SCOUTING SUDAN

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 264, 1 July 1932, Page 7

SCOUTING SUDAN

ORIGIN OF MOVEMENT INTERESTING ADDRESS BY REY. D. McDIARMID, O.B.E. THE FIRST TROOP. On Saturday evening last, the Rev. D. McDiarmid, O.B.E. , attended the Scout Parade, and gave the boys an interesting address on Scouting in the Sudan, where he was the founder of the movement. While stationed at Khartoum, Mr. McDiarmid said, he was much interested in the apparent keenness of the boys at 'Gordon College (a memorial to General Gordon) at everything they took up, whether sports or study. Thinking that they would make splendid Scouts, Mr McDiarmid approached tbe Director of Education regarding the formation of a troop. The director was very pleased to find someone to aet as scoutmaster, as he had received several letters from the Government, intimating that such a movement would meet with their approval and assistance. A troop was forthwith started, at first a small one, in order to impress the boys with the honour of being a scout. The first uniforms were long white gowns, the. national Mohammedan dress. The whole troop was very keen on trekldng, and often walked distances that would be beyond the power of white boys. They were also very keen on mock battles, >and as there were numerous forts on the hills around the eity, opportunities were not lacking for martial practice. Later Mr. McDiarmid conceived the idea of River Scouts, with swimming and general boat-work. The Lirector of Education approving, and assisting to the extent of persuading the Government to proeure a good boat, a River Troop was soon under way. The Government provided the twQ black boatmen to teach the Scouts boatcraft. One day, stated Mr. McDiarmid, as the boys were rowing, he discovered some others pulling hard at the sides of the boat. When asked why, they explained they were "pulling to help the boat along." Unfortunate Accident. There was an unfortunate accident in the troop. One boy, when swimming, was touched by an electric fish, with a result that his legs were paralysed and he was drowned before the others could save hina. Some of the difiiculties of scouting in the Soudan were as follows: One priest objeeted to scouts shaking hands left-handed, as he said the right was the honourable one, and must be used. This was agreed to. Another took strong objection to the use of the Prince of Wales' feathers as an emblem, saying that it was a disguised cross and that scouting was an attempt to introduce Christianity under cover of scouting. Mr. McDiarmid, however, pacified him, by explaining that boys of all religions and all nations were scouts, without any attempt being made to Christianise them. There was also a little controversy as to whether the group should be registered under the Egyptian headquarters or British. They were, however, eventually registered as British. Ambulance was very popular; some strange treatments, however, were thought of by some of the hopeful boys. e.g., treatment prescribed for a black eye. "I would hit the other one and blacken it too, as two would look all right, where one would be noticed." Mr. McDiarmid's next troop was in a very poor village. Here, however, everyone was just as; keen as in Khartoum, and when their seoutmaster left, the scouts dressed themselves in older brother's most brilliant robes, scraped together a few coins, and bought some stale cake to provide a farewell feast. This was washed down with very sweet tea. After much diseussion with the others, one of the older boys finally read out a speech of farewell, and presented Mr. McDiarmid with a small ivory cup, which is to-day one of his most valupd possessions. Later, on visiting a school, he was surprised to find a troop in charge of one of the teachers, saluting him. This young rnan had been a small boy when the Gordon College troop was formed, and though, then too young to join, he was fired with a lasting enthusiasm. When the speaker finally left the Soudan, the last people he saw as the train pulled out of Khartoum were some of the old Gordon College troop, of whom one was now a judge, some Government officials, and many others ofiicers in the Egyptian army. At the conelusion of his address, Mr. McDiarmid was accorded a very hearty vote of thanks.