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Updated: June 5, 2025
A volley, crisp and clear, burst from the line of admirably concealed Haussas, then each man "let rip" as fast as he could withdraw, and thrust home the bolt of his rifle and bring the weapon to his shoulder. It was such a tremendous surprise that for a moment the Askaris, save those who dropped, stood stock still.
It was a very green and richly tropical island with the faults of its qualities, I should say. Most of its German tenants were prisoners now, a few had escaped in canoes. Their sergeant of askaris, a stout fellow, had passed the word of 'no surrender. But for all that very few native soldiers seemed to be in the bush now.
Then down comes the double-roofed green tents, all is wrapped into closely-packed bags, and before we are through with breakfast all the tented village has disappeared and only the mess tent and the two little outlying canvas shelters remain. It is a scene of great activity. Porters are busily making up their packs and the head-man with the askaris are busy directing them.
The sais is always at hand to hold the mount and is supposed to take care of it after hours. The foregoing members of our personally conducted party, therefore, included: Head-man 1 Gunbearers 4 Askaris 4 Cook 1 Tent Boys 4 Porters 80 Saises 4 "Totos" 20
"This is a great safari, Mali-ya-bwana. Four tin boxes and twelve askaris to guard them; and eighty or more porters; and sixteen men just to carry the machele! This must be a Bwana M' Kubwa." "That is what Kavirondos might think," replied Mali-ya-bwana calmly. Kingozi looked up at him with a new curiosity. "But not yourself?" "A man who is a Bwana M'kubwa does not have to be carried.
He had secured a shell-case by the naval commander's bounty. 'They make such splendid trophies, he told me. But I did not covet one much. I thought of how such war trophies were in demand for Christmas decoration vases in a church by the lakeside. I also thought of the quite possible horror and havoc of shattered askaris' bodies that those splendid trophies might be supposed to have wrought.
Practically the whole of von Linderfelt's staff had been either killed or captured; most of the Germans in the firing-line had shared a similar fate, while the surviving Askaris were either captured or had escaped in small numbers through the lines of the encircling forces.
"Why did not the Askaris shoot them?" demanded Oberst von Lindenfelt. "There were but three of our scouts and the Englishmen were armed," explained the German. "I would venture to suggest, Herr Oberst, that the men did well to return immediately with their report rather than risk being disabled in an attempt to engage the airmen."
Towards evening scouts reported the "spoor" of the enemy, for the ground bore the impression of thousands of naked footprints and those of about a hundred booted men. A strong force of German Askaris, supported by a "white" body of troops with machine guns and mule batteries, were retiring in a north-westerly direction, while a small detachment had broken off and was making almost north-east.
This did not disturb Kingozi in the least: indeed he did not see it. His eyes were taking in the surroundings. The dead rhinoceros lay a scant fifteen paces distant; loads were scattered everywhere; the askaris, their ancient muskets reloaded, had drawn near in curiosity. From the thorn trees across the tiny grass opening porters were descending, very gingerly, and with lamentations.
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