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 belonging to their mess: one had a cooking- 

 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 



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