Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-17
HOME FROM THE soMALrs.
Capt. Dondas' Pluck-Unarmed in . Crowd
OF Threatening Natives.

Capt. Dondas' Pluck-Unarmed In Crowd
OF Threatening Natives.
Capt F. @. Dundas of the roysl navy. who
has mat re.n-r.d q, r,,,.,a .-o,, IA. .,n.a,
,;o,, ,,, .,,. IL. -. ~. :, 49,
.'on up 'ne 'uos 'i'ei' 'ei's Oh tne danger ne
iaceo among the Somails. VINO are perhaps the
most inveterate enemies Of the white race in
Africa. The captain assembled the river for 500
miles on the little steamer Kent. I,istbe frs,
.;. al. -. "
, ,.e .n' Journey mas oeen maze SINCE august
1907 wnen Baron Won der Decken attained the
same point His vessel was wrecked there and
the baron and Eve Of his European colleagues
were murdered bv the som.I;s on,v tro q, the
O' 'A~
pay escaping.
when the British admiralty was conducting
soundings and mapping the coast line of east
Africa the indomitable Somalis sat by the thou
sands along the beach, silently watching opera
tons and making no hostile movement unless
the white men undertook to land. On such oc-
casions the Somalis plainly told them that il
they landed they would be killed to man. 1,
was the same people whom Dundas and his lit
tie party encountered as he assembled the Juba
river in July last. When he reached Berdera
his furthest point. he found the whole bank
swarming with natives. His crew, in terror,
begged Dundas to turn back. He made the
boat fast, however, to the right bank and sent
a Somali interpreter to talk with the excited
crowd. The natives rushed down to the land
ing place brandishing their spears and threat
ening to kill tho interpreter if he came ashore.
80 Dnndss ordered him to return to the vessel.
That night tho explorer heard that a large
body OF natives was to stack the vessel in a few
hours He accordingly pushed his vessel out
from the shore and anchored in midstream.
AT IL p M large number Of natives was see n
on the shore moving among the trees. Sud-
denly they dashed into the river and swan to-
ward the vessel. just as they were clambering
on board, intending, doubtless, to kill every
man In the party, Dundas fired q sound signal,
the novelty OF which he hoped would intimidate
the savages. The signal was most effective.
IL bnrst In midair with loud report and the
nauves maze fcr the banks In terror.
Next morning capt Dundas adopted an ex-
pedient which probably not one man in many
lhousands hould care TO carry out. he sud
ueniy ianaod among tho Somails at their big
town. Inc Interpreter was with him and both
men we're uharmed. ne pushed through tho
1 .nrea'enins crowo 10 tee shelk' expecting nail
uoEen SPeerS 'nrousn MS DacA every momeht
as inc natives ressedaround MIN with weapons
Poised ne walked up 70 the snlek, who ap..
Pea,e1 700 ast0nisneo ror WORDS. Aman,
saia Dunoas Inc woro meant peace he
to4o nus ih'erPTeNr 10 Toll the cniel tnat ne
mean e,I MN no harm ana wished 70 be friend
nov oa,e you come among us nnarmedf
s % .no sheiA, sIeihiy. DO you not know
1na' you arc co,uPio'ely IN my power ana tha'
l enl easi! make an eno OF you!
C.pt DunosS rePaleo that ne might do so II
10 hhco, out ne hau core the chiei and his
teoPie no nafm, ana why should they not be
irienas. II the Imperial East Africa Company
"iu na'e coue VIII large iorce instead OF
nahdlui OF men.
me cniei was apparently dumlounded Dy the
n"roinoou OF MS VISITOR. After a lew minutes