308 UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE. 



spoor of elephants, but killed a bush-bock, and a very 

 fine genisbock, reaching the village at twelve noon, 

 where I found all as I wished. Here we had food 

 and rest, and at 2 p.m., having bid farewell to the Ma- 

 kololos, and paid them and the others off, we got into 

 the boat, and were once more flying down the Shire 

 with the current, two men pulling gently, so as to keep 

 steerage way on the craft. 



At 6 P.M. we made fast to the bank, and arranged for 

 a night's rest Here the mosquitoes were intolerable. 

 About 9 P.M., while taking my customary smoke at 

 the fire, I was startled by a challenge in the Manganja 

 language. The night was very dark, and though 

 myself clearly visible to anyone approaching, as I 

 sat in the glare, I could not see a man within twenty 

 yards of me. The question asked was, "Who are 

 you at the fire T I replied, " English." The man 



said, " No," 



Having my rifle and revolver at my side, I seiz- 

 ed them, and ran about twenty yards into the darkness 

 to try and see who and what it was. Accidentally I 

 ran in the very direction where eight men stood. Tliis 

 I was made aware of by hearing them run off like a 

 pack of frightened elephants, smashing their way as 

 best they could in the dark through the dry reeds. 



After calling to them for some time, and assuring 

 them we were no foes, two of them came to us, and a 

 few minutes later we were joined by the remainder of 

 the party. They said they were Mankokwe's men, and 

 were going back to fight Chippootoola, who had burn- 

 ed one of their villages, 



I have no doubt as to the truth of the first part of 



