ADVENTURE IN AFRICA

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXIX, Issue 4746, 14 September 1935, Page 6

ADVENTURE IN AFRICA

MASAI WARRIOR "BLOODING" Major C. E. V. Buxton, who faced and drove off a crowd of Masai warriors, has had the lawlessness of the fierce tribe forced on his attention more than ;once during the many years he has been District Commissioner on the Masai Reserve, East Africa. He has also figured in exciting incidents with big game, which abounds on the reserve (writes a special correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, London). I made his acquaintance in the Kenya wilds in May, 1929, when, with a companion I was half way on my journey on foot from Capetown to Cairo. The night before our meeting a crowd of young Masai warriors, who had just completed their initiation ceremonies, had burst through our camp, hooting in imitation of hyenas, and waving their great broad-bladed spears and hide shields.

Surprised at the suddenness of the onslaught, we had been on the point of shooting, which would have led to a nasty situation. Fortunately we held our hands, and shouted at them in their own tongue. The incident might well have proved serious, for the Masai are the fiercest of all African tribes. Nomads, roaming the wide reserve that lies between Nairobi and the Tanganyika border, they subsist entirely on their cattle. Before a young Masai is allowed to wear the lion mane head-dress of warriorhood,. he must kill a lion with a spear in single combat. In the old days the "blooding" of a spear was achieved by killing an enemy tribesman.

The day after the incident we were making for- Kajiado, Major Buxton's headquarters, to report. A "rogue" elephant charged us suddenly. As we were on a game reserve we did not try to shoot, but bolted! At that moment a car, carrying Major Buxton, his wife, and a native gun-bearer, came slowly along the track. I saw that they were in extreme danger, as the car would pass slowly within a few yards of the elephant. I was certain that the brute would charge. I yelled to Major Buxton to accelerate. He did so, and the car came forward with a rush and bounced across the stream. I then explained the situation. Major Buxton acted at once.

We took our guns and surrounded the spot where the elephant had been standing, but the brute had suddenly closed the incident for us by slipping silently away while we were talking!