Evening star., 1924-07-20

perform dual functions-of soldier
and policeman.
Soon after my arrival there news
was brought in to us one DAY that
| the KiSii tribe which lives in a small
area on the former German East Af-
rican borders, was on the war path
and putting to death all the Indian
and Arab traders in their territory.
The time for action had arrived. This
| sort of lawlessness had to be sup
| pressed with a firm hand. | tele-
graphed to Nairobi for the assistance
of a company of the Sd Kings Afri-
can Rifles asking that they should be
dispatched Immediately and detrain
at point on the railroad where they
could join hands with my small force
on the boundary Of the Kisii country.
Just as | was about to set forth
with sixty of my ill-armed policemt II
and my machine gun for the kisii
country. received a telegram from
Nairobi that a company of the Kings
African Rifles was already en- route
to my aid. and would detrain at kibi-
gori and march 20 join me at GER
tain village on the western shores of
the Victoria Nyanza. This was COM
forting news.
After three days fast marching.
with the porters carrying fifty-pound
loads on their heads, ! reached the
rendezvous had marched ninety
miles in the three days. Then /
halted to await the coming of the
military. News was still reaching me
from native sources that the kisii
were seriously out of hand, and it
look ed as if we should not be able to
deal with them successfully with
such . small punitive force.
Tk. Kisii country had never yet
been administered. and the tribe was
very lawless and contemptuous of the
white man. We were about to give
them a sharp lesson, however; at
least, we hoped SO.
l0N the following day. the company
~ of the Kings African Rifles
Joined hands with me. They were a
hundred strong. and commanded by
young captain of the West Riding
Regiment. On comparing notes as to
dates of our respective ranks, we
discovered that l was senior to him
by exactly three days. So I assumed
command of the joint expeditionary
force. l had brought with me a ser
geant instructor of the Grenadier
peans in that miniature army.
1t was ludicrously small force to
set out against some 10000 spears
men. but we started forth into the
kisii country at daybreak next morn
ing with joyous hearts. We were con-
fident that we should make short
work of our task.
We could see, as we marched stead
lily forward. that the Kisii warriors
were deserting theinN villages and
running away in every direction.
"A walkoyer"' exclaipled the Gren-
adler Guardsman, disgustedly.
Better wait and see," cautiously
protested my brother officer on the
great adventure.
Toward nightfall we decided to
halt and form camp. We erected a
strong zareba of thorns and trees,
posted our sentries. placed the ma
chine guns-we had two now, for the
military had brought along one-and
prepared to make ourselves comfort
able for the night and to enjoy our
evening meal
All went well that night, and we
were undisturbed. The next day we
had reached the center of the Kisii
country. We burned a number of
villages as we passed them, and could
see all the hills black with the
spearsmen of the tribe. They were
chanting their war songs.
At noon we halted on an open
stretch of grass land, and formed
square. We could see the tribesmen
collecting and advancing toward us.
There seemed to be thousands of
them.
They mean to attack us, 1 think"
remarked Jenkins, the X. A. r. officer,