AN ARAB RAIDING EXPEDITION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 88, 15 April 1899, Page 1 (Supplement)

AN ARAB RAIDING EXPEDITION.

AN INCIDENT STILL OF COMMON

OCCURRENCE.

Perhaps the simplest method of describing the raiding system as practised by tho

Arab bands in the; forest region between'

the Aruimi and the Congo, would be in

the form of a brief narrative of events:

based upon personal observation. The

caravan whose adventures we are to fol-

low was under the command of Osmani,

a middle-aged Arab, who had penetrated the continent from Zanzibar more than. 20 years before. For two weary weeks the wretched party had travelled through; an uninhabited portion of the great forest, trudging each day through denselymatted undergrowth beneath the impenetrable canopy of primeval trees, and sleeping each night, hungry and weary, upon the sodden ground in the vitiated atmosphere of decaying vegetation. One afternoon, when the party was almost in a condition of despair, one' of the Manyema followers sustained a deep flesh1 wound from a hardwood spear, which1 had been artfully concealed in the bushes beside a well-worn elephant track as a. trap, for the natives of the forest are well skilled in woodcraft. Upon discovering this evidence of man's existence in the vicinity, the caravan halted, while scouts were sent to survey the surrounding country. In a short time it was re^ ported that within an hour's march a large native village had been sighted.: Osmani's instructions were brief: 'Two hours before the dawn we march upon that village. To-nig*t no fires, no noise,, Sikia!'

The night air grew gradually colder. A fierce storm ; swept over the forest, and the rain, filtering through the thick foliage overhead, trickled in continuous streams upon the naked bodies of the raiders. It was still dark and raining when the hoarse whisper, 'Tendele! Tendele upesi!' (march, march quickly), passed from one to another. The party set forth in single file;, no word was spoken, and the only sound that betokened their, progress was a slight swishing of leaves , and the muffled tread of .naked feet upon the spongy ground. Upon nearing the village clearing each man buckled hia ammunition belt more tightly around hia waist, and wound a-strip of dirty -white cotton cloth about his head to serve as a distinguishing mark in the .coming attack upon the naked natives. With, a shrill 'Hae Yah!' the raiders fired their first volley directly towards the huts where tha natives were sleeping, 'Llah—la—ihu!'-. roared the Manyema, as they' crashed through the bushes into the midst of a ? multitude of panic-stricken savages, chasing the black figures hither and thither.;. Women and children shrieked, fowls, flew cackling towards the woods, men's deep voices shouted incoherently; but the loud rifle reports and shouts of the relentless Manyema drowned all other sounds..Sooty the village became enveloped ma dens© white fog of sulphurous smoke and* mist, in the obscurity of which the' raiders' guns flashed forth tongues of fire. i;.i : Gradually the tumult ceased.' The cool morning breeze dispelled the heavy cloud of mist and smoke, revealing the victorious raiders swaggering through > the devastated village, driving scores of .miserable women and children secured together in couples by means: of lashings around ■ , the wrists. Soon the early morning suu. shone.:in all its Iradiance, its bright beams •glinting; through the'distan£ trees;,in,sa£... ■contrast to thfe desolation of dead bodies and smouldering huts. By noon the raiders had established themselves in the former home of the natives ;• a rongh zerlba of brushwood was formed around tha outside to serve as a precaution against any sudden attack,: and the trembling captives were placed in the centime under, a watchful guard. . .

A few days after the attack upon the village the Arab . chief Osmani gave instructions for two of the oldest of thb captive women to be liberated. .Two fee r ble creatures were .brought forth;, and stood in abject terror before .the niaraudA ing chief. 'Go to your people who are hiding in the forest,' said the Arab, 'Tell' them their women are still alive, a,nd tell them we will set them free when they, bring us elephant tusks. For each: tusk of. an elephant we will give back one ■woman. If within five days from now they, do not come to us with ivory, we •will take the women with us to another coun- ; try and sell them to people who will kill and eat them. Go! *Teli our words truly/i When: the poor women realised theyi were free to depart they darted i forward; with extraordinary agility into the woods*:

On the morning of the fifth-day tha Arab camp was hailed by a voice from the* forest: 'Is it. true that our women aro' still alive?' 'It is true; it is indeed true,';; replied a Manyema in the native dialect.;. 'I bring the tusks of elephants. But first let me hear their voices, that I may know: you speak truly.' The women we're soonproduced, and were made to shout a reply,to the native chief, who was all this time: concealed from sight among the trees.;After much delay,during which the Many- 1 ema in'turns coaxed and threatened "the timid and suspicious native, the young» chief at length mustered sufficient'cour-* age to step forth. -Depositing his burden:' of ivory in the ope,n heglanced meaningly,' in the direction of the Arab's camp. In-1 stantiy several women were liberated;'" and they rushed to the "woods. In'tliia] fashion, during several subsequent days,' the Arab chief was gradually relieved b'f'' his prisoners, and in their place he bes-! came enriched by a substantial, stock 6f^ ivory.—'CasseH's Magazine.' . ' ,'