Bennin - City of Blood

iiiiniiiM

CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

The tlie

original of

tliis

bool<

is in

Cornell University Library.

There are no known copyright

restrictions in

the United States on the use of the text.

http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028611709

BENIN THE CITY OF BLOOD

THE FIGHT AT OLOGBO.

Page

3S.

BENIN THE CITY OF BLOOD

BY

Commander R. H. BACON, R.N. INTELLIGENCE OFFICER TO THE EXPEDITION

ILLUSTRATED BY W.

H.

OVEREND

EDWARD ARNOLD NEW YORK

LONDON 37

Bedford Street

70 Fifth

1897

Avenue

PREFACE The

reasons for writing the story of the Benin

Expedition of 1897 are two in number.

and

for the relations to

have a

secondly,

full

to

future

to

happened, and,

on record certain

leave

organisation and equipment which in the

concerned

friends of those

account of what

officers

Firstly,

details

may be

of

useful

serving on similar ex-

peditions.

All

tendency to

enlarge

has

been

carefully

avoided, and the reader must kindly accept the

baldness of the narrative as surety for

its

lack of

exaggeration.

Mr. Overend's

illustrations

are from sketches

supplied by the Author and by the courtesy of the Proprietors of the Illustrated

London News.

CONTENTS CHAPTER

I

I'AGS

Preparations for the Expedition

CHAPTER Warrigi and Ceri

...

CHAPTER

13

II

....

26

III

Advance on Ologbo

36

CHAPTER

IV

Bush-Fighting

46

CHAPTER V Cross Roads and Agagi

58

CHAPTER

VI

Advance on and Capture of Benin

CHAPTER

....

72

VII

Benin

86

CHAPTER Life at Benin

VIII 99

9

10

CONTENTS CHAPTER

IX PAGE

Sapobar and Gwato

114

CHAPTER X Conclusion

127

Appendices

135

—

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

— The Fight at Ologbo

Frontispiece

View of Warrigi

To face page 26

Drawing a Plan of Benin City

...

»

3°

Bush-Fighting

„

50

Juju House at Benin

„

88

The Crucifixion Tree

„

92

Map of the Benin

District

At end

THE CITY OF BLOOD CHAPTER

I

PREPARATIONS FOR THE EXPEDITION

'"pRULY Blood.

history

Its

is

part of this century,

its

human

when

suffering

most acute form, but

the wanton sacrifice of that of

it

more recent

times.

In the earlier

was the centre of the

must here have reached

it is

life

City of

one long record of

savagery of the most debased kind.

slave trade,

The

has Benin been called

doubtful

even then

if

could have exceeded

Nothing that can be

called religion exists within its limits, only

paganism

of the most unenlightened description, with certain rites

and observances, which, from

cruelty,

their ferocious

have caused Benin to be the

superstitious idolatry

hundred miles inland.

and barbarity

The Benin

for

capital of

more than a

Juju

is

the Juju

;

THE CITY OF BLOOD

14

bowed

country,

water

by

to

tribes

even beyond the Kukuruku

and even holds the more

tribes,

now

for

civilised Jakri or

some years under English

protection, in a half doubtful belief.

Juju

a term of wide meaning, and embraces

is

every form of superstitious offering decree

to,

or imaginary

a god, from the gin-bottle hung on a

of,

branch to a human

magic and

sacrifice,

atrocities.

the culmination of their

The King

to a large exent

has had the right of placing the ban of Juju on

anything in his kingdom by the exercise of his mystical powers, and this he has often articles

done with

of commerce, such as rubber and ivory

and so by

his arbitrary decrees,

and the

servile

superstition of his subjects, prevented the trade in

these articles passing through his dominions. of the Jujus of the Beni

is

never to cross water

hence they never enter canoes, and trade

is

done by Jakris or

waterside Benin town has

Ijos its

One

;

all

the river

therefore each large

Jakri village or settle-

ment, inhabited by the agents of the chiefs and their

men

during trading operations.

This complete

isolation

from the water, and

therefore to a great extent from contact with white

PREPARATIONS FOR THE EXPEDITION

15

men, must have done much to prevent the smallest seeds of civilisation finding their

The King Jujus,

town

himself

he

until

To what

that he

is

made

must never enter the

king, nor ever after leave

it.

and how

it

extent this Juju

may work

binding,

is

to his ultimate death, or capture,

by

his betrayal

from the

is

to the capital.

supposed to have his limiting

is

one of which

way

his subjects,

city, will

now

from

that he has fled

be interesting to

see.^

But as

he appears to have the power of removing Juju certain cases, he

remove

their

Living

own

and

his wise

limitations

men may perhaps

and so save

his isolated city, the

in

in

their lives.

King and

his

predecessors have studiously withstood the incursion of white

men

have been

;

the few visits that have been paid

friendly,

negotiations or for

either

in

making a

the form of trade

treaty, as in the case

of Captain Gallwey's mission in 1894. case,

at

all

But

in

no

events of late years, have the few

missions that have been allowed access to the city

been treated except the

The ^

in

any but the most friendly manner,

ill-fated

expedition of January

1897.

explanation of the mission, the reason of Since the above was written the King has been captured.

its

THE CITY OF BLOOD

i6

confidence

the

undertaking,

friendly attitude of the natives,

any weapons of defence, must

men who

those brave

death

has created

a

distress of all

and

rest in the

loss

to

the

felt for

who knew them

Coast was grievous to capabilities

and the absence of

see,

qualities

and the

graves of

and whose

lost their lives,

Protectorate which must be

The

the last in the

to

Niger Coast years to come.

out on the

West

tributes to their

were evidently not merely

due to the brutality of the massacre, but to the great loss their friends and the Protectorate had sustained.

The known points

history of the painful massacre

too well

But there are one or two

to recapitulate. it is

is

well to dwell on.

Firstly,

The King

he was "making

sent a message to say that

his father,"

and did not wish

to

receive the mission. Secondly, Mr.

King to

tell

him

Phillips sent

that the mission

a message to the

was of importance

and could not be delayed, to which an answer was sent that the Thirdly,

King would

The

the mission for

receive the mission.

King's messengers accompanied

some

distance,

and then

left,

at their

;;

PREPARATIONS FOR THE EXPEDITION

own

wish, to inform the

17

King of the approach

of

the mission.

no member

Fourthly, the express

weapon, which were

and so

certain

the

getting their

"

:

No

after

that,

suggested

officers last

being

of

pacifically,

the

revolvers,

man

gallant

this

natives

heard to say were

at

wore any

Phillips,

commenced and

attack

expedition,

locked up in their boxes

all

was

able to treat the

Mr.

of

desire

of the

words he was

revolvers, gentlemen

no revolvers."

Now, "making

one's

father"

an African

is

native custom, which takes place once a year, and is

an excuse

for general holiday

drinking and dancing

debased natives,

making, eating,

and, in the case of the

;

human and

sacrifices,

otherwise.

That King Duboar would not have cared Englishmen present

at

more

to

have

Benin during his fiendish

orgies one can well imagine

would not a gallant man

;

but, at the like

same

time,

Phillips probably

think that the presence of his mission might restrain the blood-lust of the

King and Juju

priests,

and

perhaps save some poor creatures from an untimely death

?

It

was not the

sort of excuse to deter such

THE CITY OF BLOOD

i8

a man, or any of those

who accompanied

Queen, from

him,

continuing

their

mission to a Sovereign in treaty with her.

We

representing

the

have heard the

Little

England wail of

interfering

There

with the prerogatives of native royalty. are,

however, some prerogatives of native royalty

that

make

interference necessary.

Treachery of a planned and deliberate nature

was incontestably proved against the King and army, and

it

is

his

may

only to be hoped that he

eventually be caught and pay the penalty of his crimes.

The massacre took

place on January

4,

1897,

but the news did not reach Admiral Rawson, the

Commander-in-Chief of the

He to

station,

immediately ordered the Widgeon and Alecto

Benin River, and the Phcebe to Brass, as the

effect

of

the

previously had

news on given

the

On

Philomel was ordered to Brass. the

chiefs,

who

trouble,

was

Brass

considerable

expected to be disquieting.

till

the loth.

till

the

But

14th it

the

was not

15th that orders were received from the

Admiralty to organise an expedition against Benin,

and

I

venture to think that the Commander-in-

PREPARATIONS FOR THE EXPEDITION Chief and Captain Egerton, Chief of the

19

may

Staff,

be congratulated on having performed a feat of organisation and equipment which has never been equalled in similar expeditions.

In twenty -nine

days to

and land a

collect, provision, organise,

force

of 1200 men, coming from three places ranging

between 3000 and 4500 miles from the position of attack

:

to march,

by an unknown and waterless road,

through dense bush held by a warlike

and

five days,

chief

town

been

left

in thirty-four

in twelve

;

days to have taken the

days more, the

city

to the Protectorate forces, to

embarked

have

re-

any other place where circumstances

might require them, vellous that

having

the men, and coaled the ships ready

all

to proceed to

To

race, fighting

it is

is

a feat that seems so mar-

scarcely credible.

understand the position of

15th of January, the

first

affairs

on the

thing to consider

is

the

geographical situation of the ships.

H.M.S.

St.

George at Simons Town, with a

small dockyard under her

lee.

Theseus and Forte at Malta, 8000 miles

and

practically out of range of

meagre

telegraphic

orders,

off,

any but the most

and

technically

not

THE CITY OF BLOOD

20

under

the

station

till

Commander-in-Chief of the African after leaving

Philomel and

Gibraltar.

Phoebe under orders from their cruising positions to Brass,

and therefore having only the ordinary stores

on board. Alecto up the Gambia, and out of telegraphic

Widgeon

communication.

at

Brass.

Malacca

promised from England. All details as to nature of ground, exact positions

of places, water supply, and local resources were absolutely unknown.

So

that the condition at headquarters was, that

the St. George would have to provide and ship any extra stores of special nature for

the ships of

all

the expedition which the operations on the coast

might require.

The

only ships near a dockyard

were the Theseus and Forte, and although they

were sure to arrive equipped, as could foresee, with still

there were

all

many

far as their officers

necessary gear for themselves, things required

by the

vicissi-

tudes of the special form of climate which they

might have overlooked. Previous small campaigns which had been under-

taken by ships on both the East and

West Coasts

;

PREPARATIONS FOR THE EXPEDITION had supplied plenty of experience as equipment

to the necessary-

for kits, commissariat, carriers,

so that on the 20th

H.M.S.

St.

21

and water,

George was able

to leave with every article, except those ordered

from England

in the

Malacca, to supplement the

ordinary ship's stores and equip the expedition.

Broadly speaking, a man-of-war contains material in

a state of

sufficient readiness to land

force in case of necessity

such a force

is

at

an armed

immediate notice

not equipped for more than one

day's marching, but rather for occupying a fixed base, since details arise requiring considerable pre-

paration, is

when

transport of water and provisions

necessary.

The

late

expedition was one through dense

bush, in an unhealthy climate, where the only

means

of transport was by carriers, each load being limited to approximately fifty-four pounds.

All provision,

-baggage, water, and ammunition loads had therefore to

be made up to

No

this weight.

contractors or

outside labour are available, and therefore on these

occasions ships' contractors,

companies have to be

and material has

packed, and even the boxes

to

their

own

be weighed and

made and

sealed

by

THE CITY OF BLOOD

22

the

same men who are eventually going

and

fight.

For convenience of

were packed

in

tin-lined

box contained rations one day, complete

in

camp was avoided

and each

twenty

-

men

four

for

every detail to candles and

in

By this means

matches.

march

issue the provisions

biscuit-boxes,

for

to

;

all

weighing when issuing

and also the contents of each

box being consumed daily prevented

loss

from

deterioration of the ullage cases.

The

seamen's kits were packed in ordinary

painted canvas bags, four kits to a bag, and each

bag marked and numbered according and

also painted with

means

all

its

to

its

company,

By

divisional colour.

confusion in issue on arrival in

this

camp was

avoided. All available for water,

them.

empty kerosene

and wooden bases

tins

were obtained

fitted to

strengthen

Every one-pound and half-pound

tin pro-

curable was collected and used for packing coffee, tea, etc., inside the provision boxes.

The weighing

out and fitting these boxes was carried on on board the St. George during the passage from Simon's

Bay

to Brass.

The

found in Appendix.

contents of each box will be

PREPARA TIONS FOR THE EXPEDITION While the

St.

23

George was busy at Simons Bay,

the Theseus and Forte were by no means idle at

On

Malta.

was made

Friday the 15th, at 9 a.m., the signal

to

these two ships to prepare for sea,

both of them had their engines to pieces, portions of those belonging to the Forte being in the dock-

The

yard.

Theseus had practically no coal, pro-

visions, or stores

on board, as she was expecting

a triennial survey of

The whole

bunkers. provisions,

Both ships

Gibraltar.

storerooms and

coal

of her stores for six months,

and 1000 tons of

and she was ready hours.

her

to

start

left at

coal

were taken

within

in,

twenty-four

4 p.m. on the i6th for

During the passage there was ample

time to think of extras required, and twenty-four

hours at Gibraltar gave opportunity to complete with coal and to draw

all

extras in the

way of

waterproof sheets, medical stores, tents and extra

ammunition.

On

and carpenters

making other

the further passage, blacksmiths

were

portable

accessories

employed

mountings that

might

for

day and

night

Maxims,

prove

to

and

be

of

use.

In England matters were equally prompt.

The

THE CITY OF BLOOD

24

P.

and O. ship Malacca was actually leaving the

when she was overtaken and

Thames

with a cargo

recalled,

and her cargo discharged.

She was

and within five days was fitted as a hospital

coaled,

ship, with

ice-rooms and every appliance which medical and surgical science could suggest. itself

preparations were

The

native

rapidly assuming shape.

called

troops,

assembled at Warrigi

;

At the Protectorate

Houssas,

a hundred

men

were

being

of the

West

India Regiment were ordered from Sierra Leone to

Accassar to hold the Brass chiefs in check

;

Mr.

Turner of the Protectorate was raising a Lagos contingent of

fifty

men

to

act as

much good

scouts,

which

during

the

eventually

did

advance.

Surveys and collection of intelligence

service

were being conducted by the Protectorate with

great energy,

in

spite

of the

officers

enervating

nature of the climate and the difficulties of the country.

All these threads were being woven,

ready to be joined together with the least delay

on the

arrival

of

the

various

detachments

at

Brass.

The place

reason for the selection of Brass for the

of assembly was that

it

was the nearest

PREPARATIONS FOR THE EXPEDITION

25

telegraph station to Forcados, and Forcados, hav-

ing a fairly deep bar which ships drawing twenty feet of

water could cross, was preferable as the

ships' base to the shallower but nearer bar of the

Benin River.

CHAPTER

II

WARRIGI AND CERI

/^N February 4th, ^^ portion of his

Admiral

staff,

Rawson and a

with Colonel Hamilton,

accompanied Consul-General Moor

in

his yacht,

the Ivy, to Sapele, to personally inspect the selected base, Warrigi,

and to introduce himself to the scenes

of future operations.

The passage from Forcados

Bar

to Sapele

new

to the scenery of the

is

one of great interest to anyone

While eight miles

West

African rivers.

outside, with the shore almost

indistinguishable from a

mere blue

streak,

a small

black buoy has to be found which marks the sandy

bar that guards the river mouth. this, rollers

Steering past

are seen breaking on each side where

the shallows are, and even in mid-channel, in twenty feet of water, the size of the rollers

unpleasant place

it

would be

in

show what an

bad weather.

entering Forcados River a sharp turn :6

is

After

made

to

WARRIGI AND CERT the in

and the ship almost

left,

at

27

once finds herself

a series of narrow creeks, with mangrove trees,

and nothing but mangrove their

trees,

on either

side,

branched roots and long weepers giving them

a most uncanny appearance.

