He Knew We Were Endeavouring To Come This Way,
And Directed Mahamed To Point Out His Name If We Did So.
We took up our quarters in the village as usual, but the Turks
remained outside, and carried off all the tops of the villagers'
huts to make a camp for themselves.
I rebuked them for doing so,
but was mildly told they had no huts of their own. They carried
no pots either for cooking their dinners, and therefore took from
the villagers all that they wanted. It was a fixed custom now,
they told us, and there was no use in our trying to struggle
against it. If the natives were wise, they would make enough to
sell; but as they would not, they must put up with their lot; for
the "government" cannot be baulked of its ivory. Truly there
seemed to be nothing but misery here; food was so scarce the
villagers sought for wild berries and fruits; whilst the Turks
helped themselves out of their half-filled bins - a small reserve
store to last up to the far-distant harvest. Then, to make
matters worse, all the village chiefs were at war with one
another.
At night a party of warriors walked round our village, but feared
to attack it because we were inside. Next morning the villagers
turned out and killed two of the enemy; but the rest, whilst
retreating, sang out that they would not attempt to fight until
"the guns" were gone - after that, the villagers had better look
out for themselves.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 741 of 767
Words from 203629 to 203888
of 210958
