Fort Jameson to Nawalia 



gathered up one by one — the men using two sticks 

 as pinchers — and burned. The minute hairs on 

 these pods set up a dreadful irritation if they get 

 upon one s flesh, and cause a rash which takes some 

 time to allay. The natives call this plant *'moto," 

 which means hot or fire. We had been warned of 

 it in Nyasaland, but this was our first experience 

 of the Macuna creeper. 



I spent the late afternoon in getting the names 

 of our new machilla boys and porters, and entering 

 them by messes in my book. As a rule the machilla 

 teams had their own mess, and the porters messed 

 according to the villages from which they were drawn. 



The night was cool, which refreshed all hands- 

 We started before dawn next day, so as to avoid 



marching in the heat as much as possible. A 



and I walked until the light became stronger 

 and the path better defined, and then getting into 

 our machillas we slept well for some miles. Our 

 march proved easy, and we reached Kanyindula 

 about breakfast-time. Here we decided to encamp, 

 as the next water was at least ten miles further 

 on, and the day promised to be hot. We had a 

 most unpleasant camp; the sun beating down on the 

 bare fields made the air very hot, and a sultry, 

 boisterous wind that sprang up about noon inten- 

 sified our discomfort. A high wind is always 

 undesirable in a tent, as there is no getting away 

 from it. 



That evening A went out and saw some 



kudu cows and young bulls, but as there was no 

 old bull with the herd he did not shoot. 



137 



