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 2 