The banks

here and there show, by unmistak-

able signs, places where

steamers have crashed

into the trees in attempting

turns

in fact, so

;

many

sharp are

that they can only

some of the narrow of these corners

be negotiated by single screw

ships in this primitive and uncomfortable manner.

For four or

mangrove emerged called to

five

trees

into the

hours these incessant lanes of

were

passed,

To

the

Gwato Creek, scanned with

Phillips

Benin,

and

at

last

we

Benin River, close to a few huts

Young Town.

road to

until

in

fact

the

his expedition

;

left

lay the entrance

interest as the usual

one taken by poor

and one of the points

of future attack.

Proceeding up the river to Sapele, the entrance to Ologi, or for

Ologbo Creek, was an object of

interest,

on the nature of that creek above Ologbo

depended the whole of the scheme of attack on the city of Benin.

;

THE CITY OF BLOOD

28

about two hours

Warrigi was reached

where signs of

wards,

were

activity

after-

apparent

provisions were being landed, a pier built, and a large portion of the bush cleared to build store-

houses.

Four miles

farther

on we arrived

at Sapele,

and

Ivy anchored near the hulk, " Hindoostan,"

the

which forms the English Consulate. all sorts,

Intelligence of

was badly needed, and a large number of

native carriers were required to supplement those

A

from Sierra Leone and Warri. friendly

Jakri

chiefs

meeting of the

was therefore

called for the

7th by Captain Gallwey, the Vice-Consul. officer,

so well

known throughout

was one of the very few

who knew

the Protectorate,

left after

this district intimately

This

;

the massacre

his

knowledge

both of the place and the natives, as well as his experiences of Benin, were invaluable in gathering information necessary to the campaign.

The meeting court-house

of these chiefs took place in the

of the

old

Vice-Consulate

at

New

Benin, the trade settlement at the entrance of the river.

men

was a quaint

all

the chiefs were

of more or less importance,

with the most

It

sight

;

WARRIGI AND CERI

29

vividly-coloured loose sort of skirts tucked round

the waist, which seemed most uncomfortable, and

always on the point of

The more

down.

falling

important ones wore plush jackets, again of the

most vivid hue, and round

their necks

and arms

were coral charms and bracelets worth

They were allowed

cases several hundred pounds. to

some

in

be seated while the proclamation

telling of the

massacre and the measures that were being taken against Benin was read out. tell

It

was impossible

from their faces what they thought, but

it

to

must

have been with a shade of scepticism that they heard that the King was to be king no more, his

town taken, and

his Juju priests,

if

possible, killed,

the Juju houses burned, and the Benin Juju for ever

broken,

—that

traditions,

and

Juju which had lasted through in

all

which they themselves had a sort of

half hankering belief.

Yet they had the example of

Nana, who had defied the White Queen, and was

now a

prisoner hundreds of miles away.

events,

numbers

their tribes supplied to

help

in

meeting broke up.

the

all

in

sufficient

palaver,

and the

carriers

war

At

Afterwards,

men who had

been to Benin were examined, and on the

floor

THE CITY OF BLOOD

30

of the Consulate, with patience and the expenditure of

matches, corks, and pieces of paper, a plan

many

made which

of Benin was

few

eventually, except in a

turned out to be very correct; but

details,

it

sight to see these black beings with

was a queer

the tribe-mark gashes on their cheeks and bodies,

done

their hair at times

warming

their

to

making a sand

most

in the

work,

fantastic plaits,

pleased as children

as

they gradually traced out

castle, as

made

the only plan they had ever

or are ever likely

to help in again.

An

average nigger of low type

compunction gained by

if

it,

there

and

is

the slightest thing to be

gained one way or the

ask a nigger thought

is

he want

me

:

" to

the distance. to

how

Why go

when nothing can be

often,

indifference to telling a far

other,

lie it

out

is

to

If

a place, his

man want

to

you first

know ?

and consequently doubles

Questions about a place always have

be prefaced by an assurance, "

wanted to go there." is

also very slow

it

works

well,

of absolute

or the truth.

does white

there,"

without

lies

;

The

You

are not

brain of the black

when once

fairly

man

on a subject

and he has a good memory, but

o z

WARRIGI AND CERT change from one point his brain cannot

to another

do so

he thoroughly gets

tion before

new

subject.

to manipulate

They

and apparently

and

quickly,

some few minutes of waiting and

31

will

it

take

patient interroga-

in

touch with the

are not, therefore, easy people

from an intelligence point of view.

Again, as regards distance the native mind chaotic

The

;

the only measure of distance

time.

only times recognised are 6 a.m., noon, and

6 p.m.

:

and

sunrise, noon,

Mohammedans

is

sunset.

are rather better, for they have

Any

intervening prayer-times. miles

by

is

is

" not so far."

After

distance under four

much

patient cross-

examination the distance to Benin was fixed at eighteeen miles by the bush path, but

eventually

it

turned out to be twenty-one.

We were lucky in

obtaining guides for the road

The

from Ologbo to Benin.

by name

chief one,

Owaghi, turned out to be a good

fellow,

and by no

means a coward.

The Ologbo- Benin used by

Nana

carried the

route

in his trade

palm

.oil

was the one

with the interior.

and other produce

and thence the Jakri men

in

to

chiefly

Slaves

Ologbo,

canoes transported

it

THE CITY OF BLOOD

32

down

the

Ologbo Creek

When in

the Benin River.

many

to the white traders 1

of his people settled

894 Nana was smashed,

down

at Ceri, a village

some two miles below Ologbo, on the opposite of the creek, and mile or two of

some smaller Here they

it.

on

side

villages within a

lived apparently in

constant fear of the Beni, for the narrow strip of

water of Ologbo Creek, and the water Juju of the Beni, were

that prevented

all

eventual sacrifice at Benin.

much

progress had been

At Warrigi and Ceri

made

in the

made between

road had been

a raid and their

work, a broad

these places, and

Colonel Hamilton and his Houssas having marched to Ceri

camp

on the

had there made an excellent

6th,

for the ist

and 2nd Divisions,

being quartered in Ceri villages.

his

own men

A

road was

being pushed on from Ceri to opposite Ologbo, so as to advance one column

bank of the

river.

covered on the

At

if

necessary by the right

the outset,

riverside,

swamp was

dis-

and the road cut by

Captain Cockburn of the N.C.P.F. at the edge of the marsh was, on survey, found to have a general

bearing of E.S.E., whereas Ologbo was suspected of bearing N.E.

A

night survey of the river by

WARRIGI AND CERI

Commander Startin, confirmed

Captains Gallwey andCockburn

which

this,

practically

following the riverbank

question

bridging

of

33

out

the

of

put

all

idea of

The

question.

now depended

river

on the nature of the bank on the opposite

and

could only be ascertained by an armed

this

In the meantime

reconnaissance.

make a suspension the guns

I

had orders

to

bridge strong enough to take

was ready

to

throw

reconnaissance, under Colonel

Ham-

eight hours

in

;

The

across.

side,

it

however, showed the bank on the Ologbo

ilton,

side to

be

anything worse than that near Ceri,

if

and taking

into consideration the labour of

a corduroy road a mile or more

making

in length, all idea

of bridging had to be given up, and water transport resorted

Of

to.

and delay

in

our

to being able to

walk over

;

it

course this meant a great break line of

communications compared

have a bridge

also

for the carriers to

meant an additional dep6t

Ologbo, but there was no help for

The Primrose, one

at

it.

of the Protectorate launches,

and two surf-boats were available

at Ceri, six large

canoes were expected, and a second launch and

more

surf-boats 3

were sent

for.

In spite, however,

THE CITY OF BLOOD

34

of this alteration in transport, no delay

of in the advance, as the

and

ships

their

men were

entering

was thought

actually leaving

more

the

malarial

districts.

The

time of disembarkation had been arranged

so that after the day of landing a continued advance as far as possible

time the

was made

daily, since the shorter

men were exposed

better they

would be prepared

to

the climate the

to

march and

fight,

and the success of the operations greatly depended on having no fever the

till

major portion of

work had been accomplished.

So much had been the

after the

non-fighting

written

qualities

and said

of the

Commander-in-Chief decided

Beni,

to cut

landed to seven hundred, instead

lately as to

down of

that

the

the

men

employing

twelve hundred as originally intended, since the

fewer

men exposed

to the influence of the climate

the better.

On

the 9th the disembarkation from the ships

to the branch steamers

Philomel,

was commenced, and the

Widgeon, and

Gwato Creek

to

Barrosa

proceeded

to

keep the Gwato army employed,

while the Alecto and Phoebe were ready to

start

;

WARRIGI AND CERI their

men

direction,

for

Sapobar

and

to cut off

any

35

fugitives in that

keep the Ugugu and Soko people

to

employed and prevent them marching

On

to Benin.

the loth the steamers arrived at Warrigi

on the nth the Admiral and Staff and

ist

and

2nd Divisions landed and marched seven miles to

One

Ceri.

death from sunstroke occurred on

board the steamers, and two or three bad cases out on the march up.

The

fell

heat was very great,

portions of the road being quite unsheltered from

the sun

;

excellent,

but the general health of the

and

all

were

men was

in great spirits at the pro-

spect of an early brush with the enemy.

CHAPTER

III

ADVANCE ON OLOGBO

nn* H E number not

of the

known

;

there with a large

enemy holding Ologbo was

six chiefs

were supposed

number of

soldiers,

but

to it

be

was

expected that the main army would be on the

Gwato Road that the

or at Benin.

camp

no way

in

as to

an early

might

is

have escaped the

who would be

sure to

to help their water Juju.

taken

by bush

was, however, certain

at Ceri could not

attention of the Beni,

good stand

It

to excite the

make a

Care was

enemy's suspicions

attack, as a water landing protected

easy of defence, and considerable losses

easily

be incurred

if

the

enemy

obstinately

defended the landing-place. Early on the morning of the 12th February the

advance began. N.C.P.

men,

Colonel Hamilton, with sixty-two

twenty -nine

Division, with one

of

A

Company

Maxim, under Lieutenant 36

ist

Fyler,

ADVANCE ON OLOGBO R.N.,

and

another

under

N.C.P.F., were embarked

two surf-boats

Maxim was

in addition

to search the

The hundred

make

to

Captain

in

the

37

Primrose and

the

first

Burrows,

One

landing.

mounted on the Primrose

bush and cover the disembarkation.

river

from Ceri to Ologbo

is

only one

broad, and winds considerably, and

feet

dense bush everywhere extends to the water's edge.

Had

the

enemy possessed knowledge

pluck they might have given

us,

on

equal to their

this

and several

Two

other occasions, a severe reception. turns in the river were negotiable only

sharp

by running

the Primrose into the bank and then bringing the stream, which ran about two knots, on the right bow, to fall off into

mid-stream again.

have been two very awkward

enemy but known our

the

These might minutes had

five

plight.

Nearing Ologbo the Maxim was played on the bush in

to dislodge

ambush.

No

any enemy that might have been firing

the force disembarked

The situated

was returned, and

by wading ashore.

Jakri or waterside village of

as

shown

in

at 8.10

the

map.

Ologbo was

It

had been

burned, just after the massacre, by Captain Burrows,

THE CITY OF BLOOD

38

the

From

Commissioner.

district

narrow avenue some

the water a

yards long led to the

fifty

ruined houses and an open plateau roughly circular,

with a diameter of about one hundred yards

;

with

the exception of the avenue, this plateau was com-

by bush

pletely surrounded

centre

a

offered

extend the

men

Maxims.

A

suitable

;

a slight

rise

in the

on which

position

in skirmishing order

to

and place the

searching volley soon disclosed the

enemy, who commenced the

attack,

never venturing

into the open, but keeping inside the cover of the

bush and

we

firing their

replied with

sweeping

fire

sectional

of the

after landing,

The

and was

reinforcements of one

the

with

attack appeared its

A

considerable

Lieutenant

At

this

time

company Houssas and the

Company

fighting line.

strongest an

officer.

and one Houssa wounded.

other half of

these

when Captain Koe was shot

through the arm, and the native Daniels,

at

To

us.

and the deadly

volleys

Maxims.

to increase in severity,

hour

long guns at

The spirit,

arrived and strengthened attack was

still

kept up

and Colonel Hamilton

decided to advance up the Ologbo path, and so flank their attack.

This he did with one company

ADVANCE ON OLoGbO

3^

Houssas, the naval Maxim, and half

Advancing towards the

A

Company.

path, having searched the

entrance with the Maxim, he marched slowly, firing

searching volleys right and

and eventually

left,

The

halted about eight hundred yards up.

effect

on the emeny was magical, they almost immediately

gave up the attack and retreated before the advancing soldiers, leaving the

camp practically undisturbed.

Throughout the whole expedition

this

dislike

to

being behind the advance was most marked in the Beni

;

very rarely, and then only by isolated

individuals,

was an attack made anywhere but on

the leading

company

In the mean-

of the column.

time the process of transport of the troops was proceeding, difficulties

necessarily

slowly,

of the river with

its

owing

in

case of

boats.

Colonel

requiring larger reinforcements. Admiral sent one

the

numerous snags

and turns and the small number of expedite matters,

to

To

Hamilton

Rawson

company of Houssas, under Captains Cock-

burn and Turner, to march opposite Ologbo, so that they could be ferried across in canoes, and so save the two -mile water transport.

It

was a heavy

march, one mile by bush path and then one mile

THE CITY OF BLOOD

40

through the marsh, which was about half-way up to the knees

;

they eventually arrived after about three

hours' marching, and, with the addition that the

boats had brought,

camp and

to

made

to

hold the

allow an advance to be

made on

the Beni-Ologbo village.

with

A

Company

companies

three

rocket-tube,

sufficient

This was done at noon,

of ist Division of bluejackets,

Houssas,

two

7

and the naval Maxim

was met with beyond the enemy and then

retiring.

The

village

by the building of two smaller

;

-

pounders,

a

no opposition a big gun

firing

had been increased

villages, evidently as

barracks for the troops, for here, as well as at

all

other places on the line of march, the soldiers appear to

have kept quite apart from the

their

own

separate

camps.

villagers,

The

ist

and scouts came over the same day from

camped

partly at

camp made

An

Ologbo

village

and had Division

Ceri,

and

and partly at a

at the beach.

examination of the bush showed signs of

considerable attempts at defence cut about ten feet from the

running round

its

;

a path had been

edge of the bush, and

inside edge, for the easy

ment of the defenders.

move-

This path had a network

ADVANCE ON OLOGBO

41

of smaller paths running to the rear and leading into the

main path

to the village, intended both as

The

roads of retreat and also to retire to reload.

dead, with the exception of six bodies, had been

Subsequently, one heap of thirty-eight

removed.

was found about

half a mile away, so their loss

have been considerable.

enemy showed

This

first

must

touch of the

that the Beni were not to be dis-

counted in the easy and off-hand manner which experts had imagined, since they had kept up a sustained attack for two hours against

a large number of

volleys,

and probably

besides

wounded who had got away.

lost

Maxims and killed,

Both camps were soon scenes of busy preparation,

especially

that

on

designed to become a large dep6t. to

Shelters had

be built for the men, covered with green leaves

to

protect

were set up ing

;

them from the sun and dew

and

visions

storehouses

and water.

separate camp, quite

The

;

boilers

water before drink-

for boiling the river

the low bush fringing the

cleared,

is

which was

beach,

the

camp had

erected carriers

for

as

their

be

pro-

the

were assigned a

defended by the main one

necessary,

to

;

this

constant jabbering

THE CITY OF BLOOD

42

all

through the night

one of their many

is

evil

points.

