20,000 HORSEMEN.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 30 May 1925, Page 10

20,000 HORSEMEN.

WONDERFUL DURBAR. FOR THE PRINCE.

MEDIAEVAL THRILLS AND SPLENDOUR •

(From G. Ward Price: Special Correspondent with the Prince of Wales.) The Royal Stand at the Durbar, KANC' (Nigeria), April 20. Around Kano stretches a moiioton-ou-d tree-studded, dusty plain. Across its yellowness was ranged early this morning a. two-iniles-Jong parterre, at those vivid elementary colours which native taste, with instinctive artistry, affects.

In advance of this human, barrier which barred the horizon of the plain from view, was an even more brilliant mass of colour, which spiead clown from bulky turbans in a chromatic cascade of flowing robes to the richly wrought .saddle-clotlis of the owners’ wiry ponies. I>rawn up on tlieir front were two battalions of the Zoua-ve-jacketed Nigeria. Regiment and the most remarkable battery of artillery in the world. Tt is the only battery in existence whose gun si are carried’on the heads of the gunner*. They moved on parade with their whole equipment slung j in a sort of stretcher, supported by pad- 1 on two men’s shoulders. The Pri-noe drove' on to the' ground ] to a stand formed of the historic war tent of■ the Emir of Kano—a. rough-! and-ready affair of parti-coloured can-j va-. that a. 100 years ago saw much slaughter. Then, after the Nigerian Regiment had marched past in the most correct j Aldershot style, we had a tsudc"en glimpse of an older and showier kind of warfare.

BATTLE MUSTO. From the dense background of natives, mounted and on loot, there burst a tumult of shouting, shot'V, and iantastic fanfares on strange musical instruments. Suddenly the motionless mob oi waiting housemen “boiled over.” in groups of 40, at full gallop, they sprang fonvaid, their spears raised above their heads, their vivid robes streaming out. Thirty yards from the Prince- they wheeled, swiftly as cats, ancl 'dashed oft to give piace to' others. liut the barbaric splendour of the j march-part of the huge mounted host of Elmirs and their retainer's, 20,005 strong, which followed, furnished such a spectacle a.s. fe w white men since the Oru ■aders have looked upon. Here came a throng wlio.se horses were ridden beneath quilted armour ,in purple, green, and heliotrope stripes while the riders had curious brass helmet* surrounded with towering black ostrich leather plumes. Erich chief brought his own tumult << cacophonous instruments—trumpets long a/: lances, with strange twisted horns, oddlv thrilling drums from tlwf size of a tambourine to that of a dining table. Chain mail glistened beside leopard skin. Shrill war c-riesi split the air. Banners flaunted. Flashing broad swords curved and scimitars whirled in an are of light. JESTERS IN SKINS. Ponies plunged ancl danced. Riders of camels sprang co. tlieir reel or.) the high —•dominating the whole procession— to throw then weapons into the air and re-catch them. Every functionary of. a mediaeval court was there. Jebsers in skins were posturing and caj>eiin.g ancl battering tlieir neighbours, not with bladders but with clubs,. Mounted . pages sedulously funno-u their lords. Troupes of dancers stopped to beat their dusty measures before the Prince. Small naked boys ponied water from gourds to lay the stifling clouds. All these 20,0J0 excited black faces were turned towards one slender, white-uniformed figure, slashed across by the rich blue ribbon of the Garter, hut otherwise un,ornamented except for the green and white hackle of the Welsh Guards set in his spiked tropical helmet.

Some of the Hausa horde had travelled five weeks through the bush to «ee him, bringing food for themselves and their camels with them.