A Thousand Miles in a Machilla 



was reported in the neighbourhood, but as the 

 grass was unburnt, it was impossible to see whether 

 there was any or not. 



The chief was a youth, but his mother, by name 

 Casadilla, a tidy-looking woman with a pleasant 

 face, accompanied him, bringing the usual present, 

 which on this occasion included a goat. The goat 

 was sent off to the kitchen, but was not killed, as 

 we happened to have plenty of meat at the time. 

 The next few days he was led along by " Breeches " 

 on a string ; but after that he grew so tame that he 

 would trot along with the caravan, and soon became 

 a general pet; his life was therefore spared. He 

 was very fond of running under our machillas for 

 the sake of the shade, and dearly loved resting under 

 the outer flap of the tent. He would pass the time 

 of day with any other goats he happened to meet 

 on the road, but never stopped long, and would 

 dash on at full speed to rejoin the caravan. He 

 slept near the kitchen fire, and "Breeches" was 

 his keeper. The goat became quite a feature of 

 the caravan, and followed us safely to Broken Hill. 



A cock also travelled with us. I forget where he 

 originally joined the caravan, but it was quite in the 

 beginning of our trek, and he was either purchased 

 or came as a present from a chief. He happened to 

 survive the first few days, and the servants finding 

 his early morning crow a useful reveille, took a 

 fancy to him and spared his life. He travelled on 

 the top of the kitchen porter's load, and knew his 

 place perfectly. His spirits never failed him, even 

 in pouring rain, and under most adverse circum- 



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