Mkushi to Broken Hill 



On the 3Oth November the morning proved 

 so wet that we did not start till after breakfast. 



According to our usual practice, A went on 



ahead, leaving me to follow at the head of the 

 caravan. Practically everything was ready for 

 a move at the time of his departure, so I was 

 able to start five minutes or so after he had 

 left ; but by this time he had disappeared in the 

 forest, and through some mistake both guides had 

 followed him without his knowledge. " Cooky " 

 was with me, and notwithstanding his experiences 

 on the road to Fort Melangani, he still delighted 

 in doing guide. Just beyond the point where the 

 path entered the forest a tree had fallen across it, 



and round this tree A 's machilla men had made 



a detour, regaining the track on the far side. 

 "Cooky" perforce noticed that the machilla had 

 turned off, but for some reason or other best 

 known to himself, made up his mind that, instead 

 of returning to the path, it had gone straight on, 

 and acting on this supposition, he took a bee-line 

 into the forest, following what he supposed to be 

 its tracks. I foolishly came after him at the head 

 of the caravan, instead of sending on ahead to 

 reconnoitre, the result being that we soon found 

 ourselves wandering aimlessly about in the dry 

 bush, looking for tracks which were not there. 



After about three-quarters of an hour wasted in 

 this way I insisted on retracing our steps towards 

 the dambo and our former camping ground. Mean- 

 while A , after marching for an hour, had sat 



down by the side of the road to wait for me, and 



231 



