BATTLE WITH CANNIBALS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 96, 20 May 1909, Page 4

BATTLE WITH CANNIBALS.

■CAKED WARRIORS FIGHT LIKE TRAINED TROOI'S. FEATS OF HEROISM. ■ London l , April 2. A graphic story Df the recent lighting between tlie Anglo-German Boundary Commission in Nigeria and cannibal tribes lias been received by Router. Particulars arc also given of a hazardous 1 and arduous march of the British colunm, which crossed entirely unknown country to join Colonel Whitloek, the British Commissioner, Tlie force, under tile command of Captain C. E. Heathcote, Ist Southern Nigeria Regiment, with Lieutenants ilonmn and Hicks,consisted of Kill men and a .Maxim, and started from the Cross River to join tlie Commissioners near the Anglo-Gennan boundary. Soon after it left Ikotn, it entered entirely unknown country, inhabited by the Gave tribe, a people who practise cannibalism in its worst forms, for they not only eat their eneuiicri who are killed iu war, but also devour the bodies of - those who die from natural causes. They liad never seen a white man. GUJDES RUN' AWAY. For tlie lirs't ten days there were no difiicultins with tlie natives, hut opposition began as soon as the Gaye country was entered. The practically naked cannibals stoutly opposed an advance. The men who had hitherto acted as guides had run away, and tlie Gaves declined to render any assistance. For greater s'afety tlie force pushed on to the mountains and camped there for the first night. The night was very anxious and uncomfortable. The rain was torrential, and the hills all round were dotted with native compounds, all of which hud liecn cleared as evidence of hostility. At dawn the Gayes attacked the camp. Captain Heathcoto had despatched a small section to recover stores which had been stolon on the previous day, but this force hail scarcely left camp before they found the roads' blocked by natives armed with guns. Another section was also sent out to cover the march of the first party. It soon became evident that the position ■was' perilous. The mountains, to use the words of an officer present, ''appeared to be alive with natives, who were grouped along tlie terraces and among the boulders as thick as' gulls,'' and rolled down great stones on the force below. A harassing light ensued, and one soldier, who was standing near Captain Ileathcote, was bit in eleven places. Tile natives wore temporarily driven oil', and the sections pushed oil as rapidly as possible. When they returned to camp they found that ;i determined attack had been made on three sides. It was impossible to hold the position, and the force moved on for four miles to a place more easily defended. They were still withut guides, and with no'knowledge of the road. COUNTRY UXDER WATKH. As tlie column proceeded norlh. the tribes were found to be extremely restless and very suspicious. The eiimutic conditions became no easier, and, the whole country being under water, the feet of both officers and men were in a very bad condition. Eventually the force reached ils destination, north of the boundary, and the two Commissioners—the British with an escort of l.'lfl men and a Maxim, and the German with ninety men and a Maxim—returned along the boundary, and established a base camp ill the Gave country. Subsequently lieutenant llonian, when going lo the site of a new camp, was attacked by an overwhelming force, practically tile whole valley being in arms. He only had a small escort, and at an early stage the lock of his machine gun broke. The natives utterly regarded the machine gun,when it was in action, and repeatedly rushed tlie little force of thirty men on three sides. Lieutenant Hainan's helmet was shot oil at sixty paces, ft was imjierative to retire, but although tiie camp was only one mile distant this operation took three hours'. Simultaneously with tills the eamp was itself attacked, hut the enemy were driven oil' with great gallantry by the few men holding the place. There were over three hundred loads in camp, and despite overwhelming odds the place ivas successfully held GERM AX HELP. ' l)nring (lie night there was constant sniping, and there were several threats to rush the camp. In order to report what was going on Color-Sergeant Phillips got out of Ihe place, and at great personal risk made a splendid march to the main camp, doing the distance of ninety miles in three days. .Sergeant King also displayed heroic conduct at the time when the machine gun got out of order, and nt a critical moment steadied tile men in the face of the enemy's rush. The information received at the main camp showed how grave was the situation. and the Hermans were asked to assist the British. To this they readily agreed, a.nd the joint force 'marched out and exjierkiiieed the lighting, particulars of which were reported by Router's Agency last week. Waring the operation the natives employed tactics never before seen in XiJ geria. They were almost like trained troops. They were barely visible, and absolute silence prevailed in the lighting line, except for the raucous voice of IV leading chief, who directed his n.en in an unknown tonjjuo. ;