FIGHTING POISONED ARROWS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1533, 18 July 1901, Page 17

FIGHTING POISONED ARROWS

WHITE MAN’S METHODS MORE THAN A MATCH FOR THEM. The London “Gazette” contains dispatches trom Sir Frederick Lugard ta th e Secretary for the Colonies relating to the successful operations of last year in Northern Nigeria, undertaken against the Munshi tribes. r lue principal dispatch is dated July 4th, 190 U. The Munshis ar© a populous tribe, which originally inhabited the southern banks of the Benue along the Katsena River, but more latterly extended ateng the north bank for about fifty miles. They ar e pagans, and without any recognised chiefs, each clan or familv obeying only its own head (and even he has little control), and combining only for war. Sir Frederick Lugard describe* them as of fine physique, industrious, agriculturists, and brave warriors, continually fighting amongst themselves. Their well-built and clean villages are not walled, except those of the Agbede tribe, but the intervals between the outer houses are usually closed by stockade work. They have a character for extreme. lawlessness and disregard of life, and are reputed treacherous and thieves. Th e ordeal by poison is universal among them. They hav© held their own against neighbouring Mohammedans and others, mainly through the dread inspired by the extraordinarily deadly nature of their poisoned .arrows, a scratch from which means almost instant death. It is pointed out in a note by Colonel Sir J. Wilcocks (Commandant West African Frontier Force) that the Munshi Expedition was the first in which the West African Frontier Fore 1 © alone as a trained body of all the arms composing the force took part. It was a most gratifying fact to find tllat the Hausa and Yoruba soldiers had no hesitation in going straight at the enemy whenever they were met. The rapid fire oi the Maxim guns gave them immenst confidence, and did much “towards teaching tbem that the white man’s methods are certain to succeed so long as the soldiers will obey orders. The High Commissioner deplores th© large loss of life sustained in the fighting bv these “brave though lawless and turbulent pagans,” but considers that a “lesson such as the Kadaras received (a battle in which the British fore© sustained no casualties) becomes known over a very wide area, and prevents others who would otherwise be inclined to engage in the pastime of fighting from attacking Europeans.” The names of certain officers ara singled out for honourable mention. M. Verestchagin, the celebrated Russian painter cf war pictures, has just returned to Moscow from the Philippine Islands, where he has been making a lengthened stay and living in both the American and Filipino camps in order to get material for several pictures relating to the guerilla warfare there whioh. he is about to paint. Sir John Jaffray, Bart., a proprietor of the “Birmingham Journal,” “Birmingham Daily Post,” and “Birmingham Mail,” who died in January last, has left net personalty amounting to £555,521- ' __ Mr Kruger, as everyone knows, is a constant smoker. It is not, perhaps, well understood that no has only office tasted alcohol in his life. This was at Bloemfontein, after the signing of the alliance with the Free State. -Kruger is said to have taken off a bumper of champagne, and put down the glass with a face of disgust. The death is announced of Colonel Hastings D’Oyley Farrington, formerly of the 73rd Highlanders and Black Watch, and who later commanded tne Royal Warwickshire Regimental District. Colonel Farrington served in the Indian Mutiny, retired in 1892, and died on the 10th April, in his 63rd year. Mr W. H. Lever, of Sunlight Soap fame, who has purchased the Rivington Hall estate, at Chorley, Lancashire, proposes to remove the “Scotsman’s Pole” on Rivington Moor, which records the barbarous murder and robbery of John Henderson, Scottish draper, a native of Annan, in June, 1838.