A Thousand Miles in a Machilla 



the change of temperature, and pushed on to within 

 about five miles of Mpika, camping near a small 

 river in a large open dambo. The country through 

 which we passed was fairly open, and marshy in 

 places, presenting all the aspect of ordinary upland 

 scenery. The grass was green and the trees in 

 leaf, spring being more advanced on the higher 

 ground than in the plains, where the great heat had 

 dried up everything. 



While the tent was being pitched A sighted 



some reedbuck, and shot one. 



The following day, November 3rd, he left camp 

 early to look for game ; while I, after enjoying the 

 luxury of a leisurely toilet, went on with the caravan 

 to Mpika, arriving about 9 a.m. 



Mpika, the head-quarters of a district, stands in a 

 clearing surrounded by forest at an altitude of four 

 thousand eight hundred feet or so. It consists of 

 two or three bungalows belonging to the officials, 

 the government office with a flagstaff in front of it, 

 a small African Lakes Co. s store and a native village. 

 Mr. Melland, the magistrate, welcomed me most 

 kindly, and after showing me the camping ground, 

 took me to his house, a comfortably furnished 

 bungalow full of delightful books. He had as com- 

 panions two cats, three dogs, besides five kittens 

 and the same number of pointer pups, all, with the 

 exception of the pups, in possession of his sitting- 

 room, where they found it convenient to come in and 



out of the window. Here A joined me an hour 



or so later, and we lunched with Mr. Melland. 

 Later in the day our Angonie porters were paid 



160 



