The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-10-20
IS We bad heard the .Wagogo sound. sthes

As! As We bad heard the rWagogo~ sound.~th
war notes upon every Slight apparition
of strangers we imagined that the warri-
ors OF 1turu were summoned to contend
against some marauders like the warlike,
Mrambo or some other malcontent neigh.
borg, and, nothing disturbed by it, we
pursued our various avocations. like
peaceful beings, fresh from. our new
brotherhood with the elders of Ituru.
Some OF our men were gone out to the
neighboring pool to draw water for their
respective messcs, others were gone to cut
wood, others were about starting to pur.
chase food, when suddenly we saw the
outskirts of the camp darkened by about
100 natives in full war costume. Feath-
ers Of the bustard, the eagle and the Kite
waved above their heads, Or the name Of
the zebra and the giraffe encircled their
broWs; their left hands held their bows
and arrows, while their right bore their
spears +
When the Waturu were so numerous
in our vicinity that it was no longer
doubtful that they were summoned to
fight us, despatched young man who
knew their language to ascertain their
intention. AS he advanced towards them
six or seven warriors drew near to talk
with him. When he returned he inform ed
US that one Of our men had stolen some
milk and butter from small village and
that we must pay for it in cloth. The
messenger was sent back to tell them
that white men did not come to their
country to rob O, quarrel; that they had
but to name the price Of what was stolen
to be paid at once, and that not one grain
Of corn or millseed should be appropri-
ated by us wrongful1y. Upon this the
principal warriors drew nearer, until We
could hear their voices plainly, though
we did not understand the nature of the
converse ton. The messenger informed
US that the elders demanded four yards
of sheeting, which was about six times
the value Of the stolen articles; but at
such a time it was useless to hasgle over
such a demand, and that both was paid.
When it was given to them the eldest said
they were satisfied, and withdrew.
HosrIlLTIES BEGUN.
But it was evident that though the
elders were satisfied the warriors we're
not, as they could be seen h1rryins by
scores from all parts of the valley and
gesticulating violently in crowds. Still
We waited patiently, hoping that if the
elders and principal warriors were really
amicably disposed toward US, their voices
would prevail, and that they would be
able to assuage the wild passions which
now seemed to animate the others. As
we watched them we noted that about
200 detached themselves from the gestic.
nI0fi,or nrnyv1c 81 of h. ~
hurrying to the thick bushes west of us.
Soon afterward one Of my men returned
from that direction bleeding profusely
from the face and arm, and reported that
ne and youth named Sulieman were out
collecting firewood when they were at
tackled by large crowd Of savages, who
were hidden in the bushes. A knobstick
had crushed his nose and spear had Sc.
vere!y wounded him in the arm, but he
had managed to escape, while Sulie1nan
was killed, a dozen spears having been
plunged into his back.
This report and the appearance of the
bleeding youth so excited the soldiers of
the expedition that they were only with
the utmost difficulty restrained from be.
ginning battle at once. Even vet
hoped that war might be prevented by
little diplomacy, while did not forget to
open the ammunition boxes and prepare
for the worst. But much was to be done.
The enclosure Of the camp required to
be built up, and something of fortified.
ton was needed to repel the attack of
such large force. While we were thus
preparing without ostentation to defend
ourselves from what conceived to be an
imminent attack, the Waturu, now de-
clared enemy, advanced upon the camp,
and shower Of arrows fell all around US.
Sixty soldiers, held in readiness, were at
once ordered to deploy in front of the
camp, fifty yards of, and the Wauguana,
or freemen of Zanzibar, obedient to the |
command, rushed out of the camp, and
the battle commenced.
FORTIFYING THE CAMP.
Immediately after these sixty men,
with axes, were ordered to cut bushes
and raise high fence Of thorn around |
the camp, while twenty more were Or
dered to raise lofty platforms like towers
within, for sharpshooters. We busted
ourselves in bringing the sections of the
Lady Alice to make a central camp for !
las! resistance, ond otherwise strengthen
ing the defenses. Every one worked
with will, and while the firing of the
skirmishers, growing more distant, an
nounced that the enemy was withdrawing
from the attack, we were left to work un-
molested. When the camp was prepared.
| ordered the bugler to sound the retreat, /
in order that the savages mi ght have
time to consider whether it was polite
for them to renew the fight.
When the skirmishers returned they
announced that fifteen of the enemy were
Killed while a great many more were