A Thousand Miles in a Machilla 



a matter of fact, it was merely a question of time 

 and patience. 



The absence of kudu was easily explained ; they 

 had been in the habit of visiting some fields two or 

 three miles distant from the Mission, but these had 

 been recently harvested, and there was no longer 

 anything to attract them to the neighbourhood. 

 Where had they gone? It was difficult to say. 

 Perhaps to the foothills, where, at this season of 

 the year, it was practically impossible to get near 

 them ; or they might have migrated to native 

 villages on the Lake shore, in search of crops 

 still unharvested. 



The Fathers were greatly disappointed at our 

 bad luck. They would have been glad if the 

 buffalo and kudu — which had done much damage 

 to their harvest — could have been reduced in 

 number. They would also have appreciated a 

 little meat as a change from their staple diet of 

 poultry ; for there are neither cattle nor sheep in 

 the district, owing to ** fly, "and only a few goats. 

 One of their number was a sportsman, who from 

 time to time would bring in an impala or reedbuck ; 

 but few now remained, and he had not the necessary 

 licence to shoot kudu or buffalo. 



We left the Mission on the morning of the 21st, 

 starting off our caravan at 4 a.m., and following 

 ourselves about 6 a.m., so as to be well up the side 

 of the mountain before the sun orrew hot enouorh to 

 be unpleasant. Near the foot we had the pleasure 

 of meeting Mr. Webb, who was on his way to a 

 station on the edge of the Lake, about ten miles 



64 



