New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-11

AN EYE WITNESS ACCOUNT OF A SAVAGE

FRAY.
Eiiima. Marc the greatest OF African mountains,
now furnishes n 10 desperate battle, "hc"
was recently fought at Its foot, between German
soldiers and the natives. The following account OF
,hc conflict IS taken from letter published in The
London Tines and written by the Rev. Albert H.
steggan, missionary OF the Church Missionary
Society English at MOchi, in the Chagga country
Written on June 10. last. Mr.. Steggall said
"Thc first battle is over; aud, not being able TO
sleep sit 10 write some account OF the terrible
events OF this memorable day. since the last mail
left May 20) there have bcca several scares most OF
which I believe were nl-founded but yesterday some
natives came In with the news that they had actually
seen aud been fired upon BY tie attacking iorce
The warriors were divided into different companies
and sent to occupy various positions on the outaMrs
~ the country This mOrnlpg the first firing was
heard about : 10, and speedily women with bso'es
and portable household gods. and boys with heros
OF beatng goats and sleep 10 be seen fastening
toward the forest on the northern side Of Moch
From the south. where the attack commenced, Mochl
Is approached By a long, and, generally speahihs All
cnsy slope Of about twoanda quarter miles III Iehsh
Just al the foot OF this slope. where the hrst sio
were fired are fields Of maize. now nearly ready lot
harvest and standing about feet high Inc grea'er
part Of the slope. however. IL covered WIN ue"'o
br,shwood and stuncL tees. where opposing forces
coud scarcely see each other The lower part Of the
dope was passed over with comparative ease by the
attacking force but at about 80 they seemed unaoie
N MAKO any progress. Most Of the slope ao'Ve
mentioned I, in ful view Of tho mission station ana
the nearest polnt. where once stood native gntc"dy'
long since DESTROYED by natural decay Is about mile
distant n straight nne. The fighting was not coll
tinnous Usually the first sounds Of a conflict were
some singl. desltoy discharges Of firearms, evidently
by the Wamoch then would follow several voieys,
evidently BY trained soldiers. shortly at'er"a'o
NOR. d.slltory shots would be heard. and then an
interval o, complete silence OF perhaps ten minuts
would follow Al the spot where the irst checR
seemed I, b. administered By the defenders to tho
attacking party at least six conflicts as above, TOOK
,,ac. and the tine spent there amounted 10 nearly
two ncur, Then ! should imagine dash was made
for at about 10 40 the attacking force hrst made
itself Visible % by emerging from the bush
having crossed the little valley indicated In my
sketch aud mounted the steep slope oil the opposite
sido
arm 70 this point the evidence we had OF the
nostion OF the combatants only the smoke wieh
an attack was made the maize and bush preventing
one from being able 10 pick out with hed-gass more
than few occasional heads It would seem that ~heh
a certain point gained by the Attackers the
Wamoch lost heart little. for two men slightly
wounded were sent up to tell the women and children
10 ~ further toward the forest. The firing now be-
came continuous and the Wamocm were reinforced by
about 200 CO warriors from Krna, four miles distant
who at about IL o'clock arrived at the scene OF the
conflict This reinforcement seemed decide the day
The firing continued inhabited until about L. the little
German force being attacked almost all sides by
natives sheltering behind bushes. The lack OF num-
bers Of the attaching force was to great extent csa
pcnsated for by their superior
nnes-aDd their supply OF ammunition. The defenders
were mostly provided with spears and bows and ar
rows and Of the dead | saw mono but what had been
laid low by bullets. At II the head OF the attack
Ing column had withdrawn entirely into the bush
The Charga boys. who watching with me. raised
cry Of They run and distant cheers the part
OF the defenders wh) also made a forward movement,
seemed to make II appear that retreat had actually
been commenced. still, ! not convinced OF this
until II was clear that the smoke OF the guns was
rising from the bush on the long slope.
About ten minutes after this evident started
with boys for the scene, taking few rags with
NE to afford temporary help 10 the wounded. On the
way down | informed that n European had been
killed, and knot Of natives Indicated to us the
position OF his body. We reached the spot, which
was literally covered with spent cartridges. Natives
had already began " loot the dead. apparently taking
only their belts and cartridge pouches. The Euro
pean-a German onEcr-was quite dead. his clothes
being saturated with blood he having been shot
through the body from side to side / turned him
over. he was lying Oh his face, and recognized him
rs Of the two with whom had dined at Mornng
on May Is Feeling In his pockets, | drew out "a
tobacco pouch, aud u card case which contained
eral cards OF wilhelm Wolfrum, Artillery Leuten
ant SO knew his name Wrapping these articles
Nd l left him AID looked around. Some
eight dead Nubians lying I'm different attitudes
An ambulance Red Cross box and some
bandaSes: several cartridge cases, empty OF course
were streUn about little further part Of u
gun carriage wheel. The natives were now be
ginning from the chase, which, however, stu
continued Going down the long slope to the spot
where the first long stand made. ! saw but lew
more dead. but II would have needed long search
I'm the brush to come at others which were sure TO
be lying there. Altogether. / passed about fifteen
dead OF the attacking force and Of the de
Se m e o the Cheers e no to see
wounded. | did what could for them, and requested
that they should be sent up 10 the mission premises
soon as possible so as to be treated to the best
advant age.
Then on l set for home TO attend TO those
whom i knew to be waiting for me. There We're
made clean passage, one or two with bullet still
inside their bodies which nothing could induce the
patients to allow probing for. one young man had
a bullet wound through the calf Of his leg aud his
other leg quite smashed up just above the ankle
As death Is preferred here to ampuat.on. see no
hope for this case After cup OF coffee darkness
brought up, and quite the worst. A man lad been
shot through the abdomen from back TO front with
S so~ "as ap By pSs Of exit red Of s
around the body Examination showed the bowel to
Ie cut Ia three places. An awful case! The pa
e saws awe he vi" gave s nj hm GS only U e do that
and set to work. Making everything rs antisepuc
possible with corrosive submate. first carefully
by nttle return the bowel which is quite cold into
It's plnce then put stitch into the peritoneum
another Into into the outer B ss
really have no hope. | forbid solid food. give some
weak Valentines beef essence to relieve thirst and md
Church the al which have pulled to