The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-08-24

IOOAOut 1SdOys duU Wu0u J10J saw JIG
force had brought with me no doubt
many OF them regretted that they had
been SO prone to attack peaceable stran
gers. Through NY field glass observed
messengers running fast to plantaln
grove that stood on low hill command
ing clear open view of little port at
the southern end of the island, from
which / concluded that the main force
of the savages was hidden behind the
grove. Calling the canoes together, [
told the chiefs to follow my boat and
steer exactly as I steered, and by no
means to attempt to land, as 1 did not
intend that single soul with me should
be hurt. wished to punish Bumbireh,
not to punish myself; and If subject Of
Mtesa was lost how should | present
myself to him and I could not afford
to lose single soldier OF my own.
THE BATTLE BEGINS.
Accordingly / rowed straight to the
port, the canoes following closely, and
we became hid from view to those in the
plantain grove and of all lookOuts; then,
! turning west, we skirted close to the
land for mile, until we came to cape,
after rounding which we came in view of
noble bay, into which we steered. By
this vancouver I managed to come behind
the enemy, who was revealed in all his
strength. Perceiving that the savages of
Bumbireh were TOO strong for me to at
tack them in the plantain grove, I steered
for the opposite shore of the bay, where
there were bare slopes of hills COW
cred with short green grass. The sava-
ges. perceiving my intention to disem-
bark on the opposite shore, rose from
their coverts and ran along the hill slopes
to meet us, which was precisely what we
wished they would do, and accordingly
I ordered my force to paddle slowly so
as to give them time. In half an hour
the savages were all assembled on the
bare slope of a hill in knots and groups,
and after approaching within 100 yards
of the shore formed my line of battle,
the American and English flags waving
as our ensigns. Having anchored each
canoe so as to turn it's broadside to the
shore ordered volley to be fired al
one group which numbered about fifty,
and the result was ter. killed and thirty
wounded. The savages perceiving our
aim and the danger of standing in
groups, separated themselves along the
lake shore, and advanced to the waters
edge Singing stones and shooting ar
rows. [ then ordered the canoes to ad-
vance within fifty yards of the shore,
birds After an hour the savages saw
that they could not defend themselves at
the waters edge, and retreated up the
hill slope, where they continued still ex-
posed to our bullets.
THE BATTLE ENDS.
Another hour was passed in this man
ner. I then caused the canoes TO come
together, and told them to advance in a
body to the shore as if they were about
to disembark. This caused the enemy
TO make an effort TO repulse our landing,
and, accordingly, hundreds came down
with their spears ready on the launch.
When they were close to the waters edge
the bugle sounded a halt, and another
volley was fired into the dense crowd,
which had such a disastrous effect on
them that they retired far up the hill,
and our work Of punishment was con-
summated.
KILLED AND WOUNDED.
About 700 cartridges were fired, but
as the sayages were SO exposed, on a
slope covered with only short grass, and
as the sun in the afternoon was directly
behind us and in their faces, their loss
was very great. Forty two were counted
on the field, lying dead, and over 100
were seen to retire wounded, while on
our side only two men suffered contu-
sions from stones slung at US. Thus /
bad not only the King and one chief of
the Bumbireh in my power, but had
the son of Antari and an important chief
of his also, besides furnishing the ma
tives so severely.
SONGS OF TRIUMPH.
When our force saw that the savages
were defeated the chiefs begged earnest
~ that [ would permit them to land and
destroy the people altogether; but [ re-
fused, saying that I had not come to
destroy the island, but to punish them
for their treachery and attempted MUIR
der of myself and the boats crew, when
we had put faith in their professed
friendship. It was dark when we ar
rived at our camp, bat at the sound of
our bugle, lights flew all over Island
Camp, where we presently arrived, and
where we were received with shouts and
songs of triumph.
/ A LECTURE TO THE SAvAGES.
The next morning, more canoes hav
ing arrived from Uganda, embarked
the entire expedition and sailed from
Mahyiga island. Our feet of canoes
now numbered thirty-two, and as we
steered close to Bumbireh had an op-
portunity of observing the effect of the
punishment on the natives, and I was
gratified to see that their boldness and
audacity we're completely crushed, for
one bullet put to flight over 100 of them,
whereas the day before they had bravely
stood before volley. Others who came
down to the shore begged us to go away,
and not to hunt thetu any more, which
gave me an opportunity to preach to
them that thnv hrn11 cht the nuniSh mnnt