TEAM - - - 238 WOMEN BRINGING WATER TO CAMP - - - 246 KAMBIRI AND WIVES 25O DO. DO. 258 flowering shrubs 260 roberti and the roan antelope - - - 264 crossing river in machilla .... 268 native visitors, rhodesia 276 caravan crossing lukulu river in dug-outs - 280 native children 288 servants at broken hill saying " good-bye " - 292 victoria falls 300 [appendix: author's map of route.] X "And this our life, exempt from public haunt, Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, Sermons in stones, and good in everything." A Thousand Miles in a Machilla. PART I. NYASALAND. CHAPTER I. CHINDE TO BLANTYRE — MY FIRST MACHILLA ON THE ZAMBESI SETTLING THE LINE OF ROUTE. We landed at Chinde, the Portuguese port at the mouth of the Zambesi river, on Sunday, the i6th August 1908, our destination being Nyasaland, and the object the shooting of kudu and other large antelope obtainable in that part of Africa. We had the choice of two routes to Chinde — the one by the east coast of Africa, via Aden and Mombasa, the other by the west coast, via the Cape. As the heat in the Red Sea is very great in July, and after leaving Aden we were certain to steam into the teeth of the monsoon ; it was a bad time of year for the eastern route, and would have meant a rough and disagreeable passage as far as Zanzibar. We therefore chose the west, where Atlantic breezes keep the ship fairly cool even on the Equator; the east coast route k, however, A Thousand Miles in a Machilla more interesting, but in point of time there is not much difference. The voyage to the Cape is at all times a monotonous one, and ours was no exception to the rule ; but after Capetown, our calls at the various coast towns — Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban, Lorenzo Marques, and Beira, enabled us to see these interesting places. At Durban we left the Castle Liner and transferred ourselves to the German boat of the Deutsch Oest Afric Line, the only- passenger service at that time along the coast. It was from this vessel, the Herzog, that we dis- embarked at Chinde. We anchored about twenty miles from the shore, the water being too shallow to admit of an ocean- going steamer coming any closer. Passengers and baggage are landed in powerful tugs belonging to the Deutsch Oest Afric Line, as only vessels of very light draught can get over the bar. We were fortunate in having a fine day, and except for the ocean swell the sea was fairly smooth ; in bad weather a heavy sea is often met with on this part of the coast. The tug came alongside almost immediately after we had anchored ; the embarking passengers were first slung on board in a basket, and their luggage in large nets. Next came the turn of the disembark- ing passengers, and it was not without fear and trepidation that we saw all our worldly goods, including the precious rifles, first whisked high in the air and then bumped on to the deck of the tug. There had been some fun previously over the Basket for landing Passengers at Chinde. [Sec p. 2. Chinde to Blantyre adventures likely to be met with during transit in the basket ; in rough weather it has been known to be bumped into the funnel instead of on to the deck! However, nothing untoward happened, and after wishing "good-bye" to the captain and officers of the ship we stepped into the basket, and next minute found ourselves in mid-air, descending on to the tug's deck. The tide was falling fast, and as time was press- ing it was fortunate that only one passenger besides ourselves was landing. The bar can only be crossed an hour or two either before or after high water. Breakers were on either side of us, while the wrecks lying on the sandbanks testified to the perils of the coast. To reach Nyasaland from this point one must ascend the Zambesi and Shire rivers to Port Herald, in British territory, and from thence a short line of rail runs to Blantyre, the commercial capital of the country. After crossing the bar we steamed up the Chinde river, one of the many outlets of the Zambesi, the surf roaring and dashing itself against the shallow strand on the one side, while on the other shore was a tropical forest almost touching the water's edge. The tug dropped anchor opposite the British concession at Chinde about 9 a.m., and an African Lakes Co.'s boat, with the local manager, came to row us with our luggage to the shore, some fifty yards away. The little town, with its red roofs and the shipping in the harbour, looked quite pretty in the 3 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla morning sunlight ; besides one or two tugs, there was a small ocean-going steamer and several stem- wheelers for use on the river. The settlement is on the right bank, and built more or less on a sandspit ; the left bank is marshy, overgrown with reeds, and is a veritable hot-bed of mosquitoes ; in strong north winds they are blown over the river in myriads. The British concession is railed off from the Portuguese part of the town, and here all goods for Nyasaland are landed without having to pay duty to the Portuguese authorities. Sentries are posted all round, and it is impossible to leave the British portion with even a small parcel under the arm without being challenged. The Portuguese town is neat and well kept, and as the Government insists on the galvanized houses being painted green and the roofs red, the place has a more cheerful appearance than is often the case in our small Colonial towns. It was at Chinde we heard the word *' machilla " for the first time, and the word was as strange to our ears as the thing to our eyes. It consists of a hammock covered with a canopy, which is swung either on one long pole or on two parallel poles, and is carried by four m.en on their shoulders ; single-pole machillas are light and usually used for short distances, but double-poled machillas are better and safer for long distances, as there is much less risk of a fall. Machilla travelling is a decidedly lazy means of progression, but is well suited to the climate, and has been universally adopted wherever transport animals are impossible on account of "fly." 4 C Chinde to Blantyre My first experience of a machilla was in one kindly lent me by Mr. Stanley Fletcher, the British Vice-Consul, the afternoon of our arrival. His men were fine-looking blacks, wearing khaki loin cloths known as "dotees," broad leather belts and brass buckles. Each man had a black fez on his head, and their general appearance was smart and attrac- tive. They carried me very smoothly, with a short, quick step or shuffle, which does not shake in the least. These town machillas are so arranged that the passenger can sit up, which is very convenient for short journeys, though the recumbent position is less tiring on a long expedition. We remained one night at Chinde in a comfort- able, two-storied bungalow belonging to the African Lakes Company, and were agreeably surprised to find that there were hardly any mosquitoes. Instead of being kept awake by their horrible hum, we were lulled to sleep by the ceaseless thunder of the surf as it broke upon the shore. ^ Next morning we were taken to see the Com- pany's stern-wheeler Empress^ on which we were to travel up the Zambesi. An English engineer was in charge of the boat, which was navigated, under his orders, by a native "reis" and crew. There were also three black stewards on board, neatly dressed in white with red sashes ; they looked after us very well. We embarked the same afternoon and found three other passengers : a sportsman from South Africa, an official of the African Lakes Company, and a young Portuguese telegraphist travelling to 5 « A Thousand Miles in a Machilla his station on the Zambesi. We started about 5 P.M., but only steamed as far as the wooding station on the opposite bank to take in wood, the only fuel used, and here we anchored for the night. We dined on board and found the food sin^ple, well cooked, and well served. Our cabin was clean and comfortable, everything nicely arranged, and the ship regulated on the same lines as the stern- wheelers on the White Nile. In fact, in only one respect did we find the Zambesi steamer compare unfavourably with the Nile steamer, and that was as regards the position of the berths, which were one above the other, and consequently rather stuffy. Excellent mosquito curtains were provided, but the bunks were narrow, so that it was difficult in one's sleep to avoid lying against the curtain and thus offering a field for the attentions of the mosquitoes, which were pretty prevalent in the early mornings and had an unpleasant trick of getting in between the partition and the curtain. Wakefulness at night is always trying, especially when there is hardly room to turn. Mosquito curtains prevent a candle being lighted, and the insects themselves frustrate the desire to get up and walk about. There is this to be said in favour of the Zambesi mosquitoes during the month of August: they are late risers, so that we were not troubled with their attentions at dinner, and were able to sit on deck afterwards. The early morning of Tuesday was quite cool, and there was a mist on the river. We started as 6 \ Chinde to Blantyre soon as it was light enough for navigation and steamed up the Chinde river, at this point a quarter of a mile broad, with high reed-grown banks, over which we could see nothing of the surrounding country. About 9 A.M. we entered the Zambesi proper, where the scenery changed for the better; there was little cultivation, but here and there we passed clumps of bananas against a background of dark forest ; no animal life was to be seen at first. All rivers have their characteristics. The Zambesi is beautiful and interesting in its way, and reminded us of the rivers in the Punjaub. The current was fairly strong, the water low, and sandbanks every- where, making navigation difficult. Our "reis" steered by the appearance of the water, and when in doubt kept the crew sounding with long poles provided for the purpose; occasionally a bank was struck, and then all hands poled vigorously to shove us off again. After weeks of preparation before leaving home, procuring outfit and stores, and subsequently the continual movement of an ocean-going steamer, the rest and peace of the river was delightful. There was plenty of life: natives fishing or dodging about in their dug-out canoes ; small barges with thatched roofs over them dropping down stream ; an occasional sternwheeler, with the usual lighters alongside, laden with cotton, rice, sugar, and other merchandise. We saw a Portuguese gunboat, also a number of birds and numerous crocodiles lying on the sandbanks. A shot one, 7 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla to the great delight of the boys, who scrambled out and dragged it on board. After carefully skinning the reptile, they proceeded to cut it up, cook, and eat it ; it contained a number of eggs, which they no doubt also ate ; the flesh of a crocodile is very white, and considered by African natives a great delicacy. The usual method of making a fire on board a native boat is to place a small brazier on a few stones or bricks over a box of sand. On the freiorht baro^es lashed to either side of our steamer a number of native passengers travelled ; they were for the most part dressed in European clothes, and were returning to their homes from the Transvaal mines. It was interesting to watch their manner of life — the cooking, washing, and sorting of clothes, etc. ; the majority owned common tin boxes, yellow, red, or blue, in which their worldly goods were locked up. One of these boxes is the first thing a native employed at the mines purchases with his wages; he then fills it as occasion offers with the commonest of cotton shirts and shoddy clothing, which it is to be hoped he discards in his home, as it is entirely unsuited to the climate and life. The packing and unpacking of these precious boxes appeared to be a great delight, as also the exhibition