MOZAMBIQUE TERRITORY, PORTUGUESE EAST AFRICA (1) 23 
After tinkering with the old girl and applying a bit of make-up, 
I took her to Gillingham, where she had to submit to a sort of 
medical examination—inside and out. It was all very embarrassing 
considering her ripe old age, but by some oversight she was 
declared fit, and that was all that mattered. It was my turn next 
to show the authorities that I was not subject to fits; also, I was 
asked to read something in letters the size of a house, to prove to 
them conclusively that I was not totally blind. The successful 
conclusion of these formalities enabled us to obtain a license to 
transport people and their shopping-bags from Sittingbourne to 
Chatham. 
The day we hit the trail was, I think, a red-letter day in local 
history. Staff problems were easily solved, as I was the driver and 
my brother handled the money. 
On Saturdays we were crowded out with country folk going to 
Sittingbourne and Chatham to do the week’s shopping, and as 
there was no separate cabin for the driver, I heard much of the 
good-natured banter as the old vehicle swayed and backfired. 
Many of our patrons came, I fear, out of curiosity or pity rather 
than from expediency. 
Unfortunately for us, the large bus companies looked upon small 
owners as pirates and were even warring on one another to get 
the monopoly. The ascendant company put on two small fast 
buses with no time schedule, one to keep in front of us and 
another behind, so that when the first stopped to pick up pas- 
sengers, the other took the lead. Under these conditions the busi- 
ness was, of course, unprofitable and we were compelled to give 
up after three weeks. 
For quite a time after this the bus was used for family outings 
and private shopping expeditions, which caused some amusement 
among the locals. 
After a few more equally unsuccessful ventures, my enthusiasm 
for starting anything in England faded out. Africa called me back, 
so without more ado I packed my bags and set out to do some 
more collecting. 
I had long thought how interesting it would be to go beyond 
the confines of the Union of South Africa into Portuguese East 