The houses

at

Ologbo

and comfortable, being raised bed-places

The

mattress.

lie

new

thatched, and

had

on without any form of

thatch was

which skeltered about their

tidily

were very clean

of hard red clay, which, by

made

the bye, were hard to

village

full

of large grey rats,

in evident astonishment at

householders.

That evening we had the sad news of the death of

Lieutenant-Commmandant Pritchard and a

man

at

Sapobar, as well as of the capture and

burning of Gwato. as sad.

The news was

serious as well

Determined resistance was being made

three points

all

sea-

of attack, and although

might well be a place to expect a large

at

Gwato force,

Sapobar, so far distant from Benin, and in what

might be looked on as a not altogether unfriendly country, tion

our at

was a

district

where such decided opposi-

was hardly looked

warm

,

for.

This, coupled with

reception at Ologbo, caused the Admiral

once to revert to his original scheme of landing

a large

force.

Things were

far

too serious to

admit of doubting for a moment the courage of

ADVANCE ON OLOGBO the

enemy

in the bush, or their skill as

Not only was

Gwato

to prevent the withdrawal of that

Ugugu

more or

Beni

men were

To

man

who was

in earnest,

that

and prevent

people from joining the these two purposes

required immediate

the

reinforce-

and guns, and not

rocket-tubes,

main column;

Nor was

this

for the

way

to

also Captain M'Gill,

have commanded the 2nd Division,

to

was indispensable

its

to

could be taken from Sapobar, as intended,

to increase the

large

effect

expedition

ment with men, a

was equally important

it

less friendly

cause.

Gwato

army

country at Sapobar should be shown

that the white

the

bushmen.

imperative to occupy and keep

it

protect Benin, but

the

43

at that place.

all,

work

the ist Division was none too it

had

to perform in fighting

Benin, and additional

men would be

required to hold fortified bases along the road and

keep up our communications. issued,

rapidity is

and the changes

the

slightest confusion.

for the organising

Chief of the Staff to

involving provision,

orders were

effected with marvellous

and without the

no small triumph

The

water,

effect kit,

It

powers of

such a change,

and ammunition-

THE CITY OP BLOOD

44

carriers, as well as the distribution tins,

of stores, water-

chafs for the carriers, and, in fact, every detail

of commissariat and transport, without the delay of

an hour to the main column.

Captain Randolph

Foote was called up to take charge of the 2nd Division,

and

all

duties readjusted with a

ofificers'

precision which, however,

was

be equalled by an

to

even greater change within the next few days.

Had

it

not been for the experience gained on

and the forethought

previous small expeditions,

and

bestowed originally on

trouble

boxes,

and

distinctive

marking of

every

colour, as well as

and subdivision of the

article

carriers,

when change constitution

after

of

without one

to detail

the

with

its

the careful drilling

such a change

must have meant delay and confusion careful attention

the ration

met

its

and

if

ever

reward,

it

was

;

change of the numbers and

main column was

delay or the

effected,

absence of a single

class of store.

Next day was employed visions

and

stores,

and

in transhipping

boiling

advance-guard to proceed with. Staff came over to

water

for

pro-

the

The Headquarter

Ologbo beach, and arrangements

ADVANCE ON OLOGBO were made

for the

45

advance-guard to push on early

next morning.

That night was destined

At

several night alarms.

sent from the Naval

reported

the

enemy

although ours had seen none,

all

still,

of a campaign, and dealing with an it

was not

at

round, and the outset

unknown

foe,

it

is

rarely that a black

indulges in this form of warfare.

Quietly, therefore, the

or more correctly, lay

most lovely the

was

assume that they would not make

safe to

a night attack, although

man

of

to say that their sentries

the bush

in

first

a.m. a message

3

Camp

be our

to

enemy

latter

men

down

starlight sky,

fires

to

them, under the

and patiently waited

or the rdveille.

came, and

stood to their arms,

were

At lit

for

half-past four the

and water boiled

for

the cup of cocoa which, with two biscuits, was to be

our main meal

till

late that afternoon.

CHAPTER

IV

BUSH-FIGHTING '

I

^

HE

end of the

last

column ready

to start for their first

This

along the bush path. place to attempt

chapter saw the advanced

some

is

march

therefore a fitting

sort of a description of the

bush and the methods of bush-fighting.

Imagine

a country of 2500 square miles one mass of

forest,

without one break except a small clearing here

and there

for a village

this forest

and

its

compound.

Imagine

stocked with trees some 200 feet high,

with a dense foliage overhead, and interspersed

between

these

growth smaller between

all

monster trees to

fill

of

vegetable

up the gaps.

Imagine

products

these trees an undergrowth of rubber

shrubs, palms,

and

creepers, so thick that the eye

could never penetrate more than twenty yards, and often not

even

ten.

might easily walk

for

Imagine the

fact

that

you

an hour without seeing the 46

BUSH-FIGHTING

47

sun overhead, and only at times get a glimmer of a sunbeam across

and you have an

the path,

elementary conception of the bush country of Benin.

Through

this

dense mass of tangled under-

growth run paths leading from

village to village,

and trodden only by barefooted natives line,

so that the worn path

enough the

for

bush

Where

man

one each

the soil

to

in comfort,

with

side is

as a rule just broad

is

walk

soft, feet

level,

almost to the level of a man's head

has fallen across the path there

trodden

in Beni-land, but

rise ;

each side

where a

lies,

tree

and a new

detour round

the

as ages go by the tree decays

road

the old

philanthropic

wood

make a

it

and banks

There are no high-way committees

obstruction.

and

to

arms.

treading for centuries

strewn with dead leaves "and ddbris

is

touching

outstretched

have worn the path to a lower

path

in single

may be

resumed,

or

some

person sets light to the old dried

of one of these monster obstructions, and

gradually

it

will

of slow-match.

burn

itself

It is

away

like a

huge piece

impossible to describe the

grandeur of the magnificent cotton-trees, with their splay roots extending like solid brackets for ten or

THE CITY OF BLOOD

48

twelve feet from the bottom of the main trunk,

monuments of age and

Here and

strength.

there great monkey-ropes, decorated

at intervals with orchids, festoon

impede the

carriers

fine suckers,

and

down

as

if

Then

their loads.

no thicker than a piece of

down from some branch a hundred

to seriously

again,

hang

string,

feet overhead,

intended to supply moisture to that particular

branch by a short

cut.

All

lovely at

is

first,

and

the main wonder must be, " For what purpose can all this it

serve

and

waste of vegetation be, or what object can ?

"

rest,

vegetable present in

down

lies

If,

however, you

lie

down on

the bank

you get that rank smell of decaying matter it.

that

Overhead

has all

malaria

so

plainly

seems so grand, close

the poison which will shortly find

into the systems of the white

men

its

to rack

way

them

with pains and prostrate them with wasting fever. Well, such

have

to

march

is

for

the bush through which

we

will

some days before we see Benin.

Marching, fighting, and pressing on always with the cooped-up, space,

we

oppressed feeling

and looking hopefully

are to

camp and

sleep.

of

a confined

for the clearings

where

BUSH-FIGHTING

49

Fighting along a path of this sort must be a

and there

speciality,

on bush in

-

fighting

is

no better

than

that

by Lord Wolseley

his Soldiers' Pocket-Book.

general orders

the

greater

lithographed and distributed for their instruction.

But

what

really

description of

In

late

expedition

Maxims,

portion of this was

among

still,

the

The

officers

though a general

happened may almost not

will

it

interest, especially as in the

we were

rockets,

Admiral's

the

read like a rescript of those remarks,

be altogether without

extant

treatise

additionally assisted

by

and 7-pounder guns.

chief peculiarity of such fighting

small front exhibited,

is

the

and the overwhelming ad-

vantages that the enemy has from being able to

form ambushes nature

it

is

in

the bush, since from

easy for a

man

dense

its

to lie ten yards

the path and to be quite out of sight.

The

from

trunks

of the trees, again, form excellent shelter for the

enemy's sharp-shooters, and carefully hidden

plat-

forms in the trees themselves afford most excellent positions

of

advantage above

ordinary line of

The

only

the

level

of

the

fire.

way

of advancing along such a path

THE CITY OF BLOOD

50

is

by

firing precautionary volleys at intervals into

the bush on either side. these volleys the

is

to penetrate

enemy may be

and so

scatter

The main purpose

them

any ambush where

lying waiting for the column, ;

or to scare a

man

secure retreat behind a tree and cause earlier than otherwise latter

of

a more

in

him

to fire

he would have done.

was frequently the

case,

This

and many a volley

was followed by the deep "pom-pom" of the long

Dane guns

hurried

into

early

firing

instead of

On

waiting for accurate aim at individuals.

no

account should these volleys be neglected on such

a march, and intervals of one to two minutes longest that should elapse between them.

these volleys by sections ture of is

ammunition

is

the

Firing

means a large expendi-

to the leading

company, which

a serious consideration on several days' march-

ing with daily fighting and probably a big battle at the end.

Ordinarily speaking, four

sufficient for

each volley.

straight along the path

half right

and half

left

The

file

leading

are quite file

firing

and the remainder

firing

forward.

To

effectively

fire

a volley from a narrow path in single

the

men

should

fire

to the right

and half

file

to the

half left.

o z H O 7)

P

BUSH-FIGHTING This

best done

is

the order " Halt

by

Maxim

The

feet

clear of the

do the same, so that a

clear road

the officers or sectional leaders, or for

left for

the

at

the ranks turning

" to close up,

outwards lying down with their

is

whole column

drilling the

!

path, the carriers

51

or rocket

-

tube to come to the front.

difference in the point of time in getting a

Maxim drilled

to the front through a well-drilled or badly-

company

As soon

is

enormous.

enemy

as the

by returning the

disclose their presence

a short sort of general action

fire,

between them and the leading company ensues, the latter firing volleys

by sections or

in the direction of attack

depending

on

the

Should they be

;

number of

the

of

persistence

difficult

half companies

enemy.

the

dislodge, the

to

volleys

Maxim

should be put in action anywhere on the bank on the side of attack, provided a good arc of training in the direction of the

attack

is

enemy

from ahead, the

is

obtainable.

Maxim

If the

of course should

be run through the company to the head of the column.

To

enemy from but

it is

save ammunition, and to drive the their position a

often impossible to

war rocket fire

it

is

useful,

in the required

THE CITY OF BLOOD

52

direction from the

and is

their branches

as

likely

direction.

were

not fired

— once

over

it

in

any other

when

the rockets

go

to

several occasions directly

size of the trees

having struck a tree

as

return

to

On

number and

natives

the

they

appeared to pay no attention to them, but returned immediately to the charge.

A

cleared space seen

ahead should always have great attention paid as

it

is

certain either to be a Juju place,

cross-roads village, or

A

leading from

the main

it,

a camp,

road to

a

a clearing in the bush for an ambuscade.

Maxim, however, soon

clears

anyone out of

such a place, and at a distance at which the oldfashioned smooth-bores are useless.

The were

nature of ambuscades used by the Beni

They never chose a

peculiar.

of the bush, but always

made a

clearing, cutting the

bush to a height of three or four in

view being

apparently to

beyond, and have

thick portion

feet,

the object

hide in the bush

a clear range for their slugs

without being impeded by the foliage to a convenient range of about thirty yards.

more

useless

could hardly be

form of clearing

or

bush

Anything

conceived, as

cutting

any

immediately

BUSH-FIGHTING received attention from the column

53

Maxim

the

was within range of the

long before

Again,

spot.

the advertisement of the place where they were to

be found, and their probable exposure while the

column was for

still

some way

must have accounted

off,

a considerable number of killed and wounded,

whereas the single bushman behind a tree had a great chance

Maxims. fired

both from volleys and

escape

of

Although volleys should as a

low,

parallel to

with a it

as possible,

be forgotten,

for

tree

feature of Beni warfare,

were always

insisting

near the ground and

as

rifle

-

rule be

the trees should not

still

fighting

is

an

essential

and one which our guides In

on.

fact,

they several

times pointed out the tree platforms from which

men had

fired

and then

left in

a hurry.

weird feature of the whole fighting with which the yells,

enemy

whoops, and

wounded and

killed,

is

seen.

shouts

are

is

the rarity

Shots are heard,

fired,

men

yet not a sign of the

himself, except just the shiver of a

fall

enemy

moving bush

and the half doubtful view of a dusky is

The most

figure.

It

a very trying form of fighting, and makes one

long for open country and a sight of the enemy

THE CITY OF BLOOD

54

that

is

On

firing at you.

enemy was seen

the

after other

number of

killed

of an

way up only one of

dead, but on the

some days

A

the

evidence existed that the

had been

large.

favourite defence of a road

ambush

path,

way down

which

was by means

a path cut parallel to

is

the main road about fifteen or twenty yards from it,

of

following this

it

for

is

and

at every twist

the

enemy

to

The

turn.

be able to

idea

lie

in

wait and escape quickly to reload without being

hampered by the bush. fact, this

Again, as a matter of

defence of theirs proved of far more value

than to them, since

to us

its

occupation during

advance doubled the front and gave each company

Such paths were cut

only one flank to defend.

more than half-way

to

Benin

;

after that, probably

from lack of time, they were discontinued. not be imagined that the in the

who

it

need

ambush path newly

cut

The company

bush was pleasant walking.

lined

It

on the march had a

fairly

ragged

time.

The advance

along a bush path consisted in

firing precautionary volleys, and,

were found,

firing

when

a volley and

the

enemy

advancing im-

B USH-FIGHTING mediately.

advance

column

It

that

this

is is

the

sufficiently

is

for

and

immediate

great

point,

compact

without undue extension.

was found better

55

rapid

only the

if

of

it

But, on the whole,

it

the

to

allow

advanced portion of

the advance - guard to proceed quickly and keep

body of the enemy driving

the main

in front of

them, than to wait for the carriers to close up,

which would at the same time give the enemy a chance to gain confidence and re-form.

Had

enemy only had

the

the sense to attack

our centre where the carriers were, they might

have done an a

totally

but never

infinity of

organisation

different

could

between them and

harm, and necessitated of the

having

they stand

column,

the

firing

their ultimate place of retreat.

Bush such as was encountered, properly defended by good bushmen with modern weapons, would be absolutely impregnable to any force of any size or constitution, especially

of the dry season

The few

is

when

the short time

taken into account.

only other defences of the Beni were a

rifle-pits,

one close

to the

King's compound,

which was never used, and a small stockade of

THE CITY OF BLOOD

56

no

practical value

but had they, at the same time,

;

destroyed the causeway leading to the stockade,

over a ravine about twenty feet deep, they might

have worried us considerably.

No

were

pitfalls

constantly expected, and for

their

absence

although

used, it

is

not easy to account

Benin,

near

were

they

by the

except

certainty of the Beni of our being unable to get

near that

city,

defence was

and therefore

left

too

till

late.

this

awful form of

The

soldiers also

must undoubtedly have spread reassuring accounts of our early defeat

;

at

all

events,

anyone who had

dared to take bad news to the King would have

been instantly

sacrificed,

brutality prevented

of

affairs,

These consist of

deep

own

his

a true knowledge of the state

and gave no time pitfalls,

and therefore

for extra defence.

largely used in African warfare,

pits

dug and sharp wooden stakes

placed at the bottom, point up, the whole covered lightly with

that the

earth and leaves in the clever

bushman can

way

imitate the ordinary ground.

Lieutenant Daniels, the native officer of the Protectorate Force, only a year these,

ago

fell

into

and was staked right through the

one of thigh,

BUSH-FIGHTING

57

receiving a most ghastly wound.