of their contents to the admiring gaze of friends. They usually sat about in groups; some- times one among them would spell out of a book, and all seemed much interested in what was read. Recruiting for the mines in this district has ot late been abandoned, it having been found that the inhabitants of the low country bordering the 8 Chinde to Blantyre Zambesi are unsuited to the higher altitudes and colder climates of the Transvaal. Occasionally we put into the bank in order to drop a mail-bag or pick up a passenger — at one place to take in a consignment of potatoes — and when the steamer again got under way there was great poling and shoving off. The weather was ideal, but at certain times of the year violent storms are not infrequent, and are sometimes so terrific that barges have to be cast off, and have been known to founder with all their contents. Our rate of progress was about eight miles an hour; the first day by sunset, when we tied up for the night, we had covered between seventy and eighty miles. The only points of interest along the river were several sugar factories and a Portuguese Jesuit Mission, where Mrs. Livingstone lies buried. The mornings were foggy, which delayed the steamer's start and caused us some anxiety as to whether we should catch Saturday's train, for there are only two trains a week to Blantyre, and it would have been most inconvenient to have been kept at Port Herald. About II A.M. the third day after leaving Chinde we reached the junction of the Shire and Zambesi rivers, entering the former. After this our surroundings changed entirely. We found the Shire not more than a quarter of a mile broad, with high reed-grown banks, hardly any current, and but little water. At first the scenery was pretty enough ; for although the country to our left was flat and uninteresting, to our right there was a range of well- 9 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla wooded hills, along the foot of which the river wound, bending hither and thither. That afternoon we reached Villa Bocage and landed our Portuguese fellow-traveller, with whom we had been unable to converse, as he could speak neither English nor French, and we could not speak Portuguese ; he was very young and had courteous manners. One felt sorry for him, as Villa Bocage, in addition to being a lonely place, is from all accounts one of the hottest spots on this earth. We remained here an hour while the mail-bags were transferred to a large dug-out with sixteen native rowers, which started off at once for Port Herald. When we got under way, in swinging round a sharp bend — the current in this place being strong — the sternwheeler ran into the mail-boat and cut a hole in her prow, much to the concern and indignation of the crew. The damage, however, was only slight, and presently, when we were hung up on a sandbank, the dug-out passed us going at a rapid rate. Beyond the station the river narrowed, the water became very low and the country uninterest- ing: we made little progress, and finally tied up to the bank at sunset, where we heard the mosquitoes sing merrily the whole night through. Friday morning we continued steaming up the river until 8.30 A.M., when the captain informed us he could go no further. We were now afraid of being kept waiting, but within a few minutes of stopping we saw the houseboats that had been ordered paddling down to meet us, and into one of these A and I 10 Chinde to Blantyre quickly shifted with our baggage, and off we started again. These houseboats are just ordinary barges, in the middle of which a cabin about six feet high has been built with a straw or matchboard roof and sides and a door at each end. Inside there is room for a couple of beds, camp-chairs, table, and provision box; the baggage is stowed under the deck. A crew of eight men pole the boat along at a good pace, singing most of the time a song with pretty rhythm and refrain; it was a well-known boating-song of these parts, but new to us, and more musical than the boat-songs sung by natives on the White Nile. We travelled for seven hours in this fashion with- out stopping. The air was not unduly hot, and it was pleasant enough, though we should have been glad of a better luncheon, the provisions we found on board being somewhat scanty. The scene was ever-changing — reed-covered banks, natives bathing in the river, an occasional village, and fish drying in the sun. About five o'clock we pulled up alongside one of these villages to get some dinner and give the men a rest, upon which we joined forces with another houseboat belonging to the official of the African Lakes Company, whose servant proved a very fair cook. We were luckily able to buy poultry and eggs, so did not fare badly. At 6.30 P.M. we started off again, and then our troubles commenced. A terrible smell rose from the stagnant mud of the river, and we had to shut both doors to keep out the foul air and the mos- II A Thousand Miles in a Machilla quitoes, the result being that the atmosphere in the cabin became horribly hot, damp, and stuffy. The night was very dark, and as the crew could not see where they were going they kept banging the barge up against the banks and switching through the reeds, making sleep practically impossible ; for if one did drop off for a minute, a sudden jerk woke one up. Reading was out of the question, the only light an indifferent candle in a swinging lantern, so that all we could do was to lie still and wonder what would happen next. For all we knew, the barge might overturn in one of these bumps, and where should we be, shut up in that dark wooden box? Alto- gether it was one of the most disagreeable experi- ences we ever had, and we were indeed thankful when we reached Port Herald about 2 a.m. and were at last able to get some sleep, though still we dared not open the cabin doors, and were just as hot as before. We left the houseboat about 6.30 a.m. and walked to the railway station, being attacked by myriads of mosquitoes en route; these pests were far worse here than on the Zambesi. The train started at 7 a.m., following the course of the Shire as far as Chiromo, the head- quarters of the district, a neat, well laid-out station facing the celebrated elephant marsh, and conse- quently a veritable hotbed of mosquitoes. An excellent breakfast and luncheon were served on the train. The change of climate freshened us up, and altogether we made a very pleasant journey, greatly enjoying the beautiful 12 Chinde to Blantyre scenery of the Shire Highlands through which we passed. After leaving Chiromo, the line mounted gradu- ally until we reached the watershed about five o'clock at an altitude of four thousand feet. The railway workshops are here, and we heard that a sanatorium was also to be built. The line was still owned by a private company, and had not then been taken over by the Government. A short run of about half-an-hour down hill brought us to Blantyre about 5.30 P.M. We were met on arrival by a representative of the African Lakes Company and taken to the Company's private hotel in "rickshaws" along a road bordered by sisal hemp, handsome plants, whose tall white flowers resemble those of the aloe. We were glad of a rest and change of clothes, our previous night having been such a disturbed one. From the balconies in front of our rooms we obtained a good view of Blantyre, a pleasant spot surrounded by hills and forests; its principal feature is the handsome Presbyterian mission church, designed by the Rev. Clement Scott and opened in 1891.^ The climate ought to be a healthy one, the altitude being about four thousand feet; but for some reason or other the residents do not speak too well of it, and the place is not entirely free from mosquitoes. The station is divided into two parts, the Government quarter and the Mandala or African ^ See p. 291 for further information. 13 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla Lakes settlement, in which the Company's offices, stores, and the residences of their staff are situated — a very convenient arrangement. " Mandala " was the first native word that struck me on landing at Chinde; I inquired its meaning, and was informed that it meant spectacles, and was the nickname given by the natives to one of the first traders of the Company, who always wore glasses. From the individual, the nickname spread to the Company, so that it is now known as the Mandala Company throughout Nyasaland and North-East Rhodesia. The following day being Sunday we were un- able to do any business, but we had the pleasure of lunching with the Resident and dining with the Manager of the African Lakes Company, the Honourable A. Kidney, member of the Legislative Council of Nyasaland, who gave us much valuable information as regards the country. Early Monday morning we went to the Com- pany's store to complete the preparations for our shooting expedition. In coming to a decision about our future plans we had to take into consideration that the rainy season in Nyasaland commences early in Novem- ber, and that with its advent we should be obliged to leave the country, as travelling becomes difficult and the climate unhealthy. Two routes were open to us: to go back the way we had come, or make a round through North- East Rhodesia and return to the coast by the railway from Broken Hill. As travellers a march through North- East Rhodesia offered us great attractions, so Chinde to Blantyre that it was decided upon, even though the informa- tion we had received at Chinde had been rather contradictory. On the one hand we had been told by a good authority that crossing the Luangwa Valley would be a very disagreeable experience; that we should have transport difficulties, and the regulations with regard to sleeping sickness might also inconvenience us. On the other hand, a North- East Rhodesian official, who had just arrived with his sister from the Serenje district, assured us that there was nothing in these objections, that the Luangwa Valley was a veritable sportsman's para- dise, that we could take a look at Lake Bangwelo, and that as the early rains in North-East Rhodesia would not be excessive, we need not reach Broken Hill before the middle of December. The first question we had to discuss with Mr. Kidney was that of ways and means, and on this point he soon set our minds at rest; he told us the official rates of porters' wages, explained the pay- ments we should have to make on account of "posho," as the ration money is called, and fixed the amounts we were to pay in wages monthly- Everything was perfectly satisfactory. As regards difficulties, he was equally reassuring, and promised us every assistance from the Company's branches at Fort Jameson and Broken Hill. We proposed, therefore, to travel through Nyasaland to Fort Jameson, shooting as we went; to reach Fort Jameson early in October, and occupy the remainder of our time in North-East Rhodesia. IS A Thousand Miles in a Machilla Let me say at once that coming to this decision was a great mistake from a shooting, as apart from a traveller's point of view. The shooting in Nyasa- land is good of its kind, judging from what we saw of it, and a three months' sojourn in the country would probably have repaid us. Six weeks was hardly sufficient time, however, to do it justice, and as we found subsequently that our stay in North- East Rhodesia was also too short ; from a sporting point of view, we rather fell between two stools. In the light of after events it would have been far better to have confined our shooting to Nyasaland, and to have postponed our proposed trip to Lake Bangwelo to another season. i6 CHAPTER II. WE STAY AT BLANTYRE — OUR MACHILLA TEAMS, PORTERS, AND SERVANTS. Plans having been disposed of, the next business was to complete our preparations for the road and engage servants and porters. The great bulk of our food supplies had been sent out from England and were now awaiting us at Zomba, but we had arranged to purchase