A Thousand Miles in a Machilla 



and scramble down as best we could. Once at the 

 bottom, however, and on the high road — the one 

 we had left after crossing the Bua — our machilla 

 teams, overjoyed at the idea of reaching their 

 journey's end, raced along singing and shouting at 

 the top of their voices. 



Soon the sight of well-kept roads, bordered by 

 avenues of trees and gaily-dressed natives wearing 

 brightly-coloured draperies, marked the approach to 

 a settlement, and by 6 p.m. we had the pleasure of 

 seeing our caravan waiting for us outside Judge 

 Beaufort's private grounds. 



We were most kindly welcomed by Judge and 

 Mrs. Beaufort, who put their spare room at our 

 disposal. I was not prepared to find all the luxury 

 of an English country house in the centre of Africa, 

 and should have been quite content with our camp 

 kit in an empty room, instead of which we were 

 provided with china basins and clean sheets — a most 

 refreshing change from tin basins and camp blankets. 

 Fortunately our trunk, with a few civilized clothes, 

 had been sent on ahead from Lilongwe, so that the 

 following evening it was possible to put on evening 

 dress in honour of our hosts and the guests they 

 were kind enough to invite to meet us. 



Before continuing our travels into North-East 

 Rhodesia, it might be interesting to consider the 

 sport and other advantages Nyasaland offers to the 

 settler and trader. 



98 



