IN NIGERIA.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13908, 20 May 1909, Page 3

IN NIGERIA.

ITCHTING AVITH CANNIBALS. Details have reached Britain says Reuters Agency, . of the events which led up to tlio recent lighting in Nigeria between the cannibal tribes and the Anglo-German Boundary Commission. Particulars are also given of a particularly hazardous and arduous inarch of the British column to join Colonel Whitlock, the British Commissioner. The force under the command of Captain C. E. Heatlicote, Ist Southern Nigeria Regiment, with Lieutenants Homan and Hicks, consisted of 180 men and a Maxim, and started from the Cross River to join the Commissioners near the Anglo-German boundary. Soon after it left Ikom it entered entirely unknown country inhabited by the Gave tribe, a people who practice cannibalism in its- worst forms,'for they not only eat. their enemies who are killed in war, but also devour the bodies of those who die from natural causes. They had never seen a white man. The march was very difficult. It was made during the height of rains, and both officers and men were continually going througn water, always ankle deep, and often waist deep. ATTACKED AT DAWN. Opposition began at soon as the Gayc country was entered. The practically naked f-innihals stoutly oniv-sed an advance. The men who had hitherto acted as guides ran away, and the Gaycs declined to render any assistance. For greater safety the forepushed on to the mountains, and camped there for the first night. The night was a very anxious and uncomfortable one. The rain was torrential, and the hills all round were dotted with native compounds, all of which had been cleared, as evidence of hostility. At dawn the Gaycs attacked the camp. Captain Heatlicote had dispatched a small section to recover stores which had been stolen on the previous day, but- this force had scarcely left the 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 a perilous one. The mountains, to use the words of an officer present, •■amieared alive with natives, who were grouped along the terraces and among the boulders as thick as gulls.,'.' and rolled down great stones upon the f ° rC EEI!rAT CURTAIN'S SIDE. A harassing 'fight ensued, and one soldier who was standing near Captain Heatlicote was hit in eleven places with shots from Dane guns, and subseouentlv died. The natives were temporarily driven on. and the sections pushed on as rapidly as possible. When thev returned to camp they found that a determined attack had been made on three sides. It was impossible to hold the position, and the force moved on lor lour miles to a place more easily del ended. nicy were'still without guides, and with no knowledge of the road. The climatic conditions became no easier, and the whole country u. under water, the feet of both ofiicers and men were in a very bad condition. Eventually the force reached its destination, 'north of the boundary, and the two Commissioners—the ' British with an escort of 130 men and a iuaxinr and the German with 90 men and a maxim—returned along, the boundary and established a base, camp in. tncGave country. A GALLANT EIGHT. Lieutenant Homan, when going to the site of a new camn, was. attacked by an overwhelming force, practically the whole valley being in arms. He had only a small escort, and at an earlv stage the .lock of his machine gun*'broke. The natives utterly dis-

Hoarded the machine S«i 'J was in action, and repeatedly "" the little force of thirty men on three Roman's helmet was shot .•II 'at lx» lwe.s. It "i |fl iii'peratno to I(; tire ; but although the camp was on J one mile distant, tins op.uat.un t. >K I, w nours. .smn'ltaiu-oiisly «..th tl s the camp was "itself attacked, but the enemv were driven off with great g.uantrv by the few men holding the place. Despite' overwhelming odds the place was successfully held. During the uio-lit there was constant sniping, and there wore sennal threats to rush the camp. In order to report what was going on. Colour-Sergeant Phillips got out of the place, and at great personal risk, i,. : .(1-> a splendid march t(. the mam eamp. doing the distance of 90 mi es in three days. Sergeant King also displayed heroic conduct at the time when the machine gun got out ot ord»r and, at a critical moment, steadied the' men in -the .face of the enemy s rush. The . information received at the main eamp showed how grave was the viLuation. md the Germans were asked in. assist the British. To this they readily agreed, and the yiint force inarched out and expen-eiv'-r] the fi"rliting. "During the operations the natives einploved tactics never hefor* seen i" Nigeria Thev were almost lik" trained troons. They' were hnrelv visible, syul plisol»te silence prevailed in the fightit.2: line, evcept for the raucous vcico of leadinn- chief, who directed his men in an unknown tongue. .. T'.,<re v. a« plentv. of sliouti-ig and veiling. |,, nv .. v „ r . from the rabble who followed the fighting' men.