Liwonde to Fort Melangani 



Our camp was about a mile beyond Basili, a large 

 village standing in a big clearing, through which a 

 tributary of the Shire runs. We remained here 

 two nights, and as we found it very hot, we had 

 our tent covered with a grass roof. There was not 



much game in the neighbourhood: A saw a 



herd of Kudu cows, but nothing else except a 

 duiker. 



" Posho," as the ration money is called, was now 

 due, so the men were assembled at dusk to receive 

 it. The rate for porters and machilla boys was six- 

 pence a week; the servants were paid at a higher 

 rate, according to their duties. As I had previously 

 entered all the men's names in my register, there 

 was no difficulty: each man came up in turn, I 

 ticked off his name on the list, John handed him his 

 money, and away he went. It is just as well to 

 establish a system in these matters; for as all 

 black faces are much alike at first, it would not be 

 difficult for the same man to come up twice, if he 

 thought he could do so without being detected. 



On the 9th we marched to Rivi Rivi and 

 camped on some high ground overlooking the river, 

 close to a planter's house, which was, however, no 

 longer occupied. There were a number of paw- 

 paws growing round the house, and the native 

 caretaker gave us some of the fruit, which was 

 excellent and just ripe. The tree resembles the 

 castor oil plant somewhat, and the fruit, which is 

 green and shaped like a pear — but about three 

 times its size — grows in bunches. The flesh is 

 yellow and pulpy and good to eat, and credited 



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