SPEAR CHARGE AT AEROPLANE.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 March 1926, Page 4

SPEAR CHARGE AT AEROPLANE.

WARRIORS DANCE ROUND MR COBHAM.

MONGALLA, Sudan, Jan. 3. We have crossed the so-called dreaded Sudan swamp district on the upper reaches of the Nile in Southern Sudan, and to-day we landed at Mongalla, having flown nearly 400 miles from Malakal. At .Malakal we landed on a clearing hetweeu two native villages. We were met hy the Governor of the Upper Nile Province and decided to put the aeroplane inside a Shilluk village for protection against the wind. Curiously the Slnlluks (whose manly bodies are entirely unclothed) who were pushing the aeroplane into thenvillage showed no surprise at the aeroplane. taking it for granted as a tiling white men do. The next day. in vivid contrast, the aeroplane stood under palms surrounded by native mud lmts. To the heat ol tom-toms the Shilluk braves all joined in a war dunce. Their weird headdresses and line black bodies and their glistening spears of primitive man contrasted vividly with one of civilised man's latest developments, the aeroplane. j 'Repeatedly they charged the Do ; llavilla.nd 50 with wild shouts and gesi ti< illations, making magnificent sidc- : steps and spear thrusts at if. It took I all our courage to stand calmly in 1 rout of the aeroplane facing the coming onslaught. When at last they charged and it seemed inevitable that even il | the spears missed us they would he buried in the wings of the aeroplane, (lie masses of shouting, panling. sav- . a,go immunity pulled up dead with lln ir spear paints a lew inches Iruni our bodies:. j Afterwards there were lion and other ■ dances in our honour. I Yesterday we continued the imperial , Airway survey flight over the great swamp districts of the I’pper Nile be- ! tween .Malakal and -Mongalla, and dis- ' covered that hy following a backwater | called I’ahr-el-Zaraf, and subsequently 1 the telegraph line to l>or. on the White 1 Nile, we could avoid ail tile swamp ' area and keep in communication should we he forced to land. However, the ! Siddelev-,Jaguar engine did not fail us. | (> DAYS. INSTEAD OR HO. | Already the Irrigation Department 1 are cutting canals, directing the water, and preventing floods. I am convinced that it will be a [ simple matter In run a regular air line, especially a hydroplane service, along the course of the Nile as far as Mongalla. We are now anxious to investigate between Al.ongalla. Jinja and Kitsumn. on Lake Yicloria Nyanza. which route, if practical, will mean that a Ivcnya-Oairo air mail service can lie run regularly in two days, linking with the Mediterranean hunt services. Kenya, Uganda, and Tanganyika mails would therefore take only six or seven days from Britain instead of nearly a month as at present. FILMING THE CHASE. Before landing at Mongalla we spotted a huge herd of buck on the hanks ol the river. Wo glided down, and Ennnott filmed them. Presently they noticed our approach and set off galloping. I thro! tied hack, and flying twenty Icef Irom. the- ground we chased them, filming ali the while as they fled in terrible fright. I Ihe above is a special despatch B'oni. i- Allan C'obham, the famous British airmail, who recently flew from i ondon m ( a pot own. |