Sometimes the

stakes are poisoned, and then, of course, a scratch is fatal.

Bows and arrows were an arrow seen

seen,

but never was

The arrows

fired.

found were

poisoned, but the nature of the poison unknown.

The main armaments Dane

guns, with a few revolvers, Winchesters, and

Sniders.

They were

sidering the

and

of the soldiers were long

certainly very plucky,

weapons they had

proved

themselves

most

con-

to stand against,

clever

bushmen,

thoroughly understanding that nature of fighting.

The

estimate formed beforehand of their fighting

qualities

present

proved entirely erroneous, and there was

among them a

and

military

their

kingdom

spirit

to

at the

large portion of the pluck

which the wide sway of

commencement was

due,

and

which then made Benin the Queen of Cities of that portion of the Continent.

—

CHAPTER V CROSS ROADS AND AGAGI

A T

six o'clock

column

on February

Ologbo

left

14th, the

for

advanced

a village called

Aduaho.

The but

it

exact position of this village was uncertain,

was known

on the right to to

it

flank,

to lie abotit

two or three miles

and the place where the road

branched from that to Benin was known

be about four miles

Ologbo

to this crossing

rest here,

As

off.

was

the distance from

short, carriers did not

and therefore our guides had neverbeeft

to the village,

and so only knew of

its

existence

by hearsay. It

was decided

to

go as

look for the village, and, not, to

camp

if

under

as follows

Lieutenant 58

Cross Roads,

found, destroy

for the night at the

The column was formed Scouts

far as the

it

;

if

Cross Roads.

:

Erskine

and Mr.

noADS AND AGAGI

CJiOSS

59

Turner. Colonel Hamilton, Sub- Lieutenant Phibbs,

Commander Bacon,

intelligence office.

Half Company Houssas I

Maxim

I

Rocket-tube

:

Captain Carter.

:

Captain Burrows.

Mr. Johnson, gunner,

:

2^ Companies

Houssas

:

Captain Cockburn,

Captain Ringer, and Sub- Lieutenant Gregory. 1

Maxim: Death A. B.

2

7-pounders

I

Company Marines

Major

:

Baggage guard I

:

1

Searle.

Captain Beaumont.

:

2 marines.

Maxim.

4 Scouts. I

tain

Company Houssas

:

Captain Gallwey, Cap-

O'Shee.

Colonel Hamilton was in command, with Sub-

Lieutenant Phibbs as A.D.C.

For some time we marched through the bush, with occasional volleys from the scouts.

This was the

been

first

day that these

recruits

having only been levied a

tried,

had

fortnight,

but they had assiduously been practised with their

new

rifle,

the

an excellent

Martini-Henry.

corps,

and did a

They lot

turned out

of hard work.

THE CITY OF BLOOD

6o

Probably

many

will join

of their

time

of

they are to do

One

their

through the motions serted

cartridges,

and

service,

so.

At

amusement.

the Houssas at the end

very well

fitted

created

much

they

went

incident

volley

first

and never

loading

of

the blank

result

at

in-

the order

"Fire!" was extremely funny, as were also the remarks of the

ofificer

in charge.

we marched,

Steadily and slowly

occasionally

hearing signal guns fired by the Beni, at lo a.m. the scouts reported the

ahead. tion,

As

the scouts had none too

and were only raw

opened them

out,

levies.

at last

till

enemy

in force

much ammuni-

Colonel Hamilton

and took the leading company of

Houssas, Maxim, and rocket -tube, through them,

and having found the ambush path advanced a second company along the

it.

monotony of the march

running

retiring

;

to the excitement of a

the

enemy

yelling

and

and again advancing with a

company sergeant - major and Houssa

then passed from

Firing sectional volleys and then

fight.

advancing

We

force

firing,

then

yell.

One

two men of the

were wounded, those on the ambush

path being carried on to the main road, for in this

ROADS AND AGAGI

CJiOSS

work

was most

it

ambush

have been

left

path, otherwise they

left

might easily

behind and forgotten.

This running

we

company

the

for

none of the wounded were

officers to see that

in the

important

6i

fight continued

till

11.30,

when

ran right into a clearing, which proved to be

the enemy's

camp

at Cross Roads.

Sentries were

posted, and the bush cut to further clear the camp,

and a general

was ordered

rest

This day happened

to

till

be the birthday of Captain

Carter of the Protectorate Force.

he had wished

for

half-past one.

Before starting

a good brush with the enemy as

a birthday present, and as he was the one the

company on the ambush

gratified.

So we

all

drank

who

path, his wish

his health

led

was

and happy

returns of the day with a wineglassful of stout, a bottle of

which had been brought with us from the

That was the

headquarter mess.

were destined to see It

was a very

for

jolly

many

last

stout

we

a long day.

and much appreciated

rest

under those lonely old cotton-trees, with a feeling of satisfaction at having got

enemy

in their

own

haunts,

the

better

of the

and the knowledge that

they did not intend to merely run away, but that

THE CITY OF BLOOD

62

we would have lesson of respect

of teaching them a

the chance for

the

murdered, and for the

poor fellows they had

White Queen they had

insulted.

At

1.30

we

again started, this time leaving

impedimenta behind, to

we

but

failed.

A

is

if

possible,

long weary march of three miles

brought us to no signs of a

which

Aduaho

find

all

village, the

presence of

always shown by clearings for plantation,

plantain trees,

etc.,

and as

was then

it

4.30,

and

only an hour and a half of daylight remained to us,

we

returned, reaching the

tired

camp

at 6 p.m.,

very

and hungry.

During the afternoon march we had struck and kept near a very peculiar ravine, which ran in the general direction of Benin. feet

tion,

was about 15

to

20

deep, with a high bank, with cotton -trees

growing on age.

It

it,

showing that

was of considerable

it

The bottom was covered and

its

blocking at intervals for roads to cross,

both showed that in winter

Three days Its origin

with shrub vegeta-

later

we again

it

was not a waterway.

crossed

it

near Benin.

and use were not apparent.

The enemy's camp at

Cross Roads had evidently

;

CJiOSS

been a large one

;

ROADS AND AGACT

63

at least twenty camp-fires

burning, and a very large

were

number of yams cooking,

either in the clearing itself or the paths leading

from

it,

so

we

could count on having a considerable

enemy on ahead waiting

force of the

for us next

day.

The making

camp

of a

The

a busy sight.

is

carriers turned to with their hatchets to cut poles

make

to

for the officers

shelter

who had

not lean-tos

;

these

form a bed.

One

are square skeleton

and strewn with leaves

erections, roughly thatched,

to

and white men

of these sprang up close to

where each detachment lay down, with ready for instant use

must be

;

in his place,

The

confusion.

fires

as for a night attack each

and know began

and water were served cooking their

rice,

their

man

his front to avoid

to burn,

The

up.

arms

and the food

carriers started

and making noise enough

for

a

hundred times the same number of white men

when

there

was here

was a

little

water to spare, as there

for the last time

till

we reached

some extra having been brought along last

wash was indulged

in,

for

Benin,

in pails,

a

henceforward a few

drops sprinkled from the day's allowance in our

THE CITY OF BLOOD

64

water-bottles,

was the only form of bath

we

that

were destined to have.

With

true hospitality Captain Gallwey shared

his canteen, servant,

and

his all with me, as

I

had

had no chance of providing myself with these Indeed, the hospitality of

luxuries.

all

the Pro-

tectorate officers to us poor naval officers, stranded in

a hurry away from our proper messes at the

front,

extended to sharing even their

half-

last

bottle of whisky.

Ants abounded, and of that peculiar black

sort

which bury their nippers into you, and leave their heads

embedded

still

in

pulled their bodies away.

the flesh after you have

Up

to the present, they

had not been enraged as they were on our journey down, and

so,

with no mosquitoes, the night passed

in peaceful oblivion.

Next

day, the

were not

to start

turn the

village

farther on,

we had a good

5th,

to Captain

ist

Division,

called

Agagi,

where we expected

for the carriers.

lie in,

as

we

10 a.m., our orders being to

till

camp over

remainder of the

on to a

1

Campbell and the while

we pushed

about four miles to find well water

CROSS ROADS

Well water colour,

AND A GAG/

in this country

of a brown-red

is

and should be boiled before being drunk

white people, but the blacks drink

Water

65

in Africa varies

much

with impunity.

it

in colour,

on the East

Coast some called white water has a milky red water

often found in the

is

by-

tint,

and

same neighbourhood.

Natives having to drink both sorts while travelling

For

eat onions as a corrective.

this reason

a large

stock of onions was taken with the expedition. It

was noon, and

started

hot,

before

and almost immediately heard

off,

guns ahead, so we advanced as

At

1,25

we were suddenly

and on both were able

we were

flanks, but

advanced the

signal-

usual, firing volleys.

attacked fiercely ahead

having an ambush path we

keep up a good flank

to

fairly

fire.

As we

extended the whole length of the

fire

column, this being one of the very rare occasions

when a few advance.

stopped the in the

rear,

of the

The

" Cease

firing, it

enemy were

and as

Fire it

"

left

behind the

bugle,

however,

was not recommenced

showed the enemy had moved on

from that quarter.

Attack

after attack

was made

by the enemy on the head of the column during the afternoon, but the volleys kept 5

them

at a respect-

— THE CITY OF BLOOD

66

at three o'clock,

able distance;

however,

it

was

thought advisable to try a rocket on them, and two

were

fired

one went very

;

fired rather too

the trees

;

much

to the right

on account of

the other hit a tree, went off at right

angles and burned

itself

where two roads led

and arriving

was sent with one company

4 p.m., where,

much

eight cocoanut

-

we

The

trees.

an

Gallwey

the right

arrived at

;

the

Agagi

at

we found about

cocoanuts were very

certainly the prettiest village of the

old

town

cocoanut of

There were three large wells completely dried up.

digging was

a point

out.

and, judging from the

have been

all

to

to our delight,

soon down and divided

Agagi was

at

to the village. Captain

remainder kept on, and

Soon

out in the bush.

after this, opposition ceased,

lot,

but had to be

well,

tried,

trees,

must

some importance.

—but

no water

The bottom seemed soft, and

but the deceptive layer of

mud

proved to be only sediment, below which was the hard rock. Entering Agagi from the Benin Road, you turned into a grass

avenue flanked by bush, with a Juju

gate at each end, and then came to a model village.

AND AGAGT

CROSS ROADS

67

What

clean and well kept, facing a farm clearing.

a treat

even

distance,

yards,

was

it

and

more

to the eye once if

to look at

was only a hundred

that distance

to enjoy the open,

unfettered feeling

of space after the cramped bush paths of the march.

The

houses were too hot and stuffy to live

made

A

were erected.

shelters

of

hammock awnings and

The

were, one

Houssa

wounded.

Poor

killed,

quite a

leaves,

P.M.O., Dr. Allman, and his

Routh, were adepts.

so

hospital soon appeared

model of impromptu house construction the

in,

at

which

assistant,

Dr.

casualties of the

day

one scout and one

fellows, like all the

carrier

wounded they

were very plucky, and never even groaned, though the agony of swallowing to the poor carrier,

was shot through the

No

great.

military

gullet,

must have been very

ceremony takes place

funeral of a

Houssa, the body

over to his

nearest

relative,

particular friends to help him,

according to their

which

is

own

rites

who

is

who

at the

merely turned invites

some

and they bury him

—generally

in

a house,

then burned to hide the grave, a very neces-

sary precaution

when

in the fashion of

dealing with depravity formed

human

beings ancl called Beni.

THE CITY OF BLOOD

68

The water

question was a most serious one.

Wells there were, but no water, and so we were

we had

face to face with the fact that

not sufficient

carriers in the expedition to carry water for both

Divisions,

and for

themselves, to Benin.

We

had

with care water for one day more, allowing the carriers

a

little,

and that was

two courses open

all.

There were only

to us, either to delay the whole

expedition at least a fortnight, by forming water,

dep6ts at Cross Roads and Agagi sufficient

to

supply both Divisions, or to turn the majority of the

2nd Division

the

I

St

into water-carriers for

carriers

Division, and advance rapidly

The

Benin with one Division only. the most feasible course.

and take

latter

seemed

While the matter was

the subject of discussion, three carriers were brought

near the Colonel's tent in a state of absolute collapse.

The

doctors examined them carefully, pressed their

eyeballs, felt their pulse, in

and

said, "

Yes, they are

a state of collapse, probably from want of water,

but

if

we give them

in in the

same

water,

condition."

Well, they were taken

fifty

more

The

natives are cunning.

away

will

be carried

as they came,

rnore appeared, but a pint of water

and no

was issued

to

— AMD AGAdl

CHOSS ROADS

dg

each carrier for the evening, and a quart to each white to

man and Houssa. men

imagine that black

white men,

if

pecially as they their

It is

The

mistake

require less water than

anything they require more, es-

need a

main form of

lot to

cook

rice,

which

least ration advisable

is

at the water limit.

two quarts to each

Houssa and white man, and one quart carrier per diem.

A

to

each

small calculation will

show

that to carry water for seven

hundred

soldiers

eight hundred carriers for three days

hundred and forty

is

The Houssas complained

food.

more than the white men

far

common

a

carriers for this

Three days' water was the

and

meant four

purpose only.

least

we

could start

The Commander-in-Chief was

with for Benin.

immediately informed of the absence of water at Agagi.

The message

arrived at 1.30 a.m.

The

Chief of the Staff under the Admiral's direction set

work

to

at once; orders

the revised column

were

was ready

issued, to start

and

at 4.30

from Cross

Roads.

Every man not absolutely necessary, or fighting line,

No

officer

was

left

behind, and

all

in the

extra baggage.

was allowed more than one

carrier,

70

THE CITY OF BLOOD

practically the

whole of the extra food, wine, and

spirits,

belonging to the headquarter and other

messes, was

left

behind, and officers and men, from

the Admiral downwards, limited to two quarts of

Five days'

water per diem, to include cooking. rations

and three days' water were taken.

carriers

were given a good drink, and our

carriers recalled

The thirsty

from Agagi to Cross Roads.

It

was a stringent cut down, but a necessary one, and an

example

excellent

of

the efficiency of

organisation of each department to enable

done, and the It

men

was on these

it

to

the

be

ready to start in three hours. occasions

the talents of

that

Captain Egerton, the Chief of the

Staff,

were so

prominently exhibited.

Every department came

well

to the front in

estimating the reduction of their carriers, and while

reducing to the lowest

limit, still, as

had not cut matters too

The 2nd erecting

Division

water - tanks

guarding the

line of

fine.

was given at

Cross

the

task

of

Roads, and

of

communication and collecting

stores at Agagi, and,

Water - tanks

events proved,

are

if

time permitted, at Awoko. not

the

easiest

things

to

CROSS ROADS' AND AGACI

li

improvise, but seamen's bags, which were used to

carry their

very

fairly

for the

made

kit,

well,

of painted canvas, answered

and the painted

lean-to shelters

men, now discarded with the reduction of

baggage, sunk in the earth, made excellent tanks.

Of

course

all

the

Ologbo beach and be to

water had to come from boiled, so there

occupy the time of those

absence of Captain Foote,

left

was plenty

behind.

who had

In the

not yet returned

from charge of the ships at Forcados, the Cross

Road camp was

left in

charge of Lieutenant Unwin,

who had a

party of marines as a guard.

forth Cross

Road camp became

store of water

our

first

its

and

the main advanced

and provisions, and supplied us with

bath and bottle of soda on the

so that the

huge

memory

way

back,

of that picturesque place, with

cotton-trees, will

gratitude.