a certain amount locally, and we had also to buy cooking utensils. Having ascertained before leaving England that the Company could supply us with tents, we were saved the trouble of sending out these bulky articles. Two very suitable ones were offered us, one of which we hired, and the other, a new one, we purchased, as also sundry articles of camp kit. The Company undertook to repurchase these articles at the end of our journey at a valuation, and I may mention here that we were entirely satisfied with the price we received for them at Broken Hill. Two strongly-built machillas were also provided for us on hire, and these answered their purpose admirably and stood the wear and tear of the long journey wonderfully well. The Company had 17 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla machilla teams and porters ready for us ; these men were to go as far as Fort Jameson, where they were to be given the option of either returning home or accompanying us to the end of our journey, but the servants were engaged to go to Broken Hill. John, a Blantyre boy who spoke English well, was recommended for the post of headman ; he was of the Yao tribe, a fine race tracing its descent from the Zulus ; his certificates were good, and showed he had been employed in various parts of the country, including North- East Rhodesia, also on the railway. He conducted us safely over a thousand miles, and besides doing his work well was a pleasant fellow to deal with, a bit of a sportsman and a bit of a wag. A good headman is most essential ; the comfort of his master and the well-being of the caravan absolutely depend on the manner in which he performs his many and various duties. First of all he is the interpreter, so must be a linguist. Swahili and the so-called "kitchen kaffir" of South Africa are not understood in Nyasaland ; Chin- nyanje is the language of this country and is also understood in North- East Rhodesia, but the Angonies, the Achepeta, the Wawembe, and Alala tribes have different dialects, and with all these John coped tolerably well. In addition, he was responsible for the whole of the executive work of the caravan ; he had to get the porters up in the early morning, see to the striking of the tents, the packing of the baggage, i8 We Stay at Blantyre and the arrangenient of the loads. On the Hne of march he saw that the men maintained a reasonable pace, that they did not straggle nor dump their loads in villages to enjoy a chat, nor under a tree while stealing a nap — failings to which porters are addicted. Arrived at the new camp, the headman has to superintend the repitching of the tents, the clearing of the ground, and the general arrangements of the camp, and when that is over to settle the supply of water and fuel, duties that as a rule cause more friction than all the others put together. At night it is his business to stop undue chattering and noise, and when there are sentries, see that they do not go to sleep, but keep the fires alight in case wild beasts are about. He is in constant touch with the men, but as he has no real authority beyond that which his personality gives him, he has to keep them in a good temper and get the work done as best he can ; in fact, his position is frequently by no means a bed of roses, and the excellent manner in which the majority of those who have risen to the position of headmen do their work speaks well for their ability as a class. Travellers of experi- ence thoroughly understand a headman's duties; at the same time, few care to be bothered with the routine work of their caravans, so when a headman is paid to do the work the less he is interfered with the better for all concerned, provided all goes smoothly. For cook we engaged a man named Moffat, an Anatonga who had been educated at the Blantyre 19 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla Mission. He was a first-rate servant, a good cook, and an excellent bread maker, one of the most important qualifications of a travelling cook. He made his own yeast from dried hops, and baked the bread between two enamelled pie-dishes, with fire above and below. A quick walker, he was always well in front of the caravan, wearing a picturesque costume consisting of an indigo blue dotee or loin cloth, rather long, a white jersey, and a reddish brown felt hat, which he wore at the back of his head. He spoke very fair English and was a friend of John's, with whom he had previously served in North-East Rhodesia. As a personal servant we took Edward, a negro who travelled up from Chinde with one of our fellow-passengers. He was a big, clumsy fellow, who meant well and could cook a little, but had not sufficient training to be a good personal servant. He could say "Yes, Master," very nicely, and would shed floods of tears and express the deepest con- trition if reproved, but of his duties he knew very little, and was, in addition, very soft ; many good points of his native character had, as is sometimes the case, been obscured by his contact with civilization. As cook's mate we engaged a lad, who only went with us as far as Manga. Why he departed I do not know — probably " Cooky " disapproved of him. A porter whom we christened " Breeches," from the fact that his principal garment was a smartly-cut pair of " Bedford cords," took his place — an excellent fellow, who followed us to Broken E N t a (n We Stay at Blantyre Hill; he could not say " Breeches," so always spoke of himself as " Itches." He was fond of giving orders in a loud tone of voice, but I think every- body liked him. Making up the baggage into loads is of course the headman's business, but it is just as well to supervise the arrangement whenever a fresh start is being made. The headman naturally wishes to have a large num.ber of porters, and in order to induce one to engage them he will make up as many loads as he thinks will pass, so that if one is not careful some of them will be too light ; a good plan is to carry a spring-balance, to prevent any disputes as to weight. The official porter's load is sixty pounds; good men, thoroughly accus- tomed to the work, will often carry seventy or even eighty pounds without a murmur, but untrained men cannot be expected to carry more than about fifty or fifty-five pounds. Loads should be small and compact ; bulky articles are always unpopular, and should be avoided as much as possible. Tents and bedding bundles come under this category, but are of course un- avoidable. " Chop " boxes, about fifty-five pounds, make ideal loads, and there is always competition to get hold of them. Anything decidedly over sixty pounds is strung on a pole and given to two men to carry; we had two or three of these double loads — our tin bath filled with all sorts of odds and ends, ^nd the ammunition box. So far as I can recollect the baggage was made up into thirty loads, much as follows : — 21 -? A Thousand Miles in a Machilla Loads. Loads. Tents - - - " 5 Whisky and Wine - 2 Bedding Bundle - - I Kitchen Utensils - i Camp Beds, etc. - 2 Ammunition - - 2 Tin Mule Trunks 2 Bath - - - 2 Store Boxes . - - 6 Hospital Box - - i Gun Cases - - 2 A 's Dressing Bag- i Sundries - - 3 loads. Many of these were much under weight, a necessary precaution when starting on a shooting trip, as it allows for the carriage of such heads and skins as may be procured, though the daily ex- penditure of stores, wine, and ammunition will also make room for these extras. Our six store, or "chop" boxes as they are called, were each made up to carry exactly one week's supply of groceries, such as tea, coffee, cocoa, sugar, rice, macaroni, lard, flour, biscuits, sardines, tinned whitebait, fruit, and vegetables, to last us the six weeks we expected to be on the road to Fort Jameson, another ten boxes being sent there direct by the African Lakes Company, together with the trunk containing our civilized clothes for the remainder of our journey. When the loads are made up they are distributed to the carriers, who sit round anxiously watching the proceedings and speculating what their fate is to be. The strongest, most willing, and tractable men should always be selected to carry the tents and bedding bundles; it is as well to insist also on their marching at the head of the caravan. How the other loads are allotted does not so much matter, provided the weakest men are given the lightest We Stay at Blantyre Porters should carry the same thing day by day, as this saves both time and trouble ; they then know where to find their loads in the morning-, how to tie them up in the most convenient fashion, and where to put them on arrival in camp. Those who carry such things as bedding, beds, tables, chairs, etc., will soon get into the way of helping the servants pack them, and will take quite an interest in their loads, often pointing out anything they think is wrong. The post of kitchen-porter is much sought after, as it carries with it perquisites in kind. The machilla teams vary in number. A , whose men had harder work and a heavier load than mine, had sixteen men ; I had twelve. A 's team — Angoulu natives from Portuguese territory — were a very good-tempered set of men, who carried him well and worked hard. They were of fine physique, and each wore a red fez as a distinguishing mark. They were great meat eaters, and, according to the Nyasaland boys, would eat anything; in fact, we fear, in days gone by, their tribe had been addicted to cannibalism. My machilla boys were Angonies, much smaller men, but very active and full of fun. In order to distinguish them from the porters I gave them red sashes, thereby leading them into much ex- travagance, for the smart new material made them feel ashamed of the ragged old loin cloths over which the sashes were displayed, so that at the first opportunity they asked for an advance of wages with which to purchase new garments. The man in charge of the team is called **the 23 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla capltao." He takes his turn of duty like the others, but is supposed to keep them in order and arrange everything connected with the work of the machilla. A 's capitao, a slim, copper-coloured native with refined features, we nicknamed "The Image," from his resemblance to an Egyptian statue. A few days after starting he was down with fever and cold on his chest, and finding that he had no blanket, and nothing but his calico dotee, we lent him a couple of tent bags until he recovered, which he very soon did with the aid of a strong pill, quinine, and mustard plaster. He was rather weedy-looking at first, but regular work and plenty of meat soon made him fill out and become strong again. My capitao, Antonio by name, was not a success. He was a good-looking black with a fine presence and much swagger, but very lazy and a bit of a scoundrel. The night before we reached Lilongwe he got drunk, and deserted next day. I do not think his departure caused any regret, even to his brother, who was also in my team. Four men carry the machilla on the road ; extra men are often required when passing through marshes or deep water, and up and down steep banks, and at times we have had practically the whole team at work. The carriers change shoulders pretty frequently ; my Blantyre boys liked doing^ so all together with a shout, but as this practice invariably resulted in a very unpleasant jolt, I had to break them of it. They were full of swagger^ and delighted in showing off on every possible occasion. 