A NIGERIAN INCIDENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 30, 28 September 1912, Page 4

A NIGERIAN INCIDENT.

When the Home mails left, details hae

arrived of the attack by cannibals in Nigeria on a British mining expedition and the murder of Mr Campbell, the Scottish prospector in charge. Despatches from the scene of the affair dated in the middle of June show that as soon as news of the outrage reached the British Resident, punitive measures were taken, and all the villages implicated wore destroyed. There were no casualties on the British t "de apart from a few arrow wounds, but a good many natives were killed. It seems that Mr Campbell, with his only white companion, Mr Pnole, had been working in the locality of the attack for two weeks, during which time the natives were mostly friendly, and treated the expedition well. All wen l , satisfactorily until in the course of

their work it became necessary for «n<» party to erect Hags and beacons to mark the limits of the ground. Unfortunately these, and especially >on;<■small white cloth flags which were plaated among the lV.tive crops, are said to have aroused the superstitions fear of the pagans, who regarded "hem as "juju" against their farms. Warnings were given as to the threat:?!!-d danger, but apparently these ivet"j*i;ol regarded as ser'ous. Suddenly ere morning two old pagan chiefs a't'ivcd on the scene throwing earth ov<m the'r heads, a proceeding which, it was thought, was intended to indicate that the visitors should go, as the people were getting out of hand. Definite news on the point is wanting, but it is probable that this action was wrongly explained by the interpreter as merely being a* native form of salute. In any case the chiefs retired, and in a Few minutes the expedition was attacked. By good luck Mr Poole, who was wounded, reached his horse, but Mr Campbell missed his, and was shot down, with innumerable arrows. A few days after his body was recoy-.v-nl and buried. The neighbouring village proved loyal, and prevented the murderers from looting the British camp, losing some men in resisting the attackers. For their loyalty they were rewarded by the Resident.