Evening star., 1927-05-29
OWi
Bmhp kTnnoiud Kings

a calm, clear night. Ammunition had
been issued at the last halt; the medi.
cal officer had his stretchers and
things opened up ready for use.
There was good moonlight by 1
o'clock coming up from over Babban
Kurmi. The men fell in, and we
moved off in the moonlight.
In single file the army went. hun
dred and two or three bayonets in ALL
At the tail marched the doctor, much
occupied with his hurriedly enlisted
stretcher bearers, who did not seem
at all keen on the excursion.
The column slipped quickly along
through the cool, sweet air. There
was no crowding. humping or check.
ing, and the soft going took all the
noise out Of movement, IL you except
the shuttle Of bare feet upon the wind
ing path.
shadows close under the Jungle wall
we halted. The commander swung
his men swiftly into line, each drop
ping to the ground as he came into
position. Me he attached to his own
person. A flve.minute breather, then
the Junior officer slipped silently away
with his section.
STRAIGHT into the jaws Of the path
- they entered, and minute later
there was a shot. followed by the
noise of machetes hacking at the
stockade. Presently q soldier arrived
with message that Mr.. G.. was
through II and pushing on. Wilfred
sent off another section with his Sec
ond In command. counted off three
minutes on his watch, and then fol.
lowed with the rest of the army and
the doctor and me. The medico want.
ed his stretcher bearers to be pushed
up, otherwise, he said, he was "sure
they would hop It," Likewise the lad
with the box Of dressings and his COL
league with the medical comforts.
The path, actually a very narrow
gully, not too easy for a bare.footed.
pigeon.toed native, was the very dick.
ems for heavy.booted fellows accustom.
ed to walk In our fashion. It wound
In blackest darkness between huge
trees. and directly the stockade was
passed began to climb steeply. This
explained how and why our predeces.
sors, when attacking Babban Kurmi.
had achieved nothing with their volley
firing. Every bullet had gone into the
ground o few yards away.
We were picking our way, going
rather daintily, when there came a
burst Of firing from somewhere ahead,
so we quilted daintiness and hustled
on. A few hundred yards brought us
into q cleared space dotted with houses.
There wasn't anybody in the houses
when we arrived, all painting, but
there had been. we learned. when the
advance people got there.
The surprise was so complete that
nHt nj n% n mr.
by the men Of Babban Kurmi-just a
mad rout. The subaltern, holding his
hand. had let them 60 until from the
Jungle edge certain Of the fleeing Bah
ban Kurmians had started flicking
back arrows.
The sun came, the men were lined
out, told to move steadily east, always
east, and to get on with 1t. Thereupon
we left the square half mile of clear.
ing and plunged into that awful jun.
gle. It wasn't more than half q mile
wide, but 1t took US three hours to
get through. The men worked in
threes. Two unfixed bayonets, slung
their rifles and hacked passage
through, while No. 3 stood by intend.
ing to do his best to plug anybody
who fiicked arrows or oterwise made
himself Objectionable.
Wilfred and went together, start
ing In the center of the line. The
going was simply appalling, the at.
mosphere damp and dank, the heat
/ terrific. Two or three times arrows
came near US and we loosed off re.
volver shots at the merest fieeting
glimpse Of savages, who slid away
through the jungle like snakes.
There were three men with us and
not another soul In sight. Just then
very heavy burst Of firing close at
hand claimed out attention. The bull.
let's whizzed over and about us. The
company commander promptly blew
his whistle and that started a lot
more shooting.
kA 4 -
TT seemed to me that the narrow,
winding brook at our feet occurred
most providentially. pulled Wilfred
down into it and the three soldiers
disposed themselves like nevis right
down in the dephths Of 1t. The ring
continued long enough for US to enjoy
q cigarette and to lave our heads in
muddy water that was almost cold.
We burst out Of that internal jungle