24 ■^ o B as N V (n We Stay at Blantyre The men shift two at a time, as a rule every half hour, and those next for duty should always be close in rear of the machilla. Trained teams effect the change without causing any stoppage ; the man whose turn has arrived runs on ahead, places whatever he is carrying on the ground, seizes the pole as the machilla passes him, and puts his shoulder under it ; as soon as he is in position the other man slips to one side, picks up the bundle from the ground, and drops behind. It is seldom that the man relieved forgets to pick up the load, but it did happen once or twice during our journey. Travelling in a machilla was very tiring at first on account of the continual swinging and jolting, but when we got accustomed to the movement the sense of fatigue passed off, and we came to look upon it as a convenient if somewhat lazy means of locomotion. Five hours a day, however, a journey of about twenty miles, were quite enough ; on a really good road like that from Blantyre to Zomba our pace was five miles an hour, but as a rule four miles was all we could average. We were usually under way soon after daybreak, stopped for break- fast after three and a half hours' travelling, and continued our journey to the next camp. During this portion of the day's march I generally slept, though I was never able to read, as some people manage to do. To be comfortable one must have plenty of cushions and arrange them carefully in the machilla before starting, otherwise one finds oneself jerked down into a most uncomfortable position. Two 25 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla cushions at least are wanted under one's head and another under the knees, and if the traveller is short a fourth is necessary to support the feet and keep the body in position. Our machilla men carried all sorts of odds and ends belong'ino;' to their mess: one had a cookinsf- pot, another a bag of maize, a third a bundle of sleeping-mats in which their spare clothing was rolled up. They also carried our small impedimenta, such as lunch and tea baskets, sun umbrella, camp chairs, etc., so that we could stop at any time on the road for rest or refreshment. One of the men, usually the capitao, carried my dressing-bag, which I liked to have under my eye, as it contained our cash. Most of these natives carried gourds of various sizes which serve for drinking and smoking, while the addition of a few gut-strings turns them into musical instruments. Good machilla boys have all the characteristics of a team of ponies; they are just as impatient to be off when once in harness, delight in quick movement, and hasten the pace when nearing the journey's end. Lying in a machilla for hours together one gets to know them well and to appreciate their good humour and childlike love of fun. During the halt one of them would come forward to amuse the company. A favourite trick, in imitation of soldiers drilling, was to march up and down, shouting " One t'o, one t'o ! " this always produced roars of laughter. They were also fond of comparing the powers of the two teams; a man would first swagger up and down, swinging his 26 We Stay at Blantyre arms as if carrying a machilla, shouting in his own language — " This is Blantyre way ! " then he would creep about slowly, all doubled up, and looking the picture of exhaustion, saying, "This Angoulu style ! " On the road one man starts weird cries, quite meaningless words, such as " Ha, ha ! " or " Oye, oy^!" and often a proper name such as "O Mandala ! " This cry, repeated and echoed by all the rest, keeps up a certain excitement and breaks the monotony of the road. Occasionally they sing songs. The Angonie tribe have some beautiful chants, former war songs. Some of the tunes have been set to the words of hymns by a missionary. All were anxious to acquire a little English, and some learnt very quickly. I knew nothing of their language, but managed to pick up a few words, such as " Ku enda " (*' go on ") and " Linda " ("wait"), and while listening to their talk would sometimes recognize a Swahili or an Arabic word. They always called me ** Donna " or " Mama," a form of address which is intended to show great respect. I have been anticipating somewhat, and must in the next chapter return to our actual doings. 27 CHAPTER III. MERAMANA AND ZOMBA TO LIWONDE — ON THE ROAD WITH OUR CARAVAN. Our preparations completed, the next morning we started for Zomba, the capital of the Protectorate, a journey of about fifty miles, which is usually divided into two stages of twenty-five miles each. A travelled in his machilla, while I was provided with a rickshaw for that distance; the road being a good one, my crew of four men ran me along at a good pace and quickly outdistanced him. The scenery was pretty; forest prevailed, with here and there open glades, locally known as " dambos." We passed a few farms, a fair amount of cultivated land, and an occasional coffee plantation.^ About half a dozen miles from Blantyre we were suddenly brought up by a wide gap in the road, where a bridge was in course of construction. I had to get out and cross on foot, the English engineer in charge kindly helping me over with all my impedimenta — kodak, wraps, field-glasses, etc. This chasm would have been dangerous at night, for even in daylight it could not be seen till we stood on the very verge. ^ See p. 114. 28 Meramana and Zomba to Liwonde I reached Meramana, the usual stopping-place, well ahead of A , about i p.m. We had a letter of introduction to Mr. Livingstone Bruce, a grandson of the famous missionary, so I proceeded to his house, which is charmingly situated, with a delightful view over well-wooded hills. I was received by a small native boy aged about ten, dressed in white clothes and a red fez. He had all the dignity of a butler, and amused me by the lordly way he signed to my rickshaw men to wait round the corner. A joined me in about half-an-hour, and Mr. Bruce, who was out when I arrived, returned soon afterwards, and received us most kindly. In the evening he showed us over his plantation, which had been originally established by Living- stone as a mission station in the 'fifties. There was a considerable area under cotton, a recently-planted coffee plantation, and quantities of pawspaws and pineapples. Some of the fruit trees planted by the early settlers are still flourishing. Cotton does well, the raw material being carded by machinery at the station before export via the Zambesi; the ripe crop was being gathered at the time of our visit. Coffee was not, however, ready, the shrubs taking three years to mature. Our host hoped it would do well, but there is always the risk of disease. There was also a prize bull to be admired and a large herd of cattle, which are herded at night in a substantial zareba, strongly palisaded with tree- trunks as a protection against lions, which are not 29 A Thousand Miles in a Machifla unknown in these parts. I need hardly add that this particular district was free from "fly." We left Meramana about 8 a.m. next morning, and reached Zomba by i p.m. — good going, as the distance is about twenty- five miles; we went direct to the Mandala store, near which place we hoped to camp. The station of Zomba is delightfully situated on the southern slope of the mountain of that name, at an average altitude of three thousand seven hundred feet, and is divided into a military settle- ment and civil settlement. In the former, which lies to the westward, are the barracks of the battalion of King's African Rifles and of the detachment of Sikhs quartered in Nyasaland, with parade ground and rifle range, officers' bungalows, and club-house. In the latter are the Government offices, the resi- dences of the officials, and church. Between the two is situated the Government House, with its glorious view — one of the best in Africa — its well- kept grounds, with great clumps of bamboos. The stores and the shops kept by Indian traders, of whom there are a considerable number, are at a lower level and border the high road. There is an abundant supply of excellent water, which runs down the mountain side and frequently gives rise to miniature waterfalls and cascades often by the public pathways. The hills are dotted with picturesque bungalows, half-hidden among trees. Vegetation is luxuriant, the gardens are full of flowers, vegetables, and fruit ; mangoes, pawspaws, and pineapples were just ripe. 30 Meramana and Zomba to Liwonde Unfortunately, this otherwise delightful spot is somewhat unhealthy, for though the climate was exquisite and the mosquitoes few at the time of our visit, in the wet season the damp heat was reported to be very trying, and the numberless mosquitoes which then emerge from their hiding-places give rise to a good deal of fever. At that time of the year the flat summit of the mountain is often used as a sanatorium, and is also much visited at week ends; we should have liked to have gone up to the top but could not spare the time.^ Zomba has one great drawback from the travel- ler's point of view; there is no place set aside for him to pitch his camp, as is usually the case in those parts of Africa where there are neither hotels nor rest-houses, and he has consequently to be a burden on one of the residents, whose hospitality, however, has never been known to fail. Probably good sites could be found on the side of the mountain, and the local authorities would do well to appropriate one of these to the use of visitors. We had not been an hour in the place before two officers of the King's African Rifles came to invite us to stay at their comfortable bungalow in the military lines, and very glad we were to accept their kind invita- tion, for there was no accommodation available in the Mandala house, while the ground about it was much used by Indian traders, and was consequently uninviting as a camping-ground. We spent two pleasant days in Zomba. The universal means of ^ See p. 122. 31 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla locomotion is the machilla, for which the paths are just sufficiently wide. So soon as we were settled in our comfortable quarters, we had to take steps to ascertain the most suitable hunting-grounds, and collect the best available information as regards the game of the country generally, kudu and sable antelope being our first consideration. The Governor, Sir Alfred Sharpe, was away at the time of our arrival in Zomba, but he had sent a letter to meet us at Port Herald, which had already furnished us with valuable data, and we had now the benefit of the advice and experience of the officers of the King's African Rifles, sportsmen all of them, of the officer commanding the Sikhs, and of Mr. Casson, the director of native affairs, a well- known elephant-hunter, who kindly came to see us. We had still to engage gun-bearers, see to the packing of the loads, and ascertain exactly how many more porters we should require. We engaged two gun-bearers — one who had followed us from Blantyre on the chance of getting the job, and another who was recommended to us locally. The first of these we christened "Yellow Jacket," from the short khaki jacket he wore. Old Saidi, the principal hunter, whose English was limited, always spoke of him as "Bloody Jacket"; he could not manage the word "yellow." "Yellow Jacket" was not at all a bad fellow, but weakly, and nothing of a hunter; we have strong reason to believe that he only joined us in the hope of getting a free trip to Broken Hill, where he expected employment 32 Meramana and Zomba to Liwonde in the mines. He was discharged at Fort Jameson, as he proved not strong enough for his work. We offered him a job as porter, but this he declined, the position being too derogatory after that of a gun-bearer. I beHeve he worked his way on, however, with the help of the Labour Department. The other gun-bearer, an ugly, thick-lipped negro, nicknamed " Black Hat," from the black fez he wore, was strong enough, and also an elephant- hunter — at least, he never ceased talking about his exploits. But as regards other game he was either very little use or too lazy to exert himself greatly. As he was of a sulky disposition, and did not get on with Saidi, we dismissed him at Lilongwe. Sir Alfred Sharpe returned on the last day of our stay, and as we had the pleasure of seeing him and hearing his views, we left Zomba well equipped as reofards information. Everything being ready, we assembled our caravan early