Mpika to Kopas 



of march every unnecessary load is an extra trouble. 

 Had this box failed to reach us we should have 

 been forced to travel to Beira in our camp clothes, 

 and, in addition, have been considerably incon- 

 venienced on our homeward journey. 



The three Angonies to whom it had been 

 confided appeared to have reasoned the matter out 

 much as follows: "The white man to whom the 

 box belongs has gone to Mpika, a short, pleasant 

 road, whereas we have been told to go to Broken 

 Hill, a long and tiresome one. If we go to Mpika 

 and hand over the box, the white man will receive 

 us with joy, and give us extra * posho ' for our 

 return, and we shall be saved many hard days* 

 travel." Alas! poor Angonies, there was a serious 

 flaw in their reasoning, w^hich had not included 

 the possibility of the white man not wanting his 

 trunk. 



However, in their happy innocence they trotted 

 along gaily to Mpika, only to find on arrival that 

 we had already departed. We never ascertained 

 what actually occurred there, but as there was a 

 small store belonging to the A. L. C. in charge of a 

 native, it is probable that they applied to him for 

 instructions and were redirected to Broken Hill. 

 They then took the Serenje road — the direct 

 way — but hearing no news of us and ascertaining we 

 were not ahead, one of them remained with the 

 box in a village where there was a mission school, 

 while the two others struck across country to search 

 for us — an act which speaks well for their intelli- 

 gence, if not for their obedience to instructions — 



179 



