A Thousand Miles in a Machilla 



looking as any country we have seen, we found 

 nothing whatever till we were nearing the junction 

 of the Bua and Karuzi rivers. 



We followed the Namitete for another two 

 hours, and camped near a village, but were unable 

 to fix our exact position, as the names of villages 

 marked on the map were not known locally. We 

 knew, however, that we must have covered about 

 half the distance to the Bua river. 



Notwithstanding the shade of a large sausage 

 tree, our camp was an unpleasant one ; it was close 

 to a mealie field. The ground, covered with large 

 dried leaves and other debris harbouring insects, 

 took some time to clear. 



It struck me as curious a by no means 

 attractive camping ground was often transformed 

 into quite a pleasant place as soon as the tent 

 was pitched, the cook had settled on a spot and 

 lit his fire, the porters had made little groups around 

 each mess according to their tribe or position in the 

 caravan ; the whole became interesting and homelike. 



We had here our first real experience of the 

 Achepeta. Stupider, more ignorant and more un- 

 enterprising natives it has never been our fate to 

 see. Half a century ago the tribe had been con- 

 quered by the Angonies, who had then recently 

 migrated northwards, and up to the time of the 

 British occupation of the country they had been 

 continually subjected to Angonie raids. As a 

 means of resistance the Achepeta fortified their 

 villages : quite extensive earthworks still remain, 

 and some villages are entirely hidden behind 



86 