on the morning of the 29th, and started it off about 9 a.m. on its march to the Domasi river, about twelve miles from Zomba, on the Liwonde road. We said "good-bye" to our kind hosts about 3 p.m., feeling that we were now starting in earnest on our travels, and then set off after our caravan. The road was good and so was our pace, for we were continuously descending af a moderate gradient. The scenery was very pretty : to the eastward the hills rose in tiers one above the other ; 33 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla to the westward the country fell away gradually towards the lake. There was forest everywhere, but frequently through a clearing we had an ex- tensive view over the low country. We reached our camp by six o'clock, to find that John had arranged it very well and that " Cooky" had provided us with an excellent dinner. Everything went smoothly and we retired to rest, delighted to be in the jungle at last, and con- fident that we had every prospect of a successful trip. Next morning we were up and about soon after sunrise, but as every one was strange to their work, and as no system had as yet been established, it was some time before we got under way. A started ahead about 7 a.m., in the hope of seeing game, but it was eight o'clock when I got off at the head of the caravan, and I travelled sixteen miles in my machilla before rejoining him. The road was downhill the whole way until we reached the Shire valley ; the scenery was extremely pretty, and much of the same character as that of the previous day. The temperature rose as we de- scended, and by the time we reached the foot of the hills it was really hot, which was not surprising, as the altitude had fallen to eighteen hundred feet. About five miles short of Liwonde we left the high road, and following a native track for a couple of miles or so, reached a village at 1 1 a.m. and settled ourselves under some fine trees to await the arrival of our baggage; we had taken the precaution 34 Meramana and Zomba to Liwonde of leaving a man at the point where the path branched off. "Cooky" turned up fairly early, and we had lunch. About 2 p.m. John appeared with some of the porters, and it then transpired that the remainder had missed the turn and had presumably gone on towards Liwonde. A messenger was sent after them, but it was a considerable time before they straggled in, and even then two or three men were missing; one of them was carrying the poles of our tents, and as this individual was discovered chatting in a village, and did not arrive until after dark, he was promptly kicked out of camp, as a punishment to himself and an example to others. This was just one of the little accidents that will sometimes occur in African travel, and was entirely due to want of method. There was no recognized leader of the caravan, no one in authority told off as rear-guard, a most necessary precaution to prevent straggling and dumping of loads. Lastly, the porters had been allowed to go on one by one so soon as they were ready, instead of start- ing simultaneously in one body, the result being that they straggled over miles of road and missed the turn when they came to it. This was the only occasion on which anything of the sort happened. In future no one was allowed to start until all were ready, and as a rule I myself remained to see that this was done. "Cooky" was told to march at the head of the caravan, and instructed to accommodate his pace to that of the 35 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla porters and see that the men carrying the tents and bedding bundles were immediately behind him. John was ordered to march in rear of everybody, and to keep two or three men with him, whose loads could be added to in the event of a casualty. It is an excellent plan to give the leading porter a flag, as all natives delight in one and think it adds distinction to their caravan ; unfortunately, we had forgotten to brino- one with us. From seeing them continually at their work we soon got to know a number of the porters (known locally as " tenga-tenga ") well, and quickly recog- nized the best among them. Maso wa3 most attentive ; he was promoted my machilla capitao later on in the Wawembe country, and remained with us to Broken Hill. Gua, a nice-looking little man who made himself very useful, attracted my attention by coming to me and pointing pathetic- ally to his rags, asking me to sell him some calico for a dotee. I gave him a remnant, with which he was delighted ; we liked him very much, and were sorry when he left us at Fort Jameson. Mgombo was an excellent worker, who followed us to Broken Hill. Roberti, a good-looking fellow with regular features, hailing from Lake Nyasa, had for his sole garment, on joining the caravan, a chocolate-coloured loin cloth ; but as time went on he greatly improved his attire. He was promoted gun-bearer after Fort Jameson, and came with us to Broken Hill. Many of the men had curious names, as "Railway," "Cawnpore, " "Steamer," and " England." When we found Chinganje words too 36 Meramana and Zomba to Liwonde troublesome to remember we christened the porters ourselves. In addition to " Breeches," " Black Hat," and " Yellow Jacket," we had a " Curlpapers," a very cheery lad who used to tie up the wool on the top of his head into wisps with bits of fine brass wire, so that it stood up porcupine fashion all round his forehead. An excellent fellow — we called Elisha from his bald pate — used to look after the fires at night, help with the tent, and wash clothes ; being a coast native, he could speak a little Swahili. " Longshanks," so named on account of the length of his limbs, was a fair tracker. As he appeared keen and willing, A often took him out shooting, and promoted him to be gun-bearer when " Black Hat" departed at Lilongwe. The first thing he did after his promotion was to ask for an advance of wages with which to buy himself a complete new rig out — a great improvement on the ragged jersey he had hitherto worn. Unfortunately, prosperity did not suit him ; he was not nearly so satisfactory as gun-bearer as he had been as porter, so we dismissed him at Fort JameSv^n. Porters and machilla boys had a good deal to do after arrival in camp, clearing the ground, pitching the tents, helping the servants arrange the fyrniture, and fetching wood and water ; so that it was some time before they were able to settle down in their own shelters. In the afternoon they had to turn out again and collect a considerable quantity of wood for the camp-fires — one log a man was, I think, the task — and water was always being 37 4 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla called for from the kitchen. The men hated water- carrying, which is women's work in the villages, but it had to be done ; and as we required a good deal one way and another, poor John was sometimes in difficulties. However tiring the march had proved, the men very soon got over their fatigue, and representatives of the different messes would often o-q lona distances to buy food. A 's machilla team, having to go out with him a second time, was spared camp duties as much as possible. We always closed up the caravan at the break- fast halt, and A endeavoured to see the porters pass him at least once a- day, and on two or three occasions, when all was not quite well with the caravan, travelled himself for a time in rear. We remained two days in our second camp, which was pleasantly situated under some trees not far from the foothills, and a quarter of a mile or so from a village. There was plenty of game about. Eland were all round the village, and A saw them daily, but refrained from shooting, much to the dis- appointment of the villagers ; he, however, shot three pigs. Kudu were reported but not seen. Sable were seen twice, but not a shootable head among them, and a glimpse also was obtained of some hartebeest. When comparing the amount of game we saw at this camp by the light of after events, I think perhaps we made a mistake in not moving further eastward along the Shire, as one of our advisers 38 Meramana and Zomba to Liwonde had recommended us to do. We were tempted to do so at the time, but as it would have taken us out of our route we thought it best to adhere to the plan decided upon, which was to look for kudu in the neighbourhood of Manga, for sable in the country between Dedza and Lilongwe, and for eland on the Bua River. During these two days I was well occupied superintending camp arrangements and getting the servants into a regular routine. We had told John always to pitch our tents end to end with a space of about three yards between them ; and we joined the flaps together and roofed the extra space with a waterproof sheet or blanket. The front tent was our dining-room and the other our bedroom. I had now to show John and Edward how I liked the boxes and furniture arranged. The two mule trunks were placed one at the head of each bed, the store boxes at the doors of the outer tent, the ammunition and wine cases inside the dining- tent, etc. The same arrangement was daily adhered to. I had to explain to " Cooky " the system he was to adopt with regard to our meals. He gave no trouble whatever, and very soon got into our ways. As we very rarely breakfasted in camp, our break- fast was usually cold, and generally consisted of hard-boiled eggs, potted meat, or sardines, bread and butter, and cold tea. We were very fortunate in being nearly always able to buy eggs, and were rarely without them. Fresh bread we had daily, for "Cooky" was a capital baker. We always 39 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla lunched in camp, and were usually given soup, liver, kidney, or minced meat, according to what had been shot, and either preserved fruit or asparagus, or a dish of macaroni or rice. We drank nothing stronger than lime juice in the middle of the day, but always finished up with a cup of black coffee. The menu for dinner was, as a rule, soup, fresh fish when we could catch it, or tinned whitebait, a delicacy which we allowed ourselves twice a week, and which is to my mind quite the best of tinned foods ; roast meat or bird with tinned vegetables, or sweet potatoes when procurable ; macaroni or rice with cheese, devilled biscuits, and coffee. We shared an imperial pint of champagne twice a week, and on other nights drank whisky and sparklet, with a glass of Madeira after dinner. Teetotalism after sundown in the tropics may suit some people ; we both look upon it, however, as the greatest of errors. We were never short of food except during the last few days of our journey, for if game failed there were always goats and poultry to be bought. A occasionally shot a guinea-fowl, francolin, or duck, and these we regarded as a great luxury. Antelope meat varies very greatly in quality. The smaller beasts, such as oribi, reedbuck, bush- buck, are perhaps the best, but eland meat is quite excellent, and a saddle of hartebeest, kudu, or sable by no means bad. Zebra is sickly, waterbuck tough and rank, and puku the hardest meat we ever ate; it is, however, possible when minced. But all, with the exception of zebra, make good soup: it is 40 Meramana and Zomba to Liwonde hardly soup perhaps in the accepted sense of the word, but a concentrated extract of meat produced by boiling large lumps for some hours. When one chunk has had all the good taken out of it, it should be thrown away and a fresh bit put into the pot. The result, mixed with rice or vegetables, is sus- taining and easily digested. The tongues of the larger beasts were much appreciated, as also the marrow bones, which are a great delicacy. We have now for some years carried two ** Gem " distillers with us, and never drink any other than distilled water, which we also use as much as possible for cooking. To this practice we attribute in great measure the excellent health we have been fortunate enough to enjoy during our travels. To work these