CHAPTER VIII. 



LILONGWE TO FORT JAMESON OUR DOMESTIC PETS — 



ACHEPETA GUILE AND STUPIDITY. 



On October 2nd we started early and marched till 

 10 A.M. The grass on both sides of the road was 

 unburnt, so that we set light to it while waiting for 

 the caravan to come up. It was very dry, and 

 a high wind blowing at the time caused a sea of 

 flame which was carried for miles ; in fact, we saw 

 the traces of our fire throughout the following day's 

 march. The grass was too high and thick for 

 shooting purposes, while burning has the effect of 

 scattering the game ; so for the first few days at 

 least we were rather in a dilemma. The grass not 

 required for thatching, natives will generally burn 

 when ripe ; but chiefs, if they think they can do it 

 with safety, will often retain large areas unburnt, as 

 they know game will collect in it. When a favour- 

 able moment arrives parties of natives fire the grass 

 in a large circle so that the flames travel inwards, 

 a ring of smoke and flame is soon started, the un- 

 fortunate animals caught inside will rarely face it, 

 and keep closing in to the centre, where they either 

 perish in the flames or by the spears of the natives 

 who follow in after the fire. It is a great mistake 

 to suppose, as many stay-at-home people do, that it 



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