Kazembe to Mpika 



A greatly, so that a little later he sent for old 



Saidi, told him to get hold of Roberti quietly and 

 question him. This Saidi did, and returning later, 

 reported that as Roberti stuck to his story there 

 might be something in it. In consequence a halt 

 was ordered for the morrow, and instructions given 

 for an early start after the eland. 



Next morning A was off before dawn, and 



after an hour and three-quarters' jolt in his machilla 

 he reached the spot where the roan had been killed 

 on the previous day, got out and told Roberti to 

 point out the exact direction he had taken in going 

 down to the river to get water. Roberti seemed 

 vague, but was told to show the way, and the party 

 started off. As luck would have it, they soon struck 



some roan, and A might have had a shot but 



refrained, to Roberti's evident disappointment. On 

 they went, but the river seemed a long way off. 

 Roberti got vaguer and vaguer, and at last confessed 

 that he had made a little mistake. Had a suitable 

 instrument been handy, poor Roberti would probably 

 have suffered in situ, but fortunately for him there 

 was none to hand. He was told, however, that the 

 evil hour was merely postponed until after his return 

 to camp, and that *' Breeches," as a strong man, 

 would be called upon to wield the rod, so that 

 Roberti's usually sunny countenance was a good deal 

 overcast, and he trotted along behind in a sorrowful 

 and penitent mood. A native is like a child, and quite 

 ready to acknowledge and ask pardon for his fault 

 when found out. The party soon after struck the 

 river, and returned homewards along its bank, see- 



151 



