Broken Hill to Beira 



of origin, and we were put to considerable expense 

 in consequence. Why the African Lakes Company 

 did not know of these requirements we never made 

 out. 



Our first morning was occupied reading our 

 letters and newspapers, of which a huge pile 

 awaited us. The tin- roofed house felt somewhat 

 hot and stuffy after so many months of tent life, 

 and even a heavy thunderstorm that broke over the 

 station that evening failed to bring the temperature 

 below 70** F. 



In the afternoon we paid off our Kopa boys, 

 and as they had done very well, sent the chief 

 a suitable present by his brother. We also gave 

 our Mpika boys their **posho" for the return 

 journey and started them off on their homeward 

 way. 



The whole of the 8th was devoted to business, 

 and a hard day it was, packing for our railway 

 journey, discarding worn-out clothes, cleaning rifles, 

 settling up with the African Lakes Company, and 

 last, but not least, paying off our Nyasaland boys, 

 and providing them with '*posho" in money and 

 kind for their six weeks' return march. 



We were rather at a loss to know what to do 

 for a cook, as until Livingstone no food was pro- 

 vided on the train. '' Cooky " would have come 

 with us but for the fact that the whole party 

 wanted to travel home together, and this would 

 have delayed their departure for a week. At the 

 last moment old Saidi volunteered to come in the 

 capacity of cook, and a very good one he proved 



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