A Thousand Miles in a Machilla 



in the hope of being quit of the job and the 

 remainder of their tiresome journey. 



They soon heard of our whereabouts, owing to 

 the extraordinary rapidity with which news of a 

 strange white man's presence is reported all over 

 the country, and joined us in the manner above 

 related. 



We were, unfortunately, unable to locate the 

 village in which our property had been left; but as 

 we gathered that it was not more than a day's 

 march, we decided, in view of its precious contents, 

 that the trunk had better join us. We accordingly 

 gave instructions, and to make assurance doubly 

 sure, detailed Maso to accompany the Angonies, 

 and, giving them some *'posho," started them off, 

 the men assuring us that they would rejoin in a 

 couple of days. Maso carried a spear decorated with 

 a white tail that gave him a look of dignity and 

 importance. 



During the afternoon a number of natives from 

 Kopas village passed our camp with loads of 

 dried fish they were taking into Mpika for sale. 

 One man had a good bow and arrows, which we 

 persuaded him to sell us. The bow was covered 

 with python skin, and the arrows barbed. Before 

 parting with them, he carefully scraped off the 

 poison with which the arrows' heads were covered, 

 wrapping it up in a piece of paper I gave him for 

 the purpose; it was a sticky substance, and came 

 off in flakes, but the natives appeared to attach 

 some value to it. 



In the evening A saw zebra, puku, and a 



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