we were pretty equal; I making as good time as I could
do, for five-and-twenty miles would have to be covered
before night, and I was determined to reach our destination
simultaneously with the other party.
Bodily pain told that I was a fitter subject for the maehilla
than its occupant, Senhor Bubero.
The tsetse were not so bad as they had been on the
previous day. Nevertheless they kept our arms busy all
the while. In the afternoon there came towards the banks
of the river numerous wart hogs, impala in great numbers,
and koodoo. In the bed of the stream I saw a herd of
reed buck (Cervicapra arundinacea). It is a marvellously
beautiful sight to see these animals leaping away in rapid
retreat, one after the other bounding high in the air with
quickly impulsive and yet remarkably graceful leaps.
Camp-making formed a very lively scene. Compared
with my small escort, the sight of a force of eighty picked
followers busily at work was quite imposing. When I
pitched my small, and, by that time, rather filthy little
bed-cover, the contrast between it and Senhor Bubero’s
sumptuous residential marquee was so marked that the sight
occasioned no slight merriment. Laughter rang out on all
hands, and I at once had an invitation from the king
to share space with him, which I accepted, although I was
very well satisfied with my humble but serviceable cover.
Similar experiences and trials were encountered next
day, the tsetse being particularly diligent. Evening, however,
showed that we had a good record of miles left behind,
reducing the distance to Chibinga to ten miles, which
we arranged to cover next morning.
My mind had a feeling of airy gladness when I thought
that I should now be in a position to satisfy the expectations
of my long-suffering men before they set out on their return
homewards, and to show that after all there was a possibility
of meeting some one foreign to them who would keep
his word.
As yet I had not revealed to my new friend Senhor Bubero
what my wishes were with regard to the boys; but in the
evening, as we sat comfortably imbibing our coffee upon
a cane mat and surrounded by numerous camp-fires, which
shed a warm and cheerful light upon the scene, I told him
where I had come from, and what my intentions were with
regard to future movements. I informed him that all my
boys were going to leave me here, and that I hoped I could
rely upon his assistance in finding men to proceed with me
upon my journey. I also asked for some coffee. His reply
was that he could give me men, but only a little coffee, as
he had brought with him but a small quantity for his own
use; such a luxury, as a matter of course, having no sale
among the Kaffirs.
Long before daybreak I was up and on the march. I
wanted to get a good start of my friend, whose constant
relays of machilleiros permitted a running pace to be kept
up, altogether too fast for me under the circumstances.
The morning air was cool, and I made a good gap between
us before Bubero succeeded in striking his tent and getting
under way. We crossed fresh spoor of the rhinoceros
(black). Something like the excitement of a race inspired
the onward movement, but I knew that we should soon be
overtaken. I listened with a keen ear, and gradually the
faint rumble of drums could be heard in the distance, becoming
more audible and swelling louder and louder until
the pursuing party came in sight and were upon us.
Now, however, the evenly poled walls of Chibinga were
visible in front. In dense masses the inhabitants swarmed
out of the town. As they excitedly rushed forward in mad