Meramana and Zomba to Liwonde 



troublesome to remember we christened the porters 

 ourselves. 



In addition to *' Breeches," ''Black Hat," and 

 ''Yellow Jacket," we had a "Curlpapers," a very 

 cheery lad who used to tie up the wool on the top 

 of his head into wisps with bits of fine brass wire, so 

 that it stood up porcupine fashion all round his 

 forehead. An excellent fellow — we called Elisha 

 from his bald pate — used to look after the fires at 

 night, help with the tent, and wash clothes ; being 

 a coast native, he could speak a little Swahili. 

 " Longshanks," so named on account of the length 

 of his limbs, was a fair tracker. As he appeared 



"keen and willing, A often took him out shooting, 



and promoted him to be gun-bearer when " Black 

 Hat" departed at Lilongwe. The first thing he 

 did after his promotion was to ask for an advance 

 of wages with which to buy himself a complete new 

 rig out — a great improvement on the ragged jersey 

 he had hitherto worn. Unfortunately, prosperity 

 did not suit him ; he was not nearly so satisfactory 

 as gun-bearer as he had been as porter, so we 

 dismissed him at Fort Jameson. 



Porters and machilla boys had a good deal to 

 do after arrival in camp, clearing the ground, 

 pitching the tents, helping the servants arrange 

 the furniture, and fetching wood and water ; so 

 that it was some time before they were able to 

 settle down in their own shelters. In the afternoon 

 they had to turn out again and collect a considerable 

 quantity of wood for the camp-fires — one log a man 

 was, I think, the task — and water was always being 



37 4 



