A Thousand Miles in a Machilla 



you fire a shot at an elephant you have to report 

 the circumstance to the nearest Boma, and forward 

 an additional ;^2i. 



I have forgotten the exact number of each 

 species that are allowed to be shot under the 

 licence, but it includes two elephant, four kudu, four 

 sable or roan, two puku, and a large number of the 

 commoner sorts of game. Buffalo and eland are 

 protected, but permission is readily given to bona 

 fide sportsmen to shoot one of the former and two 

 of the latter. 



The highlands of Nyasaland are more open 

 than the lowlands, but nearly everywhere the land 

 is covered with small acacia forest, except in the 

 neighbourhood of the rivers, where the trees are 

 larger and the undergrowth denser. The country 

 is, so far as our experience goes, well watered, the 

 roads are good, and in the dry season, at least, no 

 obstacles are likely to offer themselves to free 

 movement. There are plenty of villages standing 

 in large clearings, and except for the Achepeta 

 tribe, the natives are intelligent and glad to see 

 travellers. We had no difficulty in getting porters 

 whenever we had occasion to apply for them 

 at the Bomas, and as servants Nyasaland boys 

 are well spoken of throughout this part of 

 Africa. 



Food supplies are abundant; at least our men 

 had never the smallest trouble in procuring flour 

 and cassava. We, on our side, were always able to 

 purchase eggs, fowls, and goats. 



The climate is somewhat unhealthy; but we 



lOO 



