Evening star., 1937-01-17


L culties, was delayed several
days by the treachery of camel men,
instieated by French traders &ho
hoped to defeat our diplomatic mis-
sion by sending us on with lot Of cut
throats. The general feature Of their
plan was to place in our employ sew
eral groups of savages that were ira
ditionally irreconcilable.
This scheme was nearly rewarded by
complete success our second morning
out. The work of breaking camp and
packing the camels had not yet be-
come efficient. and many of the
camek were still unpscked and the
sun was well above the horizon. grow
ing hotter every second. Noticing that
the six reliable Arab camels, carrying
the diplomatic party's baggage, were
ready. I suggested to Lieut.. Hussey
that he 60 ahead with them and all
the American personnel, except four
Marines detailed to remain with me
while I finished breaking camp.
Fortunately I happened to notice
that this advance party passed q
clump of bush on the left as they
moved out.
When. an hour later, all my camels
were ready and gave the signal to
start / was alarmed to see the head
OF the column wind of to the right
OF the bush. Galloping up with the
interpreter I called to the habans
(chief camelman's) attention his ap-
parent error and pointed out the
other route This drew his FIRE in
stantly, for the desert man Is not slow
to anger and knows nothing Of re-
straint. He fairly screamed that he
had no intention OF following the
Arabs. He was a Danakil, and q more
western route would take the caravan
through the desert wastes where the
Danakil tribes lived. OF course, I
the caravan on general principles, and
I had heard at Harrar. Of how the
Danakils had destroyed caravans be-
fore by leading them astray. The fun
began when the haban drew his long
knife and, screaming and yelling,
slashed at one after another Of US.
When he was overpowered and his
knife taken from him he threw himself
upon the ground and rolled over in
infantile Mysteries. Next he jumped
up and seized q spear with which he
tried to impale every one In his path.
Again when thwarted he vented his
disappointment by rolling on the
ground.
IN THE meantime had called to the
= four Marines to shoot the camels
toward the other trail and to keep
them moving while was parleyins with
the haban. The Marines moved the
caravan to the correct route, but could
not keep 1t moving, as all the cameliers
came to the rear and said they were
going to their homes. We assented to
that, but asserted that we should keep
the animals. So they all started OF in
q crowd. At this stage I told the ha-
ban that I was tired Of fooling with
him and that II he did not come along
peaceably I would hitch my halter
rope to him and drag him behind my
mule.
My Somali man, in lashing the
haban's hands behind him, pulled
down the cloth that he habitually wore
stretched up over his head. A large
tumor that had been slashed open
was revealed In the barred back, and
the Somah carelessly allowed . rope
end to touch the wound. which set
the haban screaming again. His COM
rades were some distance away by
this time, and. hearing their chiefs
cries, probably thought we were killing
him. They turned to charge us with
their spears leveled. The four Marines
had Just returned to the rear from
their unsuccessful attempt to keep the
caravan going, and I called to them to
dismount and aim over their saddles.
Four rifles came into position as the
loading belts clicked; the interpreter
and I drew our pistols. The savage