Year: 1875

saw the outskirts OF the camp DARK
eped by about one hundred natives
in full war costume. Feathers of
| the bustard, the eagle and the kite
waved above their heads, or the
name of the zebra and the giraffe en-
circled their brows, their left hands
held their bows, while their right
bore their spears.


This hostile presence naturally
alarmed us, for what had we done
to occasion disturbance or war? Re-
membering the pacific bearing of
Livingstone when he and l were
menaced by the cannibal Wabembe,
l gave orders that none should leave
camp until we should ascertain what
this war-like appearance meant, and
that none should, by any demonstra-
ton, provoke the natives. While
we waite | to see what the Waturu
intended to do, their numbers in
creased tenfold, and every bush and
tree hid a warrior.


LIZ SEA1AA AGOAhAAOSNOA-Os


Our camp was situated on the
edge of broad wilderness, which
extended westward many days
march; but to the north, east and
south, nothing was seen but villages
and cultivated ground, which, with
the careless mode of agriculture in
vogue among savages, contained
acres of dwarf shrubbery; but / doubt
whether throughout this valley a
better locality for a camp could
have been selected than the one we
had chosen. Fifty or sixty yards
around us was open ground, so that
we had the advantage of light to
prevent the approach of an enemy
unseen. A slight fence of brush
served to screen our numbers from
those without the camp, but, having
had no occasion to suspect hostilities,
it was but ill adapted to shield US
from attack.


When the Waturu were so numer-
GUS in our vicinity that it vas no
longer doubtful that they were sum-
moned to fight us, l dispatched a
young man who knew their Ian
guage, to ascertain their intention.
As he advanced toward them six or
seven warriors drew near to talk
with him. When he returned he
informed us that one of our men had
stolen some milk and butter from a
small village, and that we must pay
for it in cloth. The messenger was
sent back to tell them that white
men did not come to their country
to rob or quarrel; that they had but
to name the price of what was sto-
len to be paid at once, and that not
one grain of corn or milletseed should
be appropriated by US wrongfully.
Upon this the principal warriors
drew nearer, until we could hear
their voices plainly, though we did
not understand the nature of the
conversation. The messenger inform
ed that the elders demanded four
yards of sheeting, which was about
six times the value of the stolen ar
ticles; but at such time it was use
less to haggle over such. demand,
and the cloth was paid. When it was
given to them the elders said they
were satisfied, and withdrew.


HosTILITIEs BEGUN.


But it was evident that though
the elders were satisfied the warriors
were not, as they could be seen hur-
rying by scores from all parts of the
valley, and gesticulating violently in
crowds. Still we waited patiently,
hoping that if the elders and princi-
pal warriors were really amicably
disposed towards us, their voices
would prevail, and that they would
be able to assuage the wild passions
which now seemed to animate the
others. As we watched them, we
noted that about 200 detached them
selves from the gesticulating crowds
east of the camp and were hurrying
to the thick bush west of us. Soon
after one of my men returned from
that direction bleeding profusely
from the face and arm, and reported
that he and youth named Sulleman
were out collecting frewood when
they were attacked by a large crowd
of savages, who were hidden in the
bush. A knobstick had crushed his
nose and a spear had severely
wounded him in the arm, but he
had managed to escape, while Sulle-
man was killed, a dozen spears hav-
ing been plunged into his back.


This report and the appearance of
the bleeding youth, so excited the
soldiers of the expidition that they
were only with the utmost difficulty
restrained from beginning a battle
at once. Even yet / hoped that war
might be prevented by alittle diplo-
macy, while did not forget to open
the ammunition boxes, and prepare
for the worst. But much was to be
done. The inelosure of the camp re-
quired to be built up, and something
of forti6eation was needed to re-
pei the attack of such large force.
While we were thus preparing with
out ostentation to defend ourselves
from what I conceived to be an i'm
minent attack, the Waturu, now a
declared enemy, advanced upon the
camp, and a shower of arrows fell
all around US, Sixty soldiers, held
in readiness, were at once ordered to
deploy In front of the camp, ffty
yards of, and the Waugnana, or
freemen Of Zanzibar, obedient to
command, rushed out of the camp.
and the battle commenced.


FoRT4FYINa THE CAMP.


Immediately after these sixty men,
with axes, were ordered to cut bush
es and raise a high fence of thorn
around the camp, while twenty more
were ordered to raise lofty platforms
like towers, within, for sharpshoot-
erS. We busted ourselves in bring