WAR AGAINST LIONS AND CROCODILES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 11644, 10 August 1916, Page 6

WAR AGAINST LIONS AND CROCODILES.

;• CASUALTIES AMONG OUR TRANSPORT ANIMALS. ADVANCE THROUGH JUNGLE.^ GENERAL SMUTS’ PROGRESS IN GERMAN EAST A PRIG A. j A cable from German- East Africa says Union Day lias seen the acorn plishment of another task. The Paree Mountains, which run southeast from Moshi in the north-east , part of'the Colony, are now dear of the enemy. We now lie below the Usnmbara Mountains, and the lights of Wilhelmsta), on the Usmn-. bara railway, are clearly visible. The celerity of dnr movements, despite the density of the jangle, has again disconcerted the enemy, who left nndestroyed a stout pile bridge over the Pangani, the river on which Wilhelmstal stands. OriMay 29th he endeavoured to cheek our [advance by shelling our- transport at long range with a naval gnn. There were only two casualties, al'though sixty shells were fired. . Our advance suffered no check, and on May 110 the BellieJd scouts and the 2nd Rhodesians smartly attacked the enemy’s prepared positions, which commanded the bridge. ■ After offering some resistance, the enemy retired, and as they did so were successfully picked up by the mountain guns accompanying a force sent by us to make a flank movement, with the object of detaching the enemy from the foothills of; the southernmost part of the Paree chain. The attempt to bold the neck of the bottle foimed by the Pangani closing in on the Paree Mountains failed entirely, despite the favourable nature of the ground. On May 31st many bodies of *sknris were found in (lie bush, the density of which however, prevents an accurate estimate of the enemy’s losses. The captured camp revealed interesting devices to conceal it from aeroplane observation. There were no tents, only grass huts of irregular outline scattered under the trees. The health of our troops on the arch is good, and the condition of the animals is fair, while the motor transport has proved a success. There have been several animal casualties through the'attack of crocodiles, and pickets have reported the presence of lions' prowlihg about. The Indian regiments, the King’s African Rifles, and the whole force have shown a fine and cheery endurance under difficulties.