Hence-

be one of refreshment

CHAPTER

VI

ADVANCE ON AND CAPTURE OF BENIN '

I

''HE evening of February 15th passed quietly at

camp and

Agagi, though, from the nature of the the nearness of the enemy, an attack

might have been expected.

At

half- past eight

next morning a shot was fired right into the middle of the

camp from

the

bush close

to,

by some

enterprising native, who, however, luckily did no

damage.

We

had received

in the last chapter, to

orders, as

send back

Cross Roads with a guard

;

so, to

all

explained

our carriers to

cover their

start,

a company under Captain Cockburn was sent to

engage the enemy the camp, and

to

in the opposite direction if

near

look for water on the lower

ground.

This party encountered the enemy, and having kept them employed for a short time, returned to

camp.

Another company and a Maxim were

after-

ADVANCE ON AND CAPTURE OF BENIN wards sent out

enemy out of

to turn the

73

the bush,

where they had been previously encountered

;

this

they succeeded in doing to a great extent, but is far

enemy

easier to drive the

it

before you in the

bush, since they keep to the head of the column,

than to take a thickish piece of bush and try to dislodge the natives from

comfortably

work

using the

rifle

native can

lie

One

reload.

wounded

in

as

it,

through

at the

down,

and

is

too thick to

accoutrements,

with

same time

fire,

it

whereas the

;

retreat like

an

the bush.

into

eel to

Houssa

scout was killed and one forcing

oily

Here Mr.

Turner of the scouts had a narrow escape, being shot through the brim of his hat and thrown on to the ground by the concussion. returned,

At

1

1.30 the party

and about 3.30 the Admiral arrived with

Captain Campbell and the remainder of the Division.

We

were

Commander-in-Chief so the

hot sun

very glad

all

well,

and marches

see

we had

as

(for

to

ist

the

feared

hammocks were

almost an impossibility on the narrow paths) might

have proved too trying

We

for him.

had now with us

going to form the column

the

men who were

for the

push to Benin.

all

THE CITY OF BLOOD

74

The advanced guard remained Hamilton,

Colonel

Houssas, Houssa

composed

and was

Maxim and

under

before

as

H

guns,

of

the

Company

of St. Georges bluejackets, rocket-tube, and marine

The

battalion.

body of

carriers,

and

jackets

Campbell.

rear-guard

A

Theseus

the

Theseus

The

comprised

scouts

marines,

were

the

Company

main blue-

Captain

under

disbanded for the

time and turned into carriers.

At 6.30 next morning a

start

Awoko, the enemy not showing fight.

We

two stages with

much

so

us,

recalled to contest the last

but the numbers were not

and probably the majority had retreated

towards Benin.

We halted

for

The

sparingly of our water-bottles.

was one

carrier

wounded.

an hour and a half

the day, and drank

during the hottest time of

at

quite

for

had rather expected that the Gwato

army might have been

great,

was made

At

only casualty

3 p.m.

we

arrived

Awoko, and made the camp.

Awoko was pretensions, largest house

no

great

with only two cocoanut-trees.

The

a

small

was turned

village

of

into a hospital, the re-

mainder were not worth living

in.

Water was now

ADVANCE ON AND CAPTURE OF BENIN treated

like

Lieutenant

gold.

took charge of

it,

Nicholson

Stuart

measured and issued

it

— no small

work considering the number of the men. about an

hour

in

camp,

a

shot

75

in

After

bush

the

announced the vigilance of the enemy, and one poor carrier came staggering, badly injured, out of the bush (he died the

where he had been

same

night).

collecting

The same

wood

shot hit the

sentry of the water-tins just below the eye, but luckily the distance off of the

gun prevented

his

being seriously hurt.

With

so watchful an enemy, and being so near

Benin, extra precautions had to be taken, and the

bush

all

round the camp cleared

to

a much greater

extent than had originally been intended.

We had now burned our boats with a vengeance, or rather the Admiral had done so. We had two days' water,

and Benin before us with unknown

opposition.

The

direction of water at Benin

known, and the guides could likely

it

it

it,

but

it

was not

would be undefended even though the

town was taken. find

find

was

If

we missed Benin and

next day (awful thought

),

or

if

did not

any delay

!

occurred,

we

should have to halve the allowance,

THE CITY OF BLOOD

76

or

the water

if

-

carriers

have a dry time. business was,

got a panic

Benin had to

that

Nothing,

world can be gained without

it

next day

fall is

risk,

be run, or the whole

to

should

But the upshot of the whole

whatever happened.

had

we

said, in

and

this

this risk

expedition

fatally

delayed, but the value of those rows of kerosene

they

as

tins,

stood

was hard

twilight,

" everything." little

unpretentiously

assess

Of course,

except by the word

people can exist on very

and work, not hard but

their hardest, they

things, but

when

action,

easy to see that the

A

it is

At

want water.

the

thirst

retreat without water

men

at times

the time they

and excitement compensates

all right,

the

in

water, especially with training, but for

to fight, march,

are

to

so

for

most

returns with the re-

game cannot

must be a

last.

truly terrible

thing.

At 9 in the

p.m.

we had

our

little

Juju entertainment

shape of four signal rockets, just to give our

friends

in

He who

the

bush

saw the

something

blue, red,

think about.

and green

ping from the heavens at the

man, had plenty of food

to

will of

for reflection,

stars drop-

the white

and

if

he

ADVANCE ON AND CAPTURE OF BENIN were wise would have said is

no place

for

At

me."

for the night,

events

all

further troubled that night, but

many thousand

This

we were

not

asleep thinking

fell

of what marvels that wondrous city so

"

77

we had come

miles to see would disclose to

us on the morrow.

Up

at 4.30,

man

usual each

his haversack.

guard was

fired

and issued cocoa

taking an allowance of biscuit in Started at 6 a.m., and the advance-

on

enemy

At

once.

at

the

same

time,

was leaving the camp, one of

as the rear-guard

the

to all hands, as

incautiously

showed

himself,

and was

immediately fired on and killed by the rear-guard.

The and

attack off

was

on the advance-guard continued on

10.30 o'clock,

till

made by

when a determined stand

enemy,

the

torpedo instructor, was shot

had been attached to

to

me

;

and

Ansell,

chief

his demolition party

as niessengers

blow up any obstruction, and

it

and

also

was while

walking along, waiting to carry a message, that he

was shot by a man not bush.

He

was well known

was much lamented. close

to

fifteen

the path,

The

to us

yards inside the all,

and

his death

rear-guard buried him

writing his

name on a

tree

THE CITY OF BLOOD

78

near his head, and covering the place with dead leaves. It

to

was a trying time

for the

Commander-in-Chief

be in the middle of the column in single

file

and

hear firing ahead, perhaps volley after volley and the Maxims, and not be able to see what was going

So a system

on.

of messengers was introduced by

the Chief of the Staff, to carry notes from the head of the column to him, and Just three lines to say present,

if

if

it

answered very

many

Maxims were going

of the to

well.

enemy were

be used, clearing

ahead being searched by Maxim, stockade

in sight,

or any small note of what was happening, served to

keep him absolutely informed of what was going on

in front.

the slow

Three messengers were ample

movement

of the column.

The

for

collection

of these notes at the end of the day, with times attached, gave a very good account of the day's work.

Shortly after eleven

branch

in the road,

o'clock

we came

and as there was at

first

to

a

a slight

contradiction between the two leading guides, the third,

a deaf and

dumb man, who was

Cockburn's servant,

and

all

was

called

into

Captain

requisition,

agreed on the right-hand road.

ADVANCE ON AND CAPTURE OF BENIN This "dummy," as he was character. in

He

had

lost

called,

an ear

for

was quite a

misbehaviour

Nana's service, but was a capital fellow

work, though a rank

pirate.

A

79

for

feather

bush

in

his

cap,

an old Dane over his shoulder, a devil-may-

care

air,

extraordinary guttural noises and frantic

made up

gesticulations,

the outward man, but he

was blessed with a brain and an acuteness

far

above the ordinary black man. Following yards,

this

road for about

we came upon

the

were approaching Benin sacrifice.

in the

evidence that

wooden gag

shape of a human

tied

by her

in

horribly mutilated, a rough

her

mouth was clenched

teeth, which, with the expression

of her face, told of the agony of her murder.

her feet lay a goat with

asked the guide what to prevent the white

idea this

!

A

we

Laid on the grass where two paths met

was a young woman

tightly

first

two hundred

it

its

At

knees broken.

meant, and he said

man coming

farther

;

it

I

was

a queer

few yards farther brought us to another

;

time a man, with his arms tied behind him,

lying on his face in the path, but for

not decapitated, which as a rule

is

some reason

the second form

THE CITY OF BLOOD

So

of

Truly, as

sacrifice.

"It

just

is

I

time someone did

about

These were our

place."

heard a sailor remark,

first

this

signs of Benin,

and

temper towards the

improve our

they did not

visit

natives.

Farther on was a small clearing, and here they tried

having

good

my

with an attack, their sacrifices

stop us

to

failed,

guide,

and gave us a warm time.

Owaghi, was shot below the knee,

interpreter through the neck,

also

Our

were wounded.

and two Houssas

Forcing on,

we next met a

stockade erected between two high banks through

which the path

ran.

In front was a causeway over a

ravine about twenty feet deep

clear the stockade, it

shell

in the stockade could

Volleys from the bank seemed to

be seen a gun.

at

;

and the Maxim was

while the 7-pounder came up.

was

tion party

fired

A

work

common

but did no damage, so the demoli-

were

easy, as the

set to

called to

Maxim and

the Beni to quit.

blow

it

up.

This was

7-pounder had caused

all

Sixteen and a quarter pounds of

gun-cotton in a canvas hose placed at the base,

blew close,

it

literally to

but

it

smithereens.

We

were rather

could not be helped, and beyond

my

ADVANCE ON AND CAPTURE OF BENIN down by two chunks

knocked

being

bounding

the

ofif

opposite

no

bank,

8i

wood

of

one was

touched.

The gun was I

of quaint old manufacture, dating,

much

should say, from the old Spanish days, and

the same as used in the Spanish Armada.

The

Beni showed their wisdom by not

as

would probably have than us I

p.m.,

!

The

it,

scent was

now

getting hot

Here we

and rocket - tube

to

Three

a clearing, which

village Igba, a mile

little

was

it

;

and we knew we were near Benin.

proved to be the

it

done them more damage

hundred yards brought us

Benin.

firing

from

halted and brought up the guns

towards the city (whose

to fire

rough direction only we knew), and served out a little

water to the men,

We

little

knew

going to have

in

credited that at

general direction,

who wanted

it

badly.

the effect those rockets were

Benin.

a mile

would hardly be

It

off,

and

fired

only in a

they should have pitched into

the Juju compounds.

A

Beni

woman

afterwards

described what happened. "

The compound was thronged

when suddenly 6

from

the

blue

with people,

appeared

two

THE CITY OF BLOOD

82

hissing

thunderbolts into the very heart of their

Not

sacred precincts.

a white

man

in sight

Yet

!

here were two messages from the sky.

"'Truly the white men are gods and ran panic-stricken from the

Four

shells

this

place."

and

necessary, the white

men were

A

more brought us

corner,

this village St.

George's

Houssas being

short of ammunition,

quarter of a mile

they said,

•

time with the

The

front.

in

'

and three rockets from

and on we pushed,

seamen

!

in case of

rather

a dash being

best at the front. to a

warm

which proved to be the junction of the

bush path with a broad avenue leading to the

Something

stuff

only about our boots.

fifty

the bush path

On left,

were of

it

few seconds brought us

;

it

seemed!

— Benin

lay out of sight to the

of Ochudi's

compound

opposite was bush, from which puffs

smoke showed the presence of our old

The avenue

Hardly

seemed open country.

a few houses

visible

was loaded with went

yards from bush to bush, yet after

emerging,

—just

A

it

and how broad

to the open,

more than

a big gun was fired

in the nature of

somewhere, but the

city.

led

on

to the right,

and was

friends.

clear of

ADVANCE ON AND CAPTURE OF BENIN The bush on

natives. it,

the

who were keeping up or

forty

fifty

hundred yards

Beni

and

still

a desultory

were

extended

had Beni

in

About

fire.

about

two

across the avenue in the open

off,

between us and Benin, and

The

left

83

firing as

they came on.

marines extended towards the bush opposite fired

volleys

to

clear

The

it.

seamen took the bush on the

The Maxim

the range

was

flank

and the the

and the right flanking bush.

played on the

had unfortunately

George's

The Houssas

left-hand side of the avenue. right side of the path

left

St.

men

ahead, but as

it

lost its fore sight in the bush,

difficult

to get,

and more of the

enemy got away than otherwise would have done

so.

Advancing up the path we had a good many losses.

Poor Captain Byrne was

marine close to him.

Two

hit,

and another

others were knocked

over almost on the top of each other, and several

more were wounded. left

A

guard of marines was

with the doctors and the wounded, while the

main column pushed Shortly after a

waving a

cloth.

on.

man was

seen running

down

Firing was ceased, and in ran

a Jakri boy with three cuts in his head, and his

THE CITY OF BLOOD

84

ear cut in half, saying that the Beni were murder-

ing

all their

Jakri slaves, and he

had barely escaped.

There was nothing we could do except push

Ahead was a mounted

in

behind which

front,

men were running about induce them to go

some guns

building with

large

At

off.

two or

evidently last

on.

one

three

trying

to

sending

did,

an odd collection of bullets and old metal about

us,

Mr. Johnson of the Phoebe, who had managed the rocket-tube so ably

badly in the

One building,

the march, being hit rather

foot.

cheer and a rush, and

we were up

was

as

which

compounds behind and

all

unoccupied,

The enemy had

it.

to the

were all

the

gone,

luckily for us they had, for a further acquaint-

ance with what proved to be the King's compound

showed

that

had they held

given us a bad time. their work,

it

they might have

But the rockets had done

and having posted

sentries,

able to rest and wait for the rear-guard.

we were

A

trying

day the rear-guard under Captain Campbell had had, urging on

and

the

then going

carriers,

almost

column proceeded with

its

at

occasionally

halting

the double as

the

concertina-like motion.

ADVANCE ON AND CAPTURE OF BENIN As

the rear -guard debouched,

marines defended the rear of the

A

Company

left

flanks,

the

carriers,

85

Theseus

and the

of Theseus bluejackets the right and

and waited

some time while Dr.

for

Allman attended some wounded

carriers.

Then

the column advanced, occasional shots being fired at their rear,

wounded

and arrived

to

Fyffe had just

the

where the

of the advanced column had been

and found,

wounded

at the place

everyone's great regret, that Dr.

been

and

killed

tending

while

the

Volleys were fired to clear

at that spot.

bush,

left,

they proceeded

compound, followed

later

the

to

King's

by the wounded and

their escort.

The killed,

casualties for the

two wounded

four wounded.

;

day were

three

men

:

one

killed,

officer

twenty-

CHAPTER

VII

BENIN

T3 EN IN "^'^

an irregular straggling town formed

is

by groups of houses separated from each

other by patches of bush.

and a half long from east

It is

to west,

perhaps a mile

and a mile from

north to south.

Entering from the direction of Ologbo through a grass avenue flanked with bush, a few houses are seen on the

bush,

left

these run well back into the

;

and form quite a large

village of themselves

;

they belonged to a general called Ochudi, and the village was

known

as Ochudi's compound.

Houses then straggle on on the high

red -clay

walls

are

left side,

encountered,

with

till

a

galvanised iron roof sloping outwards from the

northern wall.