distillers all that is necessary, in addition to plenty of water, is an ample supply of wood, which, fortunately, is generally obtainable in the wilds. Distillers are better than the best of filters, for the water they provide is perfectly pure. Natives, though they quickly understand their principle, and get quite to like them, taking an interest in seeing them work, cannot resist, when in a hurry, the inclination to supplement the distilled with dirty boiling water from the reservoir at the top: they therefore require constant supervision. As a greater safeguard the bottles of distilled water were brought to us from time to time, and these we examined very carefully, rejecting the contents without hesitation if there was the least sediment, or if the water was at all coloured. If satisfactory, they were emptied into a jar which was 41 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla kept locked. The distillers were under the general supervision of the cook, and were set up close to the kitchen fire. They have, of course, a special man to look after them ; in this case Laban, who very- soon learnt how to work them, and his lapses were not very frequent. He was a very quiet lad, who gave no trouble whatever, and came with us all the way to Broken Hill. 42 CHAPTER IV. LIWONDE TO FORT MELANGANI IN THE KUDU HAUNTS "cooky's" EXPLOITS AS A GUIDE. On this our fourth morning we got off by 7 a.m., our destination being the village of Manga, a few miles to the north of the Shire river, where we hoped to find kudu. A and I separated on reaching the high road; I went straight to Liwonde Boma with the caravan, whilst he made a round in search of game. He shot a bushbuck and saw a large herd of eland, but did not interfere with them. I reached Liwonde, a clean, well laid-out station, the headquarters of the district, in about an hour-and-a-half, and called on the Resident, Mr. Cardew, who kindly invited me to make use of his house during the heat of the day. Here A joined me an hour or so later. The Resident's house, standing in well-kept gardens, the verandah covered with masses of purple bougainvillaea all in bloom, was prettily situated on rising ground facing the Shire river, a quarter of a mile or more distant. A mosquito-proof room jutting out in front like a conservatory afforded a refuge from the mosquitoes, which were awful. I have never seen anything to equal them. The ordinary mosquito is fairly regular in his habits 43 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla and goes to bed at sunrise, but these mosquitoes appeared to be sleepless; they fed on us at all hours, and were as hungry at mid-day as the ordinary insect is at sunset; they did not belong to the reeds and rushes of the river bed, but harboured in the masses of vegetation and grass round the house. Our host appeared not to mind them; long residence at Liwonde^ had apparently inured him to their attacks. One of the greatest trials contingent on residence in the tropics is the necessity of sacrificing all that is pleasant to the eye to the stern laws of sanitation. Gardens have their drawbacks as well as their delights; when there is neither vegetation nor water in your immediate neighbourhood you will live amid ugly, hot, uninteresting surroundings certainly, but you will be free from mosquitoes. If you cultivate a garden to enjoy a cool, restful, ever-interesting outlook you will probably pay for it with malaria. Which are you to choose .•* Mr. Cardew told us these mosquitoes were not the fever-carrying kind, and that curiously enough in the wet season the others (Anopheles) came up from the river in numbers to replace them. After lunching with Mr. Cardew we started off again at 3 p.m., the sun being certainly very hot. We found the river almost at its lowest, the banks covered with masses of vegetation, and the channel obstructed by the reeds and rushes growing on the river bed. At Liwonde the Shire is normally about three hundred yards broad, and when there is ^ See p. 125. 44 Liwonde to Fort Melangani sufficient water — about nine months ip the year — small steamers ply between this place and Lake Nyasa. We crossed in a deep and heavy barge running on a hawser which did duty for a ferry. The caravan had been sent on ahead to the village of Manga, which is about two miles north of the river, and on arrival we found that our servants, following the custom of the country, had pitched the tents close to the village and a public path, so that next morning we were obliged to shift camp to a quieter and more secluded spot. Manga proved rather hot, but the place was entirely free from mosquitoes, due, I fancy, to the annual burning of the grass, which had only recently taken place. A went out that eveninof to have a look round and shot a zebra, which had a fine skin; a rhinogale (a species of mongoose) of rather a rare genus was also brought in by one of the men. I had the skin carefully preserved, and presented it to the Natural History Museum at South Kensington, but unfortuately the skull, which I had given the men to clean, was destroyed by a dog. That evening our personal servant, Edward, said he was ill, and asked to be allowed to go to the Mission Hospital at Fort Johnston, on the shores of Lake Nyasa, and as he produced a substitute — the brother of the chief at Manga village — we let him go. Luckily for us the substitute proved in every respect a great improvement upon the original ; in fact. Franco, as he was called, was the best servant we ever had; no white man could have 45 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla done better. We never had occasion to find fault with him, and the only time he gave us annoyance was at Fort Jameson, when he wanted to return to his village in place of going on; however, we persuaded him to remain and accompany us to Broken Hill, and I do not think he regretted it. Brought up at the Universities Mission,^ he spoke very good English, and certainly did great credit to his instructors. On being asked some questions when he first came to us, he amused us by saying, " I am very clever." But he did not mean this as a boast: the English servant's equivalent would have been, " I understand my duties." I believe his position at Manga was that of teacher in the school. Though quite black, his face was not remarkably negroid; he always dressed European fashion, but simply, and the things suited him and did not appear out of place. Franco's great ambition was to possess a strong sewing machine, as he had learned the profession of a tailor. Next morning A went out for a long round in the forest, but except for a single bull eland, saw nothing ; the kudu had been recently disturbed and had left their usual haunts. In the afternoon he tried another portion of the forest, and brought home a Lichenstein hartebeest, the first we had seen of that species. As the kudu had evidently left the neighbour- hood of Manga, we moved next morning (3rd September) to Chandawasika, about six miles further on, and pitched our tents on some high ^ See p. 282. 46 f Liwonde to Fort Melangani ground overlooking the village, which was a mile away. The place was hot, but a breeze which blew during the day tempered the heat. The altitude was about two thousand feet. Kudu were reported to be plentiful in the neighbourhood, and that evening A saw some cows. Next day he tracked a bull for some distance, and got fairly close to it, but failed to get a shot, principally owing to " Black Hat's " inveterate habit of gesticulating and pointing. That evening the luck turned and he got a fine bull, the first I had seen, and a very hand- some beast he was, about five feet in height, with a grey striped coat and spiral horns. Sunday was blank, and, as the beasts appeared to have shifted, we decided to move camp. A started off at dawn next morning, leaving instructions that the caravan was to move to Basili, a distance of not more than six miles or so. As luck would have it he saw a fine bull kudu and knocked him over ; the beast got up before he had time to fire a second shot and galloped off. A followed the plentiful blood spoor till past noon, when it failed and he never saw him again. What had happened to the kudu we could never make out. The blood spoor was evidence to the fact that the wound had been a serious one, and he could hardly have survived it long ; nevertheless, " Black Hat," who was left behind to look for the beast, and promised a liberal reward if he should find him, failed to do so, though he remained away twenty- four hours, and was assisted, according to his story, by a number of men from the village anxious for 47 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla meat. We imagine the animal must have got into the thick bush that skirts the Shire river and there died. A did not reach our new camp until 3 p.m., somewhat exhausted, as the heat was very great. One of his machilla boys captured a young golden eagle for me ; the bird had a callow beak, but could not fly, and squawked a good deal. I fed him on bits of raw meat, and he soon became quite tame and allowed me to stroke his head. He was most intelligent, and took the deepest interest in watching other large birds flying overhead ; and the intense way he had of looking at me was most attractive. I would not allow his wings to be cut, as it would have prevented my liberating him later on if I wished to do so, so he was always tethered by a long strap fastened to one of his legs. At night he roosted on the highest branch he could reach. My machilla boys brought me some furry rats {tatera nyarwe) that they had killed in a burrow near by; they were pretty little creatures, different from any I had ever seen, and I had them carefully skinned and labelled for the Natural History Museum. As I offered a trifling reward, the men would often bring me small animals. At first they brought them alive; but disliking the necessity of ordering their destruction, I gave instructions that only dead ones were to be shown me ; thus later I unfor- tunately lost a lemur which was captured quite young, and would have made a charming pet. 48 EM o U "^ c o U Liwonde to Fort Melangani Our camp was about a mile beyond Basili, a large village standing in a big clearing, through which a tributary of the Shire runs. We remained here two nights, and as we found it very hot, we had our tent covered with a grass roof. There was not much game in the neighbourhood: A saw a herd of Kudu cows, but nothing else except a duiker. " Posho," as the ration money is called, was now due, so the men were assembled at dusk to receive it. The rate for porters and machilla boys was six- pence a week; the servants were paid at a higher rate, according to their duties. As I had previously entered all the men's names in my register, there was no difficulty: each man came up in turn, I ticked off his name on the list, John handed him his money, and away he went. It is just as well to establish a system in these matters; for as all black faces are much alike at first, it would not be difficult for the same man to come up twice, if he thought he could do so without being detected. On the 9th we marched to Rivi Rivi and camped on some high ground overlooking the river, close to a planter's house, which was, however, no longer occupied. There were a number of paw- paws growing round the house, and the native caretaker gave us some of the fruit, which was excellent and just ripe. The tree resembles the castor oil plant somewhat, and the fruit, which is green and shaped like a pear — but about three times its size — grows in bunches. The flesh is yellow and pulpy and good to eat, and credited 49 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla with being very digestible; the rind is thick, and the interior filled with black seeds from which pepsin is extracted. The altitude was here about two thousand four hundred feet, a fair rise, but the temperature was still hot. We had, however, plenty