A Thousand Miles in a Machilla 



I suggested, through an interpreter, that they had 

 better sing to me ; but, although they confessed 

 they could sing, they were not inclined to do so at 

 the moment. I suppose it was too early in the 

 morning, or that they were too full of astonishment 

 at seeing a white woman to have room for any 

 other emotion. 



Often in passing a village native women and 

 children would run along by the side of the machilla, 

 hopping over any obstacle in their efforts to see the 

 first white woman they had probably ever set eyes 

 upon. One felt for a few fleeting moments all the 

 joys of popularity ! 



Soon after our arrival, the chief, Kopa, a young- 

 looking man, turned up with the usual present. 

 We asked him to provide us with some porters, 

 promising him a good " prize " in return if he would 

 procure us good men, and a further "prize" at the 

 end of our journey if the men behaved themselves. 

 This he promised to do, and returned to the village. 

 After his departure we sent a message to our 

 numerous visitors asking them to go home, but 

 to return in the evening with any articles, food 

 stuffs, chickens, eggs, etc., they might have for sale, 

 and at last had the place to ourselves. 



That evening A went quite a long way 



into the marshes, but failed to see anything larger 

 than puku and reedbuck. Meanwhile the village 

 women brought a quantity of eggs, chickens, and 

 flour for sale, as also some cheetah skins. Kopa 

 himself did not return, but favourable reports were 

 received as to the prospects of getting porters. 



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