NATIVE ARMADA

Hokitika Guardian, 1 December 1928, Page 8

NATIVE ARMADA

2000 WARRIORS JX CANOES

AAELCOME TO PRINCE

(From Sir l’ercival Phillips.)

ENTEBBE, (Uganda)

An itniiada sum as Europe lias uovcr seen since the clays of the Vikings brought the Prince of Wales in triumph this morning to the green threshold of Uganda.

He came, at the end of his 20hours voyage from the Kenya port of Kisumu, along the northern shore of Lake Victoria, Africa’s great inland sea, to a. land-locked harbour ol surpassing beauty, on the outer fringe of which was this fleet, symbolic of the .ancient sea power of the kingdom of Bwganda.

Drawn up in two long, dean lines wore 200 canoes manned by nearly 2,000 island dwellers of the Protectorate 1 . whose fathers had held the old kingdom secure against attack bv water and who were indeed a navy if formidable stronr-'b

From the deck of the little steamer Clement Hill the Prince* watched these pacific? warriors of the lake swing into position as lit l came abreast of the vanguard. Then with mighty cries that echoed between the bills, to the accompaniment, of drums and strange trumpets, tlie fleet swept •'.cross the serene* fa.ee of tbc* lake towards tin* peaceful slope, where stands this administrative capital, F.ntebbe. with the fierce ardour ‘Mid precision of galleys advancing to battle.

BLOOD-RED PADDLES

Curious flags and devices ol manv colours were flying above the bowed beads, and strained, shining backs of the oarsmen., and their hlood-red paddles shone in the sunlight as they raised a lake chanty of their own composition in praise of “ I oto A\ a ffeorge” (The son of George). Though but a pale* shadow of Bu'randa’s former glory as the first lake Power of Africa, this array of Alriear war craft was a truly imposing sight. The boats were long and slender and beautifully designed—not dugouts, bid built plank on plank with admirable skill and sense* of sea worthiness. At the pointed prow of each stood Mu* captain, facing bis crew, and wit! professional lury inciting thorn to the utmost. Beyond the prow protruded a long, wooden ram, Which in these days o r peace bad been converted, by the* addition of an upright at the end, inti a sipioort for the (display of test'd trappings of flowers and reeds, will a bunch of scarlet parrot s feathers stuck at the tip. The birds that contributed those bright spots of coloiu had flown across Africa, for they were West Con«t parrots that come period icallv to the S’ese Islands in the lake.

THE “ADMIRALS.”

Tim rowers, stripped to the waist sit in rmipics on low seats, their muscles taut as they moved the paddles in perfect .rhythm and at tlu right moment tossed them in the air with the skill of old iimn-o’-warsme.n There were two “admirals” for thi' eomhined fleet. At the how of flu flagship of the Soso islanders’ squad roil stood their chief, Kweba. in a khaki coat and a comic cap orna mmited with a long feather, hi;and ishing a kind of baton of oflice whicl 'nis captains watched with leaHn zeal as they manoeuvred their boat' in accordance with his shrill orders. Tlis brother admiral at to-dayh naval pageant was Mhubi, chief o the people from 'Rukunia Island, win wore a white drill suit and grey sof hat as befitted a convert to Chris tianity.

Slowly the Clement Hill came along side the little jetty with its flags am inevitable rod carpet, while the liava escort pressed inshore until the can oos were massed together, their oeeii pants sitting stiffly to attention am all eyes solemnly turned on tin Prince. The came ii front, displaying their simple ban nors of welcome and ready to saluti at the slightest provocation.

A HIT OF ENGI,AND,

Tlie scene, of which they were con spicuoiis features in the foreground was otherwise curiously unlike any thing the Prince has seen since h< set foot in Africa. It was not African. So far as the landscape w;e concerned it was not even tropical. Only the sun helmets of the Euro pean population, clustered expectantly oil the pier, gave the necessary re minder that this quiet, restful landscape. so green and trim, was not : hit of England but an artificial thing created by exiled servants of tin Crown amid dangers and diseases o! many kinds in the very shadow of the Equator. Xor was the assemblage of nativeon the foreshore like any gatherin' the Prince has encountered on tin holiday tour. Missionary influence has left its deep impress oil the character of the Uganda native. Instead of semi-nude, painted savages, whose ideas of social piestige are expressed in physical deformities, were orderly rows (if Negro men with spotless gowns flowing to their feet, and women In skirts of gay calico print or more expensive fabrics of purple, magenta, or red, all of the same discreet length.

THE AFRICAN SMILE

All were smiling the wide, childlike smile of Africa, with excited eyedrinking in every detail of this, tin* most memorable episode in theii simple lives. ‘

There were lines of boys from mission schools in khaki shorts and tasselled blue caps, drawn up with their Union Jacks under the guidance of bearded priests in cassocks, groups or grave little girls in festive pinafores, and piccaninnies hardly able to walk dressed in blue jumpers. On the pier were the principal administrative, officials of the Protectorate and the four bishops—two Anglican and two Roman Catholic—of Uganda and the Upper Nile. Ilio King’s African Rifles furnished the guard of honour, and lining the pier were HO medalled European veterans.

Under a little canopy of palms the Prince met the (principal European and native dignitaries. Cliiel among tin* latter was the Kahaka. the socalled King of Buganda, a tall and quite regal figure in bright crimson, who with liis suite had motored from the native capital, Kampala, to pay his respect to the Prime. For hours afterwards fhe long, dusty road to Kampala was filled with happy natives trudging back to their homes of reeds and mud, chattering to each other of the wonderful experience they had in helping to welcome “Toto AA : a George” to Uganda.