of shade. Our tent was pitched under a large Kigelia, or ''sausage" tree, to use the name by which it is more generally known. These trees are as high as a good sized oak, with large broad leaves, a purple, trumpet- shaped flower, and sausage -shaped seed pods of a grey colour, as thick as a man's thigh, often two feet in length, and very heavy. We frequently pitched our tent under these trees, for the sake of the shade they afforded, but an eye has to be kept on the "sausages," for they only hang from a very slender stem, and would injure any one upon whom they might fall. Although the surrounding forest was very dry, the vegetation along the banks of the river was fine with tall timber, including the Baobab [Adansonia) — Tebilda tree, as it is called in the Soudan — the hoary old man of the forest, with its giant grey trunk covered with curious excrescences. When devoid of leaves it has a very bare appearance, enhanced by the bright red colour of its flowers, which bloom and fade before the leaves appear. The fruit, something like a large green nut, contains a white pulp of subacid flavour, tartaric acid in fact, and it is full of seeds. Monkeys are said to be very fond of it, and I believe elephants also. It is difficult to realize at first that September in 50 Liwonde to Fort Melangani Nyasaland is equivalent to February in England. We often wondered what the dried-up stems or withered seed vessels promised. The answer was not found for weeks; then many miles away in another part of the country we recognized an old acquaintance in a spring dress. The caretaker reported kudu in the neigh- bourhood, so we remained two nights in the hopes of seeing one; but had no luck, though a servant declared he had seen kudu on the river bank. I went out with A the second after- noon; but though we made a good round, saw nothing. We heard a bushbuck barking close to the riv; and disturbed some francolin as we went along, but they were out of shot before the rifle could be exchanged for a gun. On the nth we made a good march of fourteen miles, mostly uphill. Our tents were pitched in a mealie field not far from the Chiole Mission Station, not a very choice spot, but the best we could find. Among the dried mealie stalks were growing some very tall plants, six feet in height at the least, with bell-like seed vessels something like a Canterbury bell, some of which I gathered and have brought home with me. I subsequently saw this plant in several village gardens, and fancy it is cultivated for a purpose. The air was a good deal cooler, for we had risen to an altitude of three thousand two hundred feet. That evening A brought in some guinea-fowl, which were a desirable addition to the larder. Next morning, the 12th, knowing that we had a SI A Thousand Miles in a Machilla considerable climb before we could reach the frontier fort of Melangani, we were up betimes, and every one was on the road by 5.30 a.m., our preparations having been materially assisted by a beautiful moon just off the full, which made everything almost as light as day. In the early dawn we pasjed through several sleeping villages, offshoots of the Chiole Mission. Against many of the huts great bundles of cotton were leaning, neatly covered, and propped up by the forked sticks in which they are carried, both for protection and support The morning was fresh, the air perfect, the forest looked beautiful in the dim morning light, every- thing glistening with dew. I could not see the sunrise, as we were travelling due west and I had my back to it, but I lay in my machilla and watched the light becoming brighter and brighter; and not knowing what was before me, congratulated myself on the excellent progress we were making. Alas ! my rejoicings were premature. Our route should have taken us to Ncheu Boma, and thence by an excellent high road up the mountain to Fort Melangani. For some unex- plained reason there was a disinclination among some of our men to visit Ncheu, and " Cooky " declared that he knew a much better way and a short cut to the high road which would avoid the boma. "Cooky's" vagaries as a guide were still unknown to us, so that we submitted our- selves to his leadership like lambs, and neglected to procure a local guide. About 7.30 we halted for breakfast, and after a short stay on we went 52 I Liwonde to Fort Melangani again, on and on, the road getting worse and worse, the caravan straggling more and more, the day getting hotter and hotter. The journey seemed endless; and to add to our misgivings we saw the Dombole Mission in the distance, but on the wrong side of us. "Cooky" was sent for and questioned, but reassured us by declaring that all was well. We reached the foot of the mountains at last, and after a short rest were shown a steep track. Could this be the road ? Sir Alfred Sharpe had told us he had been up it in his motor car; and as motor cars might possibly do funny things in Nyasaland, up we went. It was steep certainly, and I was carried most of the way looking backwards instead of forwards — the best way of ascending a slope. The view between the trees was very fine, and " I was particularly struck by the beautiful, variegated tints of the leaves of the acacia trees, all in their spring foliage, the colours varying from a tender pink to deep crimson, or the hue of a copper beech. On this occasion we had forgotten to carry our aneroids, but we heard afterwards that the top of the pass leading on to the plateau was about five thousand feet. Once over the summit, we found ourselves on a large open, rolling down, almost treeless. The air was cool and pleasant. In the distance ahead we saw what we believed to be the fort, and on we went rejoicing, to find that what we bad taken for the fort was a native kraal, and that the fort itself was still over an hour distant, and behind us to our left. " Cooky " had mistaken the road. We sent for him and reviled him. 53 5 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla We eventually reached the fort about i p.m., having been travelling since dawn, and were most hospitably received by Mr. Hofmeister, of the King's African Rifles, from whom we learned that we had been about ten miles out of our way on an old road, and had not been on the high road at all. Our host was much amused when A told " Cooky " to retire to his kitchen with his myrmidons, and not again attempt to be guide, as for that post he was entirely unfitted. It was a considerable time before poor " Cooky " heard the last of this exploit. 54 CHAPTER V. FORT MELANGANI TO DEDZA THE CALICO MACHILLA THE WHITE FATHERS. We passed a very pleasant evening, and had a comfortable night in a room Mr. Hofmeister kindly placed at our disposal. Next morning A went out in search of game but found none, which was perhaps not surprising when we remember that the fort was occupied by an energetic sporting young officer with a fair amount of spare time on his hands. At noon we sent on our caravan, and gave John instructions to encamp half-way on the road to Dedza; we ourselves followed about three o'clock. Fort Melangani is situated on the plateau which forms the summit of the chain of mountains that separates Nyasaland from Portuguese East Africa, Our road to Dedza ran along the summit of the plateau, passing through a corner of the Portuguese territory. On either side of us were rolling downs, but in the valleys we could everywhere see dwarf acacia trees, a commencement of the everlasting forests clothing the slopes and low country. The plateau has a vegetation of its own; everywhere flowering bulbs were springing up, small irises of different colours, scarlet gladiolas, pale blue flowers, something like verbenas, growing in bunches, pink 55 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla flowering vetches on stiff stems, yellow dwarf burrage, small white Canterbury bells in bunches, and large scarlet pimpernels. In one place the prevailing colour would be mauve, in another yellow, and in another red. I was enchanted with a small plant growing close to the ground — some sort of Combretum; it had lovely crimson flowers, four leaf-like petals joined together by a seed resembling the flower of Bougainvillaea ; this plant made blood-red patches on the ground. Another of the same shade of colour, but altogether a different species, had red stems, and in the centre of the crimson petals a green berry turning to black when ripe. This, I believe, was an Ochna; we saw it frequently. John had gone further than we expected, and had pitched our camp a short distance beyond a small Portuguese post, which we reached just about sunset. We turned in early as there was no wood to be had for our camp fire, and the altitude being about five thousand feet, the air felt quite cold to us after the low country. The following day, the 14th, we marched to Dedza Boma and arrived about 10.30 a.m. The altitude w^as the same as that of the previous camp, but the mountain, at the foot of which the Boma is situated, runs up another two thousand feet. Mr. Webb, the Resident, was away, but his head man showed us where to pitch our tents. We were given a delightful camping-ground in the gardens attached to his house, under the shade of some large trees with springy turf all around us. The 56 Fort Melangani to Dedza strong wind was fresh, however, and we were glad of the shelter of our tent. Mr. Webb returned soon after our arrival, and as it was still cold at night, most kindly offered us a room in his house, which we accepted with pleasure. Sir Alfred Sharpe had told A to be sure and go to the top of Dedza mountain for good bushbuck. He was anxious to go, but as the side of the mountain looked as easy to climb as the side of a house, he did not quite see his way to it. Mr. Webb soon settled that difficulty by explaining to us the uses of the "calico machilla," as it is called; a strip of calico about a yard broad and a dozen or more yards in length loosely tied round the waist. A started off soon after lunch with plenty of warm wraps, as the wind was reported to be keen at the top. At the foot of the mountain the calico was put round his body, the ends twisted up like a rope ; eight stalwart machilla men took hold of it and walked him steadily up the hill — a matter of some two thousand feet. A told me that under these circumstances walking uphill was much the same as walking on the flat. At the top there was a beautiful view, and although the wind was bitter to windward of the saddleback which ran along the summit, to leeward the air was perfect. After walking a short distance further A was fortunate enough to sight a fine buck, which he shot; the beast carried a good head, and in his long winter coat looked almost black. Coming down the steep hill in the dusk was rather 57 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla unpleasant, not that it should have been, for the "calico machilla" will hold one back descending as it pulls one up ascending, but A had not yet acquired the habit of it on the down grade. That night we heard the wind howling over the plateau — as it is reported to do the greater part of the year — and felt thankful for the shelter of a house. In the morning A was off before dawn to look for sable, a herd of which was reported just over the Portuguese border, and was away all day, not getting back till after nightfall. Although un- lucky as regards sable, he brought back with him a bull eland which he had shot out of a large herd. In the meantime I enjoyed a quiet day at the Boraa. The previous evening at dinner we had been discussing our future plans, and as A was lamenting the fact that he was leaving the kudu country with only one specimen, Mr. Webb advised us to go eastward into the low country near the lake shore and put up at Mua Mission, sixteen miles from Dedza, where he was sure we should be cordially welcomed. Kudu were plentiful in the neighbourhood of the mission, at least the White Fathers to whom it belonged