A Thousand Miles in a Machiila 



First, the time of year. It is only necessary 

 to point out that considerably more labour will 

 naturally be available before the hut-tax has been 

 paid than after. 



Second, the population. The Mpika district 

 is peopled principally by the Wawembe tribe. The 

 true Wawembe live to the northward of Mpika, 

 the Kazembe district being the real headquarters 

 of the tribe. The natives to the westward and 

 southward of Mpika are not, we understand, true 

 Wawembe, but a less pure race that has inter- 

 married with inferior peoples. 



The Wawembe are a fine manly warrior tribe, 

 good workers, well inclined to labour, and willing 

 to undertake any kind of work. Officials speak of 

 them in the highest terms ; they are also well thought 

 of as soldiers, a battalion of African Rifles being 

 largely recruited from amongst them. They are, 

 on the other hand, very independent, and as they 

 have never been conquered by the white man, apt 

 to be troublesome, impatient of control, and inclined 

 to truculence. We heard at Broken Hill that 

 many men of the Wawembe tribe engaged in 

 constructing the railway had been a thorn in the 

 side of the contractors. Our porters, who for the 

 most part were drawn from villages to the westward 

 of Mpika, and consequently were not true Wawembe, 

 had nevertheless inherited the troublesome peculi- 

 arities of the superior race, without their compen- 

 sating good qualities. As regards actual numbers 

 we cannot speak, but the tribe is a large one. 



In addition to the Wawembe, the Lake dwellers 



2S2 