This

King's compound. are the Juju

is

the main entrance to the

In this

compound

or village

compounds, Palava House, ss

King's

BENIN House, and many houses

and the Juju

followers

Juju compounds

To

carried out.

that

in position

and

for the King's priests.

the

was

in

these

sacrifices

were

It

main

immediate

describe one of these Juju places

be to describe

will

87

all

of them, as they only differed

size.

These spaces were about a hundred and

fifty

yards long, and about sixty broad, surrounded by a

high

wall,

and covered with a short brown

At one end was a long shed running breadth of the enclosure, and under

The

altar.

altar

grass.

the whole

this

was the

was made by three steps running

the whole length under the shelter of the shed slightly raised for

some

;

distance in the centre, on

which raised portion were handsomely-carved ivory tusks placed on the top of very antique bronze heads.

Near these tusks were carved

clubs, un-

doubtedly for use upon the victims of the

The

altar

was deluged

was too overpowering

sacrifice.

in blood, the smell of

for

many

of us.

which

This same

awful smell seemed to pervade the whole compound, as

if

the grass had been watered with blood.

In the centre of several of these Juju places was

an iron erection

like

a huge candelabra with sharp

;

THE CITY OF BLOOD

88

hooks.

purpose was not known,

Its

probable that

but

was some instrument of

it

or for hanging portions

it

is

torture,

of the victims on.

most of the Juju compounds was a well

In

for the

reception of the bodies.

The one mind

its

is

remembrance of Benin

lasting

Crucifixions,

smells.

human

in

my

sacrifices,

and every horror the eye could get accustomed to

to,

but the smells no white

a large extent,

man's internal economy could stand. in

one day

many more

I

was

from them, and

times on the point of being

person

who was

human

sacrifice,

able,

I

left

Every

so.

should say, indulged in a

and those who could

some animal and house.

practically sick

Four times

not, sacrificed

the remains in front of his

After a day or so the whole town seemed

one huge pest-house.

And

these pits

who

!

could

describe

them

out of one a Jakri boy was pulled with drag-ropes

from under several corpses in

five days.

But

it

have lived that time

two

at the outside,

man.

is

in

;

he said he had been

incredible that

such a place

must have

killed

;

he could

one day, or

even a black

BENIN Blood was everywhere

and even the

ivory,

89

smeared over bronzes,

;

and spoke the history

walls,

of that awful city in a clearer

And

ever could.

Not

centuries!

this

the

way than

writing

had been going on of one

lust

for

not the

king,

climax of a bloody reign, but the religion (save the word

of

!)

the

hundred miles

for a

older and

more

have been

The

race. all

round,

Juju held sway

and that

in

flourishing times of the city

practised

with,

if

the

must

greater

possible,

intensity than at the present day.

Human degree,

sacrifice

undoubtedly

differs in criminal

as do the various grades of every other

barbaric custom. It

should be remembered that no one blames

Abraham it

for his

attempted

sacrifice of Isaac,

doing

with sorrow from absolutely conscientious motives,

and cases where the blame to the individual must be comparatively small a not

uncommon form

still

in

some

parts

at times to kill a slave to take father, or

shades.

some reverenced

On

For

remain.

is

for a chief

a message to his

person, in the land of

these occasions a slave

and given the message, and

instance,

told

is

sent for

when he

gets to

THE CITY OF BLOOD

go

the next world to give

to

it

the

chiefs

father.

The

slave repeats the message, absolutely believes

that

when he

dies he will find the old chief, give

him the message, and then enter the

far-ofif

and peaceably, in

his

He

world.

chief

is

his

service in

then killed quite willingly

for the confidence of the black slave

unbounded.

is

Again,

the killing

of wives and slaves to accompany the dead to the

next world

But the

side.

is

not without

atrocities of Benin,

its

man

redeeming

originating in

blood lust and desire to terrorise the neighbouring states,

the brutal love of mutilation and torture,

and the wholesale manner of the

in

King and Juju were

have been the

result

of

which the caprices satisfied,

centuries

could only of

stagnant

brutality.

Behind these three main Juju compounds, lay the Palava side.

House and

The former

the King's House, side by

a large oblong building, with a

roof running over the side and end walls, leaving the centre open.

The

roof was of galvanised iron,

and down the south portion of

it

ran a huge bronze

serpent with a most forbidding looking head.

mud

Red

seats ran round the walls, for the use of the

BENIN

91

The

chiefs taking part in the palava.

doors were

covered with stamped brass, as were also portions

woodwork of the

of the

This place was

roof.

turned into the hospital, and any

found

in the

town was stored

House was almost

identical,

rooms leading

it.

King's with

off

sleeping

stamped

-

The

here.

was

and

value

King's

but smaller, and had

The archway

place

brass

article of

over

roughly

decorated squares

of

the

looking-

glass.

The remainder storeroom,

of the

compound

medicine house,

consisted of

and houses

for the

King's followers, as well as some other Juju com-

pounds.

After which

it

straggled

away

into ruined

and uninhabited houses, used probably as places for the

The

men

burial-

of note.

storehouses contained chiefly cheap rubbish,

such as glass walking

sticks, old uniforms,

absurd

umbrellas, and the usual cheap finery that traders

use to tickle the fancy of the natives. in

the dirt of ages, in

But buried

one house, were several

hundred unique bronze plaques, suggestive of almost Egyptian design,

but

of really

Castings of wonderful delicacy of

superb detail,

casting.

and some

THE CITY OF BLOOD

92

magnificently carved tusks were collected, but in

the majority of cases the ivory was dead from age,

very few of modern date were to be seen, and those mostly uncarved.

was none, and

Silver there

gold there was none, and the coral was of In

value.

fact,

the only things of value were the

tusks and bronze work. tusks

were discovered.

some and

articles

magnificent

note

of

two

large

also

found,

and

In

one well forty-one

Of

other

suggestive

bracelets

two

little

Chinese

of

leopards

were

bronze groups

;

beautifully

-

ivory work,

of

worked

work

the

chief

idols,

and were

stools

and must have been of very

old

manufacture.

Leaving the compound and facing north there

was immediately

in

front a clear space, forming,

so to speak, the delta of the road leading to the

water at Ikpoba.

On

the right was a crucifixion

tree with a double crucifixion

on

it,

the two poor

wretches stretched out facing the west, with their

arms bound together struction of this tree built for the

were

skulls

in

was

purpose of

and bones,

the

middle.

peculiar,

con-

being absolutely

crucifixion.

literally

The

At the base

strewn about

;

the

^'^'

•

'^f^'^.r&^^m:^

THE CRUCIFIXION TREE.

BENIN ddbris of former sacrifices.

was used

tree

a

woman was

93

The

for single crucifixion only, crucified,

and here

and again the green shrubs

the base of the tree were

at

other crucifixion

of bones and

full

skulls.

Down

the avenue to the right was a tree with

nineteen skulls, the result of more or less recent

down every main road were two

murders, and

more human

sacrifices.

A huge piece of land seems

or

ran away to the

left,

which

have been the common burial-place of

to

the town, that

is,

if

merely laying down a dead

body, or at the most wrapping matting, can be called burial.

in

it

a piece of

Hundreds of human

remains must have been here

in

every stage of

decomposition, from the newly dead to the mouldering skull. far is

It

was a ghastly walk, guarded

end by a headless

sacrifice of

at the

a huge man.

It

useless to continue describing the horrors of the

place,

everywhere death, barbarity, and blood, and

smells that to smell

And of a

sort.

it

hardly seemed right for

and yet

human beings

live.

yet the town

was not without

Plenty of trees and green

all

its

beauty

round, the

THE CITY OF BLOOD

94

houses

no set fashion, but each compound

built in

surrounded by It

seemed

plenty

;

let

own bushes and shady

its

a

suggestive

place

now hope

us

of

avenues.

and

peace

may one day become

it

so.

A

description of Benin would not be complete

without mention of the water path where the whole

water supply of the town

is

obtained.

Starting

from the King's compound, you pass the large

on the

crucifixion tree

right,

and walk

for three-

down a broad avenue with bush

quarters of a mile

each side and occasional houses belonging to the poorer classes,

straight

the

into the

rising

to a height of

so narrow that boot.

on the north side of the suddenly ends, and

narrow ditch appearing

down

sides

live

The avenue

main road. front lies a

who

ground

down

go almost

to this

you pass,

almost perpendicularly overhead

some twenty it

;

in

feet,

with the bottom

would barely take the

This mere track

worn by countless

in the

feet

sole of a

rock must have been

treading

the

same

line

exactly for centuries past.

On

the banks was dense bush, the foliage of

the trees nearly meeting overhead

— an

ideal place

BENIN for

95

an ambush, and one impossible to escape from,

especially in case of a panic.

After about half a

mile the path broadened, and then a second dip

came, similar to the

first,

narrow part con-

the

tinuing for a quarter of a mile and then broadening

out into a shady avenue,

till

Ikpoba was passed on the

The

seen ahead.

the small village of

right,

stream of Ikpoba was one about

which we had been more bothered tion than it

any other

—according

it

one knew whence

were navigable,

to the city,

some accounts

it

it

quite narrow.

came or whither

wounded

back.

the slightest idea whether

Ologbo Creek

itself

it

up there showed

it,

wide,

!

full

The

send

or whether

it

A

very

to be un-

wounded would have

jolted back twenty-one miles in fellows

to

was the source of the

or a tributary of

navigable, and that the

went.

But no native had

turned and ran in a contrary direction.

short examination

it

meant a short and easy road

and a comfortable way by which

the sick and

it

to

to get informa-

was twenty yards broad, by others

No If

and the water

to be

hammocks, poor

stream was only three or four yards

of snags, and a strong current against

which a canoe could not ascend, and which

in

;

THE CITY OF BLOOD

96

descending would have swept one without control

on

Just at Ikpoba

to the snags.

it

broadened out

some twenty yards wide,

into a pool

quite shallow,

but in the centre about six feet deep, with a nice

sandy bottom, an ideal place

a bathe.

for

There

were the remains of a bridge which once had been a fine piece of native work, but had fallen into irretrievable disrepair. in fact

it is

said that the

from the old

New it

The water was

excellent,

Ikpoba water, carried down

city in demijohns,

used to be sold

in

Benin, sixty miles away, as a luxury.

To

— and

the cool

certainly

was one

running water, the

first for

that bath

many

in

days,

us

was a thing

not lightly forgotten.

There

is

not

much more

in

Benin to describe.

Ojumo's compound at the extreme west end was merely a small

Road

village, placed just

led into the

main avenue.

where the Gwato It

was a queer

remnant of the old military days of Benin, having the two great generals,

Ojumo and Ochudi, each

guarding one end of the town where the main roads from Gwato, Ologbo,

and grazing goats.

all

and Sapobar led

in

about the place were bullocks and

BENIN

The

t)7

former was an excellent class of beast, black

and white, smaller than our English compact, deep-set shorthorns, and

cattle,

a treat

quite

to see, after the scraggy beast usually

abroad.

They

yielded excellent meat

to drive

them

into

;

but

met with

we

tried

some of the compounds, but

they refused, charging the line of drivers without

any

fear.

Beyond one blacksmith's shop

there

was

sign of any native industry or evidence of trade with the interior, in

King was

fact, it is

known

much

that the

ruining the country by placing a Juju on

But now we

nearly every article of merchandise.

may hope

little

for

a revival

in trade,

produce of the Hinterland

is

and the wealth and

sure to flow through

the city to the river as soon as peace and security are established.

The surrounding raided by the

Beni,

country appears to have been

with some success, in their

hunts for victims and slaves.

were found with

their

Two

Accra boys

hands shackled to a

log.

These had been captured while gathering rubber in

the

found

Mahun alive,

country.

also

Mr. Gordon's boy was

two other

Jakri

men, one of

98

THE CITY OF BLOOD

whom was had

out for sacrifice, only the boss Juju

man

said his head

was a bad shape, and would

bring bad luck to the city

;

so he got off on that

occasion, deeply grateful for the fact that phrenology

was studied

at Benin.

CHAPTER

VIII

LIFE AT BENIN

T

TS

7"E

'

left

the expedition just arrived at Benin,

and digressed

the last chapter into a

in

The Admiral

description of the town.

decided to

remain for that night camped where we were, and leave to the morning any further operations that

might prove necessary

town

—

first

We knew

of

all

to

completely reduce the

obtaining a good supply of water.

the direction and distance of the water,

but expected to find

it

obstinately defended.

That evening a Beni came Captain

Gallwey.

messenger

from

He

was

King,

the

in

and asked

supposed although

to

for

be a

from

his

costume and hairdressing evidently not a King's messenger.

a private

However,

turned out he was merely

it

Beni gentleman

English had arrived, and conversation with

us,

who had heard turned

in

to

the

have a

asking for Captain Gallwey, 99

THE CITY OF BLOOD

loo

whose name he knew from the former expedition. Mr. Moor interviewed him, with the Admiral, and he was cross-examined as

to the

King.

After a question or two

he was

indifferent

not, so

movements of the it

was evident

that

whether he spoke the truth or

he was called on to

Now " chopping

Juju

oath of friendship, and

"

" is is

Chop

Juju."

equivalent to taking an

about the most serious

performance that a native of these parts indulges in.

There are many ways of doing

it,

but

mainly consists in eating portions of the same

it

fruit

or vegetable, and repeating a declaration that he

would speak "true mouth" with the white man, be white man's brother, and always be honest with him,

etc.

This particular ceremony was performed

with a kola nut placed on a brass tray with water

poured on

it,

the native then touched himself with

the water and nut part being eaten

was going

and ate part of

the other

by Mr. Turner, who eventually

to take over the duties of English

missioner in the town. I

it,

Having "chopped

believe he spoke the truth, but he

ComJuju,"

was the most

evil-looking individual that could well be imagined.

Park copper

colour,

almond

eyes, flat nose,

and a

LIFE

mouth

AT BENIN

up

that turned

tot

at the corners,

gave him

a diabolical expression, while his shifty glances

seemed scanning

whom

he was

everything

talking.

This gentleman had until

but the person to

it

explained to him that,

his " true

he had proved

mouth " by showing

us the water on the next day, he would be kept a prisoner and

a Houssa sergeant, which

to

tied

accordingly was done.

That evening the Headquarter

Staff

and the

Consul-General moved into the main compound for the night, and were forced to sleep on the path to

avoid the smell of blood on the grass.

Early next day a strong party was sent under

Campbell

Captain

to

bring

in

water

;

Colonel

Hamilton taking charge of the advanced guard, our captured Beni being guarded by a sergeant, with orders to shoot him

On

ambuscade.

if

he ran or led us into an

arriving at the place where the

path narrowed and became a gully, a half company

was in

to

left

single

perfect

guard the entrance, and we proceeded

file

place

down for

the narrow way.

an

ambuscade

could

A

more

not be

imagined, a very small force above might have

THE CITY OF BLOOD

102

caused a panic and done security, sentries

were sent up every hundred yards

and we soon discovered

to line the top of the banli,

a path on the top of the a

company were

near,

and

sent,

lost the

left

bank, along which half

but the

enemy were nowhere

grandest chance of dealing us a

A

severe blow that they ever had. in the village

;

As a

damage.

infinite

with these

we

few Beni were

tried to

make

friends,

but they ran for the bush.

The general joy at the Jakri boys,

however,

it

all

revelling

was the

river

was great.

the cool water.

in

As,

day of getting water, and

first

nearly eight hundred tins had to be

time was available for the their disappointment, but

men

filled,

to wash,

little

much

to

on subsequent days they

had a better opportunity. 10.30,

Carriers,

We

and water was once more

returned about liberally

served

out for cooking, drinking, and washing. In the afternoon a strong party, accompanied

by the Admiral, went village just at the

Road.

to

burn Ojumo's compound, a

commencement

Gwato

This was soon done, and with considerable

zest after the horrors passed

again

of the

we found

on the road.