complained bitterly of their depredations. We should also have a good view of Lake Nyasa, and it would be a pity, as he said, to leave the country without seeing it. Next morning, Mr. Webb kindly sent a runner to the Mission with a letter asking the Fathers if they would receive us, and what were the chances of getting kudu. The reply, which arrived early S8 Fort Melangani to Dedza on the 1 6th, gave a favourable account of the prospects of sport; and as the Fathers sent us at the same time a very cordial invitation to visit them, we decided to brave the heat and to go. We only- proposed remaining a week, at the outside, in the low country ; so our loads were considerably lightened, and Mr. Webb kindly allowed us to stack our surplus property in his verandah. We started the caravan off by midday, and followed ourselves about 2 p.m. The road was bordered on the left by a chain of peaks resembling the Dedza mountain in shape and conformation, their steep sides covered with patches of flat topped mimosa trees. Everywhere else were open rolling downs, with here and there a sugar loaf hill rising high above the general level; the summits were bare, but every dip was filled with variegated acacias, offshoots from the adjacent great forests. After travelling uphill and down dale for about three hours, we reached the edge of the plateau, and obtained a glorious view over the lake, whose blue waters gleamed in the sunshine as far as the eye could reach. In the foreground was the flat forest- covered low country, and in the distance a shadowy range of blue mountains indicating the far away shore of German territory. We had now to get out and walk. For the first thousand feet or so the descent was fairly gradual, but it was necessary to scramble down the next two thousand feet as best we could ; the track was so rough and water-worn that in places I should have had difficulty in keeping my footing without the 59 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla "calico machilla" which held me up. We reached the bottom without accident, but by this time it was quite dark, and as the air was hot and oppressive, we were not sorry to get into our machillas again. After going about a mile along a fairly level road with dense forest on either side, we found John, who had come to meet us with a lantern; and soon afterwards we entered the gates of the Mission Station, and were most kindly welcomed by the Father in charge, who was on the balcony waiting to receive us. A large airy room on the first floor was put at our disposal, and we were given the pleasing in- telligence that dinner would be ready in half an hour. The White Fathers are especially trained for African Mission work at their headquarters in Algeria, where they study agriculture and medicine, in addition to theology. They may be of any nationality, are easily distinguished by their large white felt hats and white washing robes, while beards are de rigueur. Only twenty pounds a year apiece are allowed them for personal expenses. The community, which was established by the late Cardinal Lavigerie, is essentially an agricultural one. A Mission, once in working order, is expected to be self-supporting, so the first thing the Fathers have to do is to lay out plantations and gardens and get the natives to work in them. At first these gardens produce only sufficient to supply the needs of the Mission, but by degrees, as they increase in extent, they become also a source of profit. The result therefore of the establishment of a White Fathers' Mission in a neighbourhood is the 60 Fort Melangani to Dedza provision of a constant supply of regular work for the natives, offered to them under the most favour- able conditions, as being in the immediate vicinity of their homes. The Fathers, as employers and directors of labour, soon acquire considerable local influence. Schools are built and the natives persuaded to send their children to them ; then comes the Church, and as the religious teaching is very simple and not in the least forced, the natives take to it very readily. So far as our observations went, the system followed appeared to be a thoroughly practical one, and from all we could hear, of far greater benefit to the natives than that sometimes pursued by Protest- ant missions, in which the "man and brother" idea is often overdone ; the result being that the natives are often absurdly pampered and are allowed to grow fat and lazy instead of being taught to work. When we met on the balcony before going in to dinner we were introduced to the Principal, who was on a visit, and to the two other members of the mission, who were of French nationality ; the Father in charge came from Holland. The language spoken was French, but one or two knew a little English. The dinner was simple and well cooked, and served according to the rural fashion of France ; the pure red wine, made from grapes grown in the vineyards of their Algerian establishment, was excellent, and to us a great treat. We found the Fathers amiable, cultivated men of the world, thoroughly acquainted with all questions concerning the African native, and 61 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla experts on agricultural matters. The evenings we spent in their company were among the pleasantest and most instructive of our African experiences. The weather was very hot, and we had to be indoors during the middle of the day ; but while A was out shooting in the mornings and evenings the Fathers showed me round the gardens and plantations. One was in charge of the house- keeping, another of the garden and workshops, and the third of the exchequer. The Mission is well situated on slightly rising ground, overlooking a stream which affords a plentiful supply of pure water. At the back are the mountains and in front the low flat country, which stretches away to Lake Nyasa, some ten miles distant. The buildings, which were con- structed by local natives under the supervision of the Fathers, are built of red brick, with tiled roofs, the grooved tiles resembling those habitually used in the south of France. The mission house faces east and is two-storied, with large airy rooms, having a balcony in front. The living rooms are on the first floor, the class-rooms on the ground floor, and the servants' quarters at the back. The house forms a quadrangle, one side of which is occupied by the church, the other by the workshops ; the main building forms the centre. The inside of the church is simple, with white- washed walls. There are wooden benches for the congregation, and two confessionals screened off with white calico. At 8 a.m. every morning the church bell rings, and the natives in their scanty 62 Fort Melangani to Dedza garments are to be seen mounting the steps most reverently. The plantations cover a considerable area. There is a banana grove, a coffee plantation with shrubs about three feet high, covered with red berries, almost ripe and ready to be gathered at the time of our visit. There are orange and lemon trees, quantities of pine-apples and pawspaws trees, which here attain the height of a date palm ; also rubber trees, but these were still in their infancy. A large acreage was under wheat — a most important crop — as wheat is not generally grown in this part of Africa, and the cost of importation of white flour is considerable. The wheat is pounded by native women in wooden troughs, and afterwards carefully sifted and ground in a hand mill. In the kitcHen garden there were all the usual vegetables, and also a large strawberry bed in good bearing. The first of these mid-African Missions was established in Uganda, and branches now exist in East and in Central Africa, North-East Rhodesia, and Tanganyika. The Mua Mission we visited is affiliated to the Tanganyika and North-East Rhodesian branches. Sport, unfortunately, failed during the three days we spent at Mua ; and though A went out morning and evening, he saw no game. The kudu had gone. He found fresh tracks of buffalo in the forest, but they lived in a marsh, which they rarely left except at night, and were unapproachable. Had he been able to wait a week he might very probably have shot one, for, as 63 A Thousand Miles in a Machilla a matter of fact, it was merely a question of time and patience. The absence of kudu was easily explained ; they had been in the habit of visiting some fields two or three miles distant from the Mission, but these had been recently harvested, and there was no longer anything to attract them to the neighbourhood. Where had they gone? It was difficult to say. Perhaps to the foothills, where, at this season of the year, it was practically impossible to get near them ; or they might have migrated to native villages on the Lake shore, in search of crops still unharvested. The Fathers were greatly disappointed at our bad luck. They would have been glad if the buffalo and kudu — which had done much damage to their harvest — could have been reduced in number. They would also have appreciated a little meat as a change from their staple diet of poultry ; for there are neither cattle nor sheep in the district, owing to "fly," and only a few goats. One of their number was a sportsman, who from time to time would bring in an impala or reedbuck ; but few now remained, and he had not the necessary licence to shoot kudu or buffalo. We left the Mission on the morning of the 21st, starting off our caravan at 4 A.M., and following ourselves about 6 a.m., so as to be well up the side of the mountain before the sun grew hot enough to be unpleasant. Near the foot we had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Webb, who was on his way to a station on the edge of the Lake, about ten miles 64 J oa -C lA Fort Melangani to Dedza beyond Mua, and he was kind enough to offer us the use of his house at Dedza as before. He suggested that we should accompany him to the Lake, as kudu were always to be seen in the neigh- bourhood of the village he was going to. Had our luggage not been already at the top of the mountain I think we might have gone with him. We breakfasted about 8 a.m. at the four thousand feet level, having previously changed every stitch of clothing ; for, though we had been, of course, pulled up by our machilla men, we were just as wet from perspiration as if we had been through a river. The change of temperature was delightful, and the glorious view of the Lake from over the tree tops made us quite loth to move. However, on we went again, reaching Dedza about noon, to find our baggage unpacked and everything ready for us. Shortly after lunch, a Nyasaland official, acting on the recruiting staff of the Transvaal mines, arrived on his way to Blantyre. He dined with us that evening, and gave us interesting information about the country. 6S CHAPTER VI. DEDZA TO LILONGWE DIVIDING THE RATIONS A HERD OF ELEPHANT HOLD UP THE ROAD. On arriving at Dedza we had dismissed ten of our porters, northern Angonies, who wished to proceed to their homes, and replaced them by ten local men, who joined us on our return from Mua. Our loads had been reduced by two through the consumption of stores, so that we had now one surplus porter at least, which rather puzzled John, who did not know what to do with him. We got off about 7 a.m., and, leaving the direct road to Lilongwe, branched off to the right along a track leading into the mountains, our destination being the district between Kalomo and Chongoni mountains, where sable were reported to be fairly plentiful. Our track, which at first skirted the western side of the Dedza mountain, led us through beautiful scenery, a country of rolling downs, dotted here and there with great round boulders covered with grey lichen, perched precariously one above the other. We marched till 11 a.m., the air feeling cool and pleasant, and camped on some high ground, from which we had a magnificent view over the surrounding country. 66 sOi -*■> ^ s s S) _rt •- 'a «s o o 5. §3 < >• -< (B 43 1