SLOW MARCH. 277 



villagers. Rice, fowl, &c., were presented, their do- 

 nors receiving an equivalent amount of calico or beads 

 in return. 



This day turned out one of the most oppressively 

 hot I have felt in the country, so we resolved on re- 

 maining under the large shady trees at Chibisa till 

 the afternoon. The spot on the river Moanza at 

 which Moloka proposed camping, was, he said, too 

 far to go in one day ; and as there was no water to 

 be obtained between that river and the Shire, it was 

 arranged to carry an ample supply for the day and the 

 coming night, which we were to spend in the jungle, 

 half way. However, as the afternoon proved almost 

 as hot as at midday, the plans were changed, and we 

 determined not to leave till the following morning, 

 when, by starting about 2 a.m., we might possibly 

 manage to reach the Moanza before night. 



About 9 P.M. a heavy thunder-shower having fallen, 

 I had to leave my customary bivouac under the largest 

 tree in the village, and accept the offer of a hut from 

 Murreemema ; but his establishment was so close, 

 that I passed a bad night in it. However, it was a 

 short one, as 3 a.m. saw us groping our way in the 

 darkness through the thick underwood in the forest 

 behind Chibisa. Soon daylight began to brighten up 

 the line of march, and had it not been for the stony 

 features of the country, which sadly impeded my bare- 

 footed porters, we should have got on quickly. As it 

 was we made but a slow march of it up to 7 a.m., 

 shortly after which hour I perceived a herd of five of 

 that beautiful antelope the koodoo (strepsiceros kudu). 

 They were walking across my route, about a hundred 



