Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-12
.DUSKY SOLDIERS |
FIGHTING TURKS.
Maori Contingent Arrives at Gala
lipoli to Battle With n.
English.
ARE NO LONGER CANNIBAIs,
Many Highly Educated, but
They Keep Up Tribal j
Spirit.
ARE NO LONGER CANNIBAIs.

Especial Cable to The Times Dispatch.1-
PENINSULA OF GALLIPOLI, Sep
TENDER l1.-About n month after the
first landing at Gallipoli, group Of"
men were sitting round the entrance
TO n duEout on the seward side of
Gaba Tcoc. In their midst squatted a X
Greek :nterhrcter. translatine into very Y
bad English some OF the'news con-
newspaper Tann. The article said:
Information is still lacking as to :
tho composition OF the enemy's torcess !
but il appears from indications re-.
ccivsi from Europe that they must
consist chiefly Of black mon froruI
Africl and Australia. Thus. tho stratr i
for the first time in history has had |
TO end re attack by cannlbalc."
No wonder ihe listening AUSTRALIANS /
and New Zeaianders laughed uproartI
ously ~
MAJOR. CONTINGENT d
FIGHTS FOE ENGLANY,
Tho many cclored British force az
Gallipoli has rev been strengthened
by the arrival OF tho Maori contingent.
direct descendants OF most chtvalroua /
and wa"lil1c ancestors. to whom the !
poaka-roa, or Tong pig." al a human
Joint was termed, was a much esteemed
delicacy.
Nowadays the Maori, instead OF fats
tening his slaves on Mana Island.
spends his time. IL he is ambitious. in
getting his M. A. degree or in passing
his accountancy examinations.
These men, who landed at Gaba Tepe,
are the first Polynesian troops to bo
brought oversee to fight for the mother
country and IL the spirit OF their an.
cestors still lives. they will do 1t we'll:
Back in tho Maori wars tho forebearn
of these dark-skinned, khnki-clad ware
riors were besicged by British troops.i
The SiXty-fifth Regiment, it was, sat
down round the fortress gates and pre-
pared TO starve out the men inside tho
pah.
The hikite peep, as the Maoris called
the besieging regiment, ran out Of
water first and the situation was Eet4l
ting serious. when tho palisade gates
OF the pah opened and line OF brown
figures carrying gourds filled with
water approached the British trenches.5
Fearing a ruse, the colonel of the
h-hfth ordered his men to stand at
arms. but the chief leading the waterSs
bearers smiled. He made courteous
speech in which he said naively that
both parties hitherto had been enjoys
ing themselves, and it would be a pity
If so small n matter as lack Of water
should put n stop to what was really.
most pleasant siege. Such thing
was unthinkable. There was abund-
ance OF water in the pah for both be-
sicged and bcsicgcrs.
With further complimentary refer.
ences. he took his leave, and the thirsty,
htkite peep watched the brown backs
for minute or two in amazement, and
then buried their faces in the cool
Eourds. The next morning the pah
was empty, and the garrison had
walked out back way, through what
had looked like an impossible swamp,
Only few old women were left to
shout and make q noise during the
night.
Now the Maori fights with us, and he
has exchanged his old Tower musket
for the Mark II. Star L. E." with.
which he is a phenomenal shot
In the afternoon the A1aoris started
to dis themselves in. and they made
their bivouacs In an old watercourse
on the left flank. Near the beach two
swarthy young privates. working with
will. dug into a Turkish gravc-e
grim reminder OF tho first days OF the
attack. 1t was their initial experience
OF the realities of war. and they went
hurricdly and dug elsewhere.
WEIRD DANCES GIVEN
BY DUSKY FIGHTERS
Then the Pakeha (white many Gem
cral came along and addressed them,
and afterwards occurred a scene that
has no counterpart in tho weird and
varied annals of the Dardanelles
The Maoris, privates and officers,
lined up. With protrudng tongues
and a rhythmical Shaping OF hands on
hands and thighs and chests with
deep concerted "a--a--ah." ending alb
ruptly. they began the Maori haka-the
war dance. Shrill and high the leader
intoncd the solo parts, and the chorus
crashed out.
AS the dancers became more ani-
mated, tho beat OF their feet echoed
through the Guillios of Gallipoli. The
leader now acclaimed tierccly. now his
voice sank to an cerie whisper. still
perfectly audible. and as lie crouched
low TO the ground. so the men behind
him posed. Suddenly, after concerted
crash of voices. the chant ended with
sibilant hiss, stamp of the right
foot. and the detonation of palms slap
ping the hard ground
y hundred yards away in the Turkish
trenches perpleXcd Moslems listened to
this blood curdling scrcnade. and ono
OF them In explanation, produced his
copy of the Tanin. Ominous mods and
headshakinSs followed its reading4
For the first time in history, the
strait has had 10 endure attack by cane
nibals."
And tho leader OF the haka, full-s
olooded Maori, wrote NJ. a, LIZ D.. after
his name. and spoke better English
than many white man.
NO Teachers With Colds. Gh