A Thousand Miles in a Machilla 



to Broken Hill — but, alas! the large herd of sassaby 

 that had been feeding there on the arrival of the 

 caravan had moved off 



The question now arose, what was best to be 

 done ? to go on to the Lulimala or not? Had the 

 time at our disposal been ample, we should un- 

 doubtedly have stopped where we were. It was a 

 pleasant site for a camp, and there was every 

 prospect of seeing game ; but alas ! time was im- 

 portant — it was the i6th — our march had only 

 occupied two hours. If there was a reasonable 

 prospect of finding water on the road, we must go 

 on. But how was it possible to ascertain the truth ? 



As it was evidently hopeless for either John or 

 ourselves to attempt to get reliable information out 



of the guide, it struck A that perhaps the 



machilla capitao, and two of Kopa's men might be 

 able to find out something, so they were told to see 

 what they could do. They held a consultation, and 

 reported favourably for a move, saying that there 

 was a water-hole, which probably still held water, 

 about the same distance ahead as we had already 

 covered, so a start was made, and, sure enough, 

 after another two hours we reached the place — to 

 find it dry. Men were set to dig, but with no 

 result; it was useless. Here was another quandary. 

 Should we go backward or forward ? The return 

 march would take another two hours without water. 

 If we went on it would take at least three ; but a 

 retreat is always disagreeable, and sometimes de- 

 moralizing, therefore A gave the order to 



advance, and on we went accordingly. 



192 



