Mfcushi to Broken Hill 



assistants, whom we helped from our store, subsisted 

 practically on the fruit of Msuko tree, which was, 

 fortunately, to be found in abundance along the 

 route. 



This fruit gathering was rather demoralizing to 

 discipline. As soon as a tree was sighted, off went 

 machilla boys, gun-bearers, porters, and though we 

 were never actually put down to rest, the reliefs were 

 never forthcoming when called for. The loads were 

 dumped down freely, much to poor John's trouble and 

 annoyance. Saidi's wiry little body and thin legs, 

 encased in blue putties, carrying a sixteen pound rifle, 

 dashing in and out among the trees, or rushing to over- 

 take A 's machilla, was a sight to behold. One day 



there was nearly a row. The Nyasaland boys were 

 by way of being virtuously indignant at the Mpika's 

 boys' habit of putting down loads to gather fruit. 

 Roberti, who happened for some reason or other to 



be behind, found the ammunition box abandoned by 



i 



the side of the road, and thinking that as a gun-bearer 

 the matter specially concerned him, sat down by it 

 till its carrier returned and then chastized him. The 

 Mpika boy never thought of retaliating, but set up a 

 howl and ran after A 's machilla to complain, pick- 

 ing up sympathisers on the way. Oil had, of course, 

 to be thrown on the troubled waters, and Roberti was 

 suitably admonished. H e was rather a smart looking 

 fellow, and hated the Wawembe, speaking of them in 

 a most contemptuous way. He had his revenge, 

 however. The Mpika porter turned up next morning 

 with a violent pain in his inside and asked for internal 

 remedies. The necessary medicine was, of course, 



237 



