Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1895-03-27
THE ENGLISH IN AFRICA.
Their Efforts to Subdue a Tribe OF
Warlike Natives
Warfare Which Has Been Going ON for
Decades Psi'Veen tho Queens
Troops and the Untam-
able SavaRes.

The Waziri country forms block of
about 5000 square miles, backed by the
Suleiman ranges on the west and run
ming down our frontier from the Kur-
ram valley on the north to Baluchistan
on the south. OF the dozen tribes which
occupy its Businesses, says the London
Times, the Waziris alone are sufficient
ly powerful to require attention. The
WaZiris are themselves divided into two
clans, the Darwesh and the Mahsud,
between whom RACES chronic feud.
United they could muster perhaps 10000
fighting men, of whom about a half
have matchlocks. But the Mahsuds,
although fewer in numbers, are drawer,
hungrier and more untamed, and they
are driving the more civilized Darwesh
down from their ancestral glens and
pastures to the shelter of our Bannu
district. On the four or five occasions
on which it has been necessary to send
British punitive forces into the Waziri
hills the Darwesh have shown no COM
bined front, and as they possess scarce
ly any property it has been difficult to
inflict any real loss upon them. The
Indian papers report that, on the
threatened outbreak of hostilities, this
less warlike section of the Waziris
were making peaceful exodns into
safe quarters within our frontier. The
Mahsuds have always played, and are
now playing, very different game.
Down to thirty-four years ago they
harried our border villages almost with
impunity. But in 1860 their audacious
attack on the frontier town of Tank,
with an invading host of 5000 Mahsud
warriors, forced us to try to teach them
n lesson. Within n month of the Tank
outrage, in the most favorable month
for such warfare, when the spring crops
lay ready for destruction or as forage
for our transport animals, we sent q
force of 5000 troops into their noun
tains. 1t was the Mahsuds, however,
who taught us a lesson. One night Just
before dawn 5000 of them surprised
our camp, the bravest of their warriors
rushing through our tents and cutting
down men and animals till they them
selves fell covered with wounds, but
sword in hand. 1t was surprise con-
Quoted almost exactly on the plan of
the night attack on our camp a few
weeks ago, and with even more success.
In 1861 we lost no fewer than 900 men.
besides numbers of the transport ami
mails, while the Mahsuds left only 100
corpses behind. 1.-THE whole campaign"
says Mr.. Thorburn, "cost us nearly 400
men, and admittedly failed in it's object
of effecting the submission of the tribe.
AS the Mahsuds would not submit and
the expense of maintaining a small
army in their midst was heavy, the
troops were withdrawn"
During the next twenty wears we
Kept up clumsy and intermittent
blockade against the Mahsud clans.
But the steadily-growing list of their
outrageS compelled us in 1881 to take
them effectively in hand. A force Of
1000 British troops, now armed with
breech leaders, penetrated into every
part of their hills. Resistance, which
had been possible by the sword and
matchbox against the old muzzle-load-
or, was hopeless against our new
weapon. The tribe gave up their lead
ers to our general and submitted to his
terms.
We have already referred to the more
recent history of the Waziris The time
has come when they must either accept
the peace and order which the Afghan
ameer and the British government are
jointly determined to impose on the
border land, or they must be compelled
to do so. Temporizing offers and half
hearted submission can avail them
nothing. Once they really make up
their minds to come into the new state
OF things, there are several influences
at work on the frontier to prevent them
from regretting their decision. For
merly their chief source Of wealth was
the custody OF the Gomal Pass and the
fees or blackmail which they levied
from all who went through it, whether
British subjects or Afghans. In place
of this and other less legitimate forms
of plumber, the British government
opens up employment in its border DO
lice and frontier irregular force.
Trade soon springs up when hill race
makes the change from pillage to set