Here

Juju houses smeared with blood.

LIFE

AT BENIN

Blood again, blood everywhere.

we blew up

103

After returning

the main crucifixion tree.

gun-cotton hose nearly cut the tree second completed

its

downfall.

The

first

in half, the

The

other tree

was blown up the next day.

That evening the berthing of the troops was altered, the

Palava House turned into a hospital,

the Headquarter Staff taking the King's House.

A

commissariat

store

for

the

provisions

was

arranged, as also a water store with two days'

supply of water.

Early that morning poor Fyffe had been buried,

A

more

universally popular

man

the expedition, and his death was

When

did not exist in felt

by everyone.

the alteration in plans took place at Agagi,

the Admiral sent for to join the force,

him and Lieutenant Gregory

which they

and arriving early

in the

did, travelling all night

morning, and he had only

practically just joined us before

Benin.

The whole

who

felt

to

of the medical details for the

had been arranged by him

ships' landing

Admiral,

we advanced

for the

the loss of so popular and able an

officer acutely.

Early next morning

I

was sent with a strong

THE CITY OF BLOOD

104

and the Theseus

party of Houssas,

sailors

and

marines, to burn Ochudi's compound, the village

belonging to the general

the Ologbo

This was easily done, resulting

and Sapobar Road. in

who guarded

This compound

one Parrot.

the capture of

whose

consisted of about a hundred houses,

made a good

roofs

Behind the buildings there

blaze.

was a huge garden, which we never had time explore, but acres,

it

must have been quite a hundred

surrounded by a high red

unlikely that

it

to

wall.

It

is

not

was the walking place of the King,

and formed part of

his

compound, which the Juju

prevents him ever leaving.

That afternoon began the demolition of houses near the King's House, so as to

make

that portion

of the town defensible by the Houssas after left.

The

destruction of those

matter of some

used except

difficulty,

mud

we had

houses was a

gunpowder could not be

in small quantities,

when

of tamping rendered the charge useless

the difficulty ;

the danger

of firing the thatch from large charges was a risk not to be run.

It

dust from the hard

was wearisome work, the red

mud

irritating the

throat to an amazing extent.

nose and

LIFE

The same

AT BENIN

105

afternoon a large party under Captain

Campbell proceeded

and destroyed

it,

to the

Queen Mother's House

so burning one more of the head-

centres of vice in the

The water

city.

party in the

morning brought back an old Beni woman who had been captured on her way to the water by Lieutenant

Her

Fyler.

was

information

told

So

any Beni who wished to

that

quietly

people.

and peaceably

returned to her

in the

own home.

after

being

down

settle

town could do

As

she

King's com-

described the rockets entering the

pound and the panic of the

much,

not

so,

a catcher of

she flies

she was unrivalled, never missing one even in the

middle of a long conversation. however,

left us.

Our male

friend,

After the water had been found

he was released from custody, but apparently he did not agree with the interpreters on the subject

of cooking his yams.

He

preferred

them mashed,

but the interpreter roasted them for him, so he

walked away

to his

own home, where he

fed according to his epicurean tastes.

could be

We

were

sorry he departed, because he might have been of further use, but undoubtedly in time

once more.

he

will return

THE CITY OF BLOOD

io6

Sunday,

The

2\st.

usual demolitions were pro-

ceeded with, and a good deal of work done. our

day

last

and none of us were

in Benin,

The

early part of the

and we were preparing

when the

o'clock,

was

fire

day was quite uneventful, a grand parade at four

for

colours were to be hoisted and

be

when an alarm

position

smoke,

roof,

could

off.

The

a

at

glance

nothing to be done but save

prevent panic, and

could,

a

of

hundred yards

the

in

enough

sure

thatch

three

took

there was

out.

the

seen about

Admiral

and

raised,

from

evidently

to

the country.

settle

three cheers given for the Queen, of

sorry,

who were

except for the Protectorate officers

remain with the Houssas to

was

It

let

the

fire

all

burn

;

we

itself

Captain Campbell undertook looking after

the saving of the sick from

which was thatch,

Mr.

saved

as possible,

powder close to

roofed with

zinc

and

and therefore gave more chance

rescuers. officer,

luckily

Palava House,

the

Moorshead,

as

many

of

the

his

not

to

the

commissariat

provision

boxes

and we had our twenty-five kegs of

to be carted

them

;

away before

the

fire

could get

with the assistance of Lieutenant

LIFE and

Pears

our

clear of the

Wildfire flames.

AT BENIN

the only

is

The

first

name

was

for describing

uprush of heated

and carried blazing brands air

taken well

compound.

a miniature whirlwind which

The

were

these

sailors,

107

air

fanned roof

to

the

flame

after

roof.

gusts of wind swept in every direction, it

caused

with a thin black smoke which

filled

and wreathing

the

in fantastic shapes.

curling

Soon every-

thing seemed in a blaze, brands swept by the wind

missed whole compounds and lighted some roof

The

two hundred yards away.

heat was great,

due to the volume of the flame caused by the dryness of the thatch, and the smoke,

full

of finely-

The

divided ash, irritated the eyes and throat. gusts of this

impromptu cyclone swept through

the carrier and

Houssa compounds, fanning the

smouldering camp fire to left

-

fires

into a blaze,

the clothing and food that the carriers had

behind them

in their flight,

the sweeping haze of smoke,

ground

itself

had caught

till,

it

fire

seemed

to

be a

fate.

looking through

seemed as

if

the

and was burning.

There was a dim grandeur about there

and setting

it

all,

Here was

and also

this

head-

THE CITY OF BLOOD

io8

centre of iniquity, spared by us from

new

of burning for the sake of holding the justice

end

suitable

its

seat of

where barbarism had held sway, given

into

our hands with the brand of blood soaked into

every corner and

relic

and here on our

last

legitimate fate overtake

fire

;

only could purge

day we were it,

and see

to

see

it,

its

the centre

this,

of bloodshed, burn before our eyes in retribution for

the millions of lives

had been

that

wilfully

sacrificed.

The smoke from ally cleared,

and the whole place seemed fresher

and more healthy to

for its purging.

A

assess our losses,

effects lost

We

everything except what

all

which

consisted

together by very

Things were a to start

little

bit

of

I

had now

quantity of pro-

our personal

were among the most important.

blanket,

march

large

and water, and nearly

visions

I

the smouldering roofs gradu-

Personally,

stood in and

four

holes

my

joined

material.

bad

for

a short time.

The

on the morrow, short of provisions,

no clothing, some of the

men having

a flannel and boots, socks, and trousers

nothing but left to

them

;

waterproof sheets, and everything else destroyed.

LIFE

and four nights

AT BENIN bush before us

the

in

candle available to light up,

came

109

when

—not

a

the darkness

by opening our precious provision

on, except

boxes.

The

thing was to send out a water party,

first

as only an hour remained before dark.

This was

organised and sent as soon as possible.

They had

only been gone a short time

when

in

marched

Lieutenant

Harrold and a train of carriers with

provisions,

under escort of a party of men from

the Forte.

It

seemed as

dropped from the sky

if

plenty had suddenly

to replace our losses.

It

appears that these provisions had been sent to

Agagi

for us

on the way down,

of water, Harrold had pushed on

welcome indeed he was.

Mr.

to Benin,

Nor was

some of

of good fortune to

this

News, with

London

provisions for himself.

was

practically over,

his

stock.

Now

greedy, that the short

is

and

the end

with him came

us, for

Seppings Wright, the special

Illustrated

being short

but,

artist

three

of the

months'

As, however, the campaign

he insisted on feeding us with

Englishmen are not generally

when

there

is

plenty,

commons we had been

on, to

but after see and

THE CITY OF BLOOD

no

down

handle a bottle of pickles, to dive

hidden behind the

chili

berry jam

and

yes,

day

home

—

such

all

to find

The

exciting.

—straw-

zest

trivialities

of every-

them suddenly showered

land of want was,

in that

jam

more, to find there was whisky,

and

claret,

at

life

—once

see

label, to

for that

with

must

I

which we

night was not greed, nor was

it

very

confess,

dined that

hunger,

it

was

something between the two, and, believe me, something very pleasant, and

a feeling that there

it left

was nothing we would not do for the

donor of

know and

all this

years to

in

bounty.

I

come

now thoroughly

appreciate the feelings of a child at a

school-feast,

and

in future shall look

on these jam

scrambles through perfectly different eyes and with

more sympathetic deeds of here.

this

A

Nor

feelings.

marvellous

man

chair for one to sleep

did

many

of in,

another, a blanket for a third,

to

sleep

tween a

first-class

of

him

till

a

as

conjurer and a

good

things end

a cork mattress

for

dreaming

the

you went

mixture

be-

modern Santa

Claus.

The were

all

rafters

were

prepared

for

still

the

and

we

falling

in,

glowing, roof

LIFE

AT BENIN

but everything seemed

all

in

right

—we

had dined

well.

Monday, iind. our

In the early morning

last breakfast at Benin.

shown

round,

all

marines,

marched men,

off

who

Mr. Wright was taken

the principal places of interest,

which he sketched, and sailors,

we had

and

carriers

cheering

returned

it

at 8.30 the long line of

the

was

and

formed,

Houssa

and

officers

Glad we were

heartily.

to

leave Benin, but sorry enough to say good-bye to the friends

we had

so recently made, and whose

friendship the expedition had so speedily cemented

—good

luck

go with them, and may England

always have such in

;

men

to hold her rights for her

any part of the world where sudden trouble"

may

arise

will

not exactly be a bed of roses up in Benin,

Their work for the next few months

!

holding the place

the Beni

come

Treacherous though they

down. they

till

will

lessons

try

are,

and

it is

and recapture the place

received

settle

unlikely

after

the

from the Maxims and breech-

loaders of our troops. fetich places

in

Their Juju

is

burned; the King's House

of the White Chief, and their

broken, their is

the Palace

own Palava House

THE CITY OF BLOOD

112

the assembly place where they will be dictated to as to terms of surrender and their future behaviour.

The

crucifixion trees

cannot

fail

the white

man mean

will

form centres of discon-

;

into

but these are small matters compared

the general resumption of trade through the

country,

and the main population

under English the

develop, as

happiness, contentment, and

and the unemployed soldiery may turn

brigands to

rule of

course, as long as the Juju priests

remain at large they tent,

and the good

to see that peace

Of

security.

have disappeared, and they

is

in

down

settling

rule.

In time, no doubt, as things

same

system

of

vogue with the Jakris

native

be

will

council

instituted,

and a national council formed under the English Resident to

settle their

domestic

a change cannot be made in a day. however,

is

certain,

could be chosen

men and by

his

inspire

present is

and

is

One

thing,

no

that

man

more capable of dealing with

matters,

more

subordinates,

confidence

in

Consul-General,

lucky in

that

but such

affairs,

having

so

implicitly

and

believed

more

the

natives

Mr.

R.

able an

Moor

likely

than ;

in

to

the

and he

assistant

and

LIFE

AT BENIN

113

SO excellent a linguist as Mr. Turner, the future Resident.

Good-bye, Benin, your character must indeed be

bad is in

if

the longing of seven hundred

men

to see

you

three days changed to a fervent desire never

to look

upon your red walls

again.

CHAPTER

IX

SAPOBAR AKD GWATO

^^O ^^-^

the operations at

far,

have been merely referred

work

to,

but no details

This was not from any idea that the

mentioned.

way

Gwato and Sapobar

at these

two places was not equal

to anything

in every

done by the main column, but

merely for the sake of clearness of narrative.

having now done with the active

we

column,

The

at

places.

these places was

reason for occupying First, to

threefold.

two

the

employed therefore

of the main

life

are better able to record the operations

two

at these

But

keep the armies and villages

extremities

in

local

of

the

defence

and

kingdom

well

attack,

and

preventing what would otherwise have

been unemployed natives from swelling the Benin army.

Secondly, to prevent as

the escape

much

of important fugitives

as possible

by these two

SAPOBAR AND GWATO main roads

and

;

towns and

and destroy

to harass

thirdly,

while

villages

115

main

the

operations

and so increase the punishment

lasted,

inflicted

on the nation.

To

and

Barrosa,

manned with Creek

out

carry

;

Widgeon, Jakris,

and the

similar duties

The

these

with

canoes

six

were detailed

Phcebe,

Alecto,

Philomel,

the

attacks,

off for

half-

Gwato

and Magpie

up the Jamieson River

for

at Sapobar.

9th of February was the day fixed for

commencing

operations,

the main column

that being the

day that

the ships, and three days

left

before the taking of Ologbo.

So

was

that there

time for news of attack at Sapobar and Gwato reach

to

Benin,

and

for

portion of the Ologbo

of the

column

up

the withdrawal

army before

country.

of a

the advance

For the

Beni at

Ologbo had no means of ascertaining the numbers or

movements of our men

were,

was

at Ceri, being, as

we

the other side of the water, and in what practically friendly country.

In

the day before the taking of Ologbo,

seen bathing at the

beach,

fact,

up

to

women were

which showed that

they anticipated no immediate attack.

THE CITY OF BLOOD

|I6

The destroy

At

orders all

Icaro,

Gwato column were

to

towns on the Benin side up to Gwato.

first this

and

the

for

duty was extended as far as Eketti

two towns well up the Icaro Creek,

but subsequently the distance from Icaro to Benin

was considered too of

men

to

close for so small a

be independently employed, necessarily

a long way from their base.

The range

work was,

Gwato.

therefore, limited to

Although ings

number

of their

wholesale destruction of build-

this

—the Beni side of the creek—entailed burning

several

trading settlements,

Jakri

chiefs decided there

was no harm

still

the Jakri

in that, as

all

the Jakris and Ijos had crossed to the western side of the creek

;

of loss of friendly

was inappreciable. easily got at

close to

;

therefore there life,

was no chance

and the value of the huts

The Beni towns were

Gilli-Gilli

and Gwato were

not fairly

the shore, the others were inland, and

so could not be well attacked, and therefore the efforts of this Gilli

Division were directed mainly against

and Gwato

Gilli

-

the

riverside

;

Gwato

—the being,

two chief towns on of course,

the one

of greater importance, as guarding the main road

SAPOBAR AND GWATO to

117

by poor

Benin, the road taken

Phillips

and

his unfortunate expedition.

The Gwato

force

Warrigi on

left

and the Philomel anchored

Gwato Creek

the

8th,

entrance of

off the

same afternoon.

the

the

The

six

canoes arrived on the 9th, when an advance was

made up

the creek in the canoes and Philomel's

with

boats

Barrosa

the

and the boats got up as

slow,

in

the

the

morning.

men

left

loth,

the

in

having reconnoitred

boats

no opposition, burned

Gwato the

of

and

clear the bush,

forty marines

Q.F-

three

all

Gilli-Gilli,

Gilli-Gilli

and

his

ships

at

meeting with

the huts and cut

all

then

guns

down

p.m.

for

fired volleys

and

left

Having

landing-place.

6-pounder

O'Callaghan

Captain

11.30 a.m. and occupied

the banana trees,

as a large

far

Barrosa Island,

island, called for distinction

On

Progress was

ahead.

from

at

3

the

boats

to

he landed with forty seamen and

and marched up the path

This path ended

to

Gwato.

in a defile not unlike the

water

path at Benin, at the end of which was a rough

wooden ladder leading Climbing up

this,

to

the

town of Gwato.

they found the town apparently

THE CITY OF BLOOD

ii8

deserted, but, not trusting to such peaceful appear-

ances,

To

the bush was well

these

was

there

marched through were

and

this

fell

party-

the banana trees

;

back, saying that there

More

volleys were fired,

was returned, the natives

fire

in three

the marines on the right, so

sides of a square,

ahead and on each flank was well

covered by the tried to get

the

The men were formed

cheering loudly.

that the bush

;

and the Kroomen

down

in the bush.

time the

response

town,

to cut

while doing so they

were Beni

no

the

work

set to

searched with volleys.

