A Thousand Miles in a Machilla 



unpleasant, not that it should have been, for the 

 " calico machilla " will hold one back descending as 



it pulls one up ascending, but A had not yet 



acquired the habit of it on the down grade. 



That night we heard the wind howling over the 

 plateau — as it is reported to do the greater part of 

 the year — and felt thankful for the shelter of a 

 house. 



In the morning A was off before dawn to 



look for sable, a herd of which was reported just 

 over the Portuguese border, and was away all day, 

 not getting back till after nightfall. Although un- 

 lucky as regards sable, he brought back with him a 

 bull eland which he had shot out of a large herd. 

 In the meantime I enjoyed a quiet day at the Boma. 



The previous evening at dinner we had been 



discussing our future plans, and as A was 



lamenting the fact that he was leaving the kudu 

 country with only one specimen, Mr. Webb advised 

 us to go eastward into the low country near the 

 lake shore and put up at Mua Mission, sixteen 

 miles from Dedza, where he was sure we should be 

 cordially welcomed. Kudu were plentiful in the 

 neighbourhood of the mission, at least the White 

 Fathers to whom it belonged complained bitterly of 

 their depredations. We should also have a good 

 view of Lake Nyasa, and it would be a pity, as he 

 said, to leave the country without seeing it. 



Next morning, Mr. Webb kindly sent a runner 

 to the Mission with a letter asking the Fathers if 

 they would receive us, and what were the chances 

 of getting kudu. The reply, which arrived early 



58 



