A Thousand Miles in a Machilla 



arrive wet, and, worse than all, some cherished 

 possession will as likely as not get smashed owing to 

 the fall of its carrier on the slippery ground. When 

 the day's march is over one has to sit in a thoroughly 

 clammy, rain-soaked tent, pitched on wet and sodden 

 ground, waiting damply and impatiently for fires to 

 be lit and appetite appeased. I know few things 

 more depressing. 



We soon accustomed ourselves, however, to all 

 these little troubles ; the increased weight of our 

 tents was got over by making up an extra load for 

 which the daily consumption of stores enabled us to 

 arrange. Fortunately the rain, although it fell in 

 deluges, and often lasted throughout the night, was 

 not continuous, so that during a portion of the day 

 bright intervals could be utilized for drying our 

 belongings. 



We made our machillas quite comfortable by 

 placing our waterproof sheets inside, and over them 

 our rugs ; then, after getting in, the extra width was 

 tucked over, keeping us warm and dry. For drying 

 the interior of the tents we improvised a brazier, in 

 which charred wood was burnt, and the sodden 

 ground was covered with layers of leaves, over which 

 were placed our waterproof ground sheets. 



Firewood was always to hand, and though the 

 actual lighting of a fire was often a work of some 

 difficulty, and entailed the expenditure of a large 

 number of matches, when once started it would burn 

 merrily. 



A further innovation was a hot breakfast daily on 

 the line of march, which proved a great success ; this, 



208 