A

fire.

large

round the right

themselves in so doing to the

body of natives but exposing

flank, fire

of the marines,

they suffered considerably, and gave up the attempt.

For an hour a warm

fire

was kept

cheering and firing ceased, and the

The remaining

huts were

two of the largest

their

casualties

boats

enemy

then set

fire

to,

and

unmolested

at

marched back

6.30

p.m.

were three severely and three

wounded, among

retired.

blown up with gun-cotton.

All firing having ceased, the party to

up, then the

whom was

shot through the chest.

Lieutenant

The

slightly

Hunt,

SAPOBAR AND GWATO Information sent

off

of

119

Gwato was

burning of

the

recognised the importance of holding

employing the army there

so the

on

attack

additional

consider

and

hold

Gilli

a rocket -tube from the main

C Company

Frazer with fifty

for

safety,

him

Gwato

the

1

from the

to

when

2th

;

Lieutenant Si.

George,

Du-Du were

they arrived on the

Gilli-Gilli

1

the

5 th.

had been reoccupied

without opposition, and on the force

with

force,

from Chief

carriers

reinforcements ordered

On

sufficient

Lieutenant Charrington was sent with

reinforced.

and

force

issued also

caused

he did not

place

and

Gilli

Gwato and

have

there,

the

were

orders

consequently,

sent

O'Callaghan's

Captain

reoccupy

be

to

fully

but fearing that

;

might

place

the

troops

reoccupy

to

who

immediately to the Admiral,

i6th

proceeded to Gwato at 8 a.m.

the whole

This time

the path above the defile was used, and not the defile

itself,

long

as

was

as

the latter there

immediately

being far too dangerous

was

another

route.

commenced round

the

A

wall

town,

and the four Maxims and the rocket-tube placed in

position.

At 10

a.m.

fire

was opened from

THE CITY OF BLOOD

I20

the bush and kept up to

wounding

all

day, which, in addition

kept

several,

men

our

For the next

time exposed to a tropical sun.

two days the enemy made repeated 19th

the

after

the whole

attacks, but

opposition ceased, this being

all

the day after the capture of Benin, and was a disorganisation ensuing on

healthy sign of

the

the loss of the

city.

Captain O'Callaghan had

till

the 27 th, to hold this base

orders to remain till

two

companies

Houssas

of

under Captain

Gallwey had cleared the road from Benin, and

opened up communication

On

the

with

Houssas

25th the

no

villagers

opposition

were

to Sapele

on

road,

Many

of the

sun, exposure to

men

in

offered

which again was a very healthy suffered

this route.

having met

arrived,

the

and

friendly,

by

the

fact

them

food,

sign.

acutely from the

which during the whole of three

consecutive days was most trying to officers and

men.

Commander

Startin of the Barrosa, having

been sent from charge of the pioneers of the

main column, arrived assistance

Gwato.

in

Mr.

in

the work

time to be of the greatest of

Facey was

the the

twelve days at

surgeon

of

the

SAPOBAR AND GWATO party,

well

and had

filled.

Serjeant

121

hands unfortunately only too

his

The command

of the marines

fell

to

and most ably he carried out

Burrill,

his important duties during the

whole time.

work of

fell

creeks

the

patrolling

The

Lieutenant

to

Hill of the Barrosa.

In the actual

fall

of Benin one

is

apt to forget

Gwato and Sapobar,

the solid work done at

the

successive days' fighting, and the daily exposure to a broiling sun at these

;

but the effectual fighting done

two places possibly eased

to a very great

extent the work of the main column, and saved

many

of the lives of those

The

was

the

to

sending

men

addition

that

to control the road

from

The

same,

Sapobar was supposed Benin

to Benin.

operations at Sapobar were of rather a

different character.

there

who marched

Ugugu and

object

with

in

the

thence to the Sobo country,

but the exact distance of Sapobar from the Ugugu-

The map

Benin Road was not known.

at the

end

of the book shows roughly the position of the places near Sapobar.

The Jamieson River Sapobar, but

does

not

is

navigable as far as

end

there,

a

swampy

THE CITY OF BLOOD

122

Stream

continuing

as

march away.

hours'

far

This

as

Boko,

about the

deflects

ten

Ugugu

Road, which runs round the head of the swamp at

Boko

Boko,

before going to

the

road

runs

After leaving

Benin.

through

a

village

called

Oboqua, about three and a half miles from the

Sapobar-Boko Road. to

was therefore proposed

It

hold Oboqua, and so cut off communication

between Benin and the country behind.

On

the 9th of February, Captain M'Gill

Sapele with sixty-five

and marines.

bluejackets

Lieutenant Pritchard of the Alecto,

Kennedy and

Buckland,

Darcy-Irvine, and Mr.

At 4

ten days.

small

island

Lieutenants

Levinge and

Doctors

Bretten, with rations for

p.m. they arrived at Sapobar, a

with channel to the mainland only

about forty feet broad.

come up

left

The

steam-cutter having

also with four canoes with half crews of

Jakri men, the party landed on the north shore,

made a

The on

zareba,

and

slept the night.

following morning the expedition pushed

to the branch of the road to

made a

zareba,

of this

village.

Oboqua, and here

and then started

The

path was

in the direction

very bad and

;

SAPOBAR AND GWATO used, and the bush dense,

little

very

difficult

after

;

marching

hours without reaching any forced to turn back to night.

They

making carrying

for three

and a half

village, the party

make

were

for the zareba before

arrived at 4 p.m. with no water, and

much done up hours.

123

a

after

Here they

total

march of nine and a half

slept undisturbed for the night.

Next morning Captain M'Gill and Mr. Buckland

Sapobar with

left for

who were

to

carriers

and the men

form part of the 2nd Division of

the main column, leaving Lieutenant Pritchard in

command

The

with twenty

carriers

were

-

two

and a Maxim.

rifles

to return with

Mr. Buckland to

the zareba with the remainder of the provisions

water was

plentiful.

The men

left

behind

proceeded to build a

stockade, and while doing so were attacked by the natives from the bush.

Poor Pritchard was

and died immediately, as also through the heart. forcfe.

shot,

Cheverill, A.B., shot

The enemy

then attacked in

Dr. Levinge, taking charge, sent Lieutenant

Pritchard's servant

back with the news

to Captain

M'Gill at Sapobar, and luckily caught him just as

he was leaving

for Warrigi.

On

receipt of the

THE CITY OF BLOOD

124

news he

at once

men, and on

determined to return with

arrival

all

the

found the attack had ceased,

having lasted two and a half hours, and the enemy

had apparently a P.O.,

ist class,

while firing his

work in

it

During the

retired.

Tiddy,

fight,

was shot through the shoulder

Maxim

he,

;

however, continued to

the whole time, and was largely instrumental

warding

off the attack.

That afternoon they buried poor Pritchard and Cheverill, hiding their graves,

and covering them

with leaves.

As

the force at Captain

M 'Gill's

disposal

was

too small to divide with safety, he determined to

evacuate the zareba and defend Sapobar until he

had orders

to retain

men

the

belonging to the

2nd Division.

On

the 14th the

but did not attack. left for

enemy approached Sapobar,

On

the i6th the column again

the stockade, where they found the

had made a strong camp.

Under cover of

skirmishers, they at once set to

the stockade, which, protection.

when

Shots were

attack in force

made

till

enemy

work

finished, fired

to

the

improve

was a very

fair

every day, but no

the 20th.

SAPOBAR AND GWATO

On to

this

day a column of

Sapobar as usual

got within about three-

when they were

quarters of a mile of the stockade

attacked

On

;

one marine was

this occasion

had been sent

bring up provisions and

to

They had

ammunition.

carriers

125

killed

and two wounded.

they had not fired a precautionary

volley for twenty minutes, which fully accounted for the surprise.

was attacked

At the same time the stockade

in force,

two or three hours. by the enemy,

On

and the

firing

This was the

continued for

last effort

made

for after this all opposition ceased.

the 24th the column

left for

Warrigi, leaving

behind them the graves of four of their comrades.

Of more

this portion of the

to

be

said.

A

shooting characterised

lot it,

campaign there

of hard work and close

much

attack.

position of the

was most

for the

same as the

critical,

the

and but

determined stand of Dr. Levinge and the

men under One

the

At one time

other two points of force

is little

him, might have had a serious ending.

anecdote

is

told of

an

Irish stoker

who had

climbed up into the higher portions of the stockade

which had been firing with

much

built for

marksmen

only,

and was

zest at the natives as they showed.

THE CITY OF BLOOD

126

Being asked by a suspecting

officer if

marksman, and

to

told,

make room

for a

exclaimed, "

I

but

I

don't

if

not,

man who

he were a

come\down and

was, he indignantly

know about being a marksman,

shot that beggar," pointing to a Beni at the

edge of the bush.

This was considered evidence

of marksmanship.

The

Beni's

gun was found

to contain six

of powder and four pistol bullets.

drams

CHAPTER X CONCLUSION "

I

^HE

march back from Benin

The

wounded.

the next day

slow on

but

uneventful,

first

Admiral took up

his quarters

We here

Way

from

Awoko, and the

and

the

on board the Ivyy

by the Consul-

heard of the sad death of Dr. Gradually

sunstroke.

casualty

boats,

his disposal

were reshipped, and the the only

the

where the

to Warrigi,

branch

the

which had been put at General.

account of

at Cross Roads,

day following pushed on in

Warrigi was

night was spent at

we camped

men embarked

to

last

being

belonging to the Forte,

of the

the

who

all

men embarked, of a

loss fell

the stores

marine

overboard and

was drowned. Captain

O'Callaghan

remain at Gwato to hold

had this

been

ordered

to

base until Captain

Gallwey arrived there from Benin.

Runners were

THE CITY OF BLOOD

138

sent

down

first

the road to report on

its state,

and

these reports being satisfactory, two companies of

Houssas under Captain Gallwey were sent down to

The road was

Gwato.

and the

quite clear of the enemy,

which pieces of news

villagers friendly,

were very reassuring, and pointed to a speedy settling

down

The

of the country.

twenty -five miles was accomplished without trouble, the path being very

and much more used than that

distance of

two days

in

good,

fairly

This

to Ologbo.

be used as the main road, being more

in future will

convenient than any of the others, and communica-

up by water between Gwato,

tion kept

New

Benin,

and Sapele.

Time

On

Benin. fail

to

will

be

show the

effect of

our possession of

the trade of the Benin River

beneficial.

The removal

and increased security to

it

cannot

of trade Jujus,

travellers

of

all

sorts,

must not only bring the products of the country itself to

European markets, but

passage of trade from the the capture of the ancient

also increase the

interior.

city, at

Moreover,

nearly the

same

time as the destruction of the power of Beda, farther inland, will greatly increase the prestige of

CONCLUSION the white man, and

129

make him

and more

safer

respected in his travels through the neighbouring countries.

On

our arrival at Warrigi the

first

telegram

from Her Majesty the Queen was received, and the pleasure

it

showing as

describe,

everyone

caused it

did

is

such

sympathy towards the whole Force.

difficult

to

and

interest

On the arrival

of the second royal message this pleasure was

more than doubled,

feeling that these kind

all

and

gracious actions had fully compensated them for

whatever privations they had had, or pain they

had endured.

As we from over, its

expected, the troubles of for malarial fever

appearance.

The

Phoebe's

suffering badly, as she

the coast for tion,

many were

was bound

to

make

crew were already

had been on

some months previous

this part of

to the expedi-

and no sooner were the crews of the ships

embarked than the fever quickly appeared. sick

far

list

The

of the five ships at Brass soon rose to

three hundred and ninety-three cases.

The

fever

could hardly be considered dangerous except in the cases

of

men much

pulled

down by previous

THE CITY OF BLOOD

I30

As a

exhaustion.

rule,

the temperatures of the

patients rose rapidly to 105° or 106°, but

fell

a quinine and antipyrine treatment.

It

an uncommon thing a

man

in that part of the

to be apparently quite well,

after for his temperature to

be

under not

is

world for

and two hours

106°,

and

two

in

days' time to be practically well again.

The

chief preventives of the fever appear to

be quinine and good feeding, but the very requisite

is

it

latter is the

impossible to get on that part

Tinned food must form a large

of the coast.

portion of the rations, and fresh meat

unknown.

Now

to the interior

it

the country

that

may be hoped

is

is

almost

opened up

that cattle will be

kept inland and driven to the sea, which

a vast difference in the sickness.

It

will

make

can hardly,

however, be hoped that the bush country

will

ever be healthy for Europeans, whose lives depend to a large extent

on spending every alternate year

who

recruiting in

England

do not do so

find early graves at the settlements.

The

saying

is

;

common

the majority of those

that each of our possessions

abroad has been bought, acre by blood.

True, quite

true,

acre, with

English

but equally true

is

it

CONCLUSION that

many

131

by

of those possessions are kept year

year by the increasing graveyards, growing out of

all

proportion to a normal death-rate.

be hoped that Benin City, situated as

open country the river,

at a higher level,

may form

It

in

it is

is

to

more

and well away from

a sanatorium for the fever-

smitten people of the creeks and rivers.

Smallpox carriers,

as

was

many

among

prevalent

fairly

as seventy cases

treatment at one time, but, as

is

the

being under

always the case,

the black man's smallpox did not attack the whites,

who were

perfectly free from this horrid complaint,

nor were any of the Houssas attacked by

A

few words about the Houssas

be out of

will

it.

not perhaps

Strictly speaking, the majority

place.

of the black troops of the

Protectorate

are not

Houssas but Yoribas, a race not nearly so warlike as the proper Houssa,

when

fighting,

military

but

training.

who

is

well in his element

capable of considerable

still

During the expedition these

troops did a lot of hard work, had a considerable

amount of the

fighting,

on themselves and

and

their

reflected

officers.

sun and climate generally did not

much

credit

Naturally the affect

them so

THE CITY OF BLOOD

132

much

as the white men, but their mental capacity

and traditions are so English that

it

inferior

to

would be too much

under privations or

discipline.

the

to expect that

sudden emergencies they

in

would exhibit the same amount of

and

those of

esprit de corps

But comparisons between the two

are not necessary, sufficient for us to say that the

expedition

owed a great debt

to the hard

work

and the fighting of the Houssas,

The map end

is

latitudes

The is

and

correct,

observations

have

until

been

the

at

further

the

taken,

and longitudes can only be looked on as

approximate. is

the chief places given

only roughly

astronomic

nor

of

Triangulation

is

out of the question,

necessary except for scientific purposes.

it

creeks will in due time be explored, but there

but

little

chance of any water communication

with Benin nearer than Icaro being available.

An

attempt was

made

to

push up the Ologbo

Creek, but after a few miles impassable, both from that

had

how

this joins the

fallen across

Little

its it.

it

to

be

narrowness and the trees

So

that the question of

Ikpoba Creek

more need be

was found

said.

is still

At

the

unsolved.

moment

of

CONCLUSION

133

writing everything seems peaceful and going well in

the country.

The squadron has

dispersed to

other waters on varied work, and the Protectorate

Force

is

Many

are

have

gradually returning to still ill

its

ordinary duties.

with fever, and a good time

to elapse before

some

will

will

have thoroughly

shaken the malaria out of their system.

The scribbled

tale in,

is

and

finished, it

is

and the few

memory

notes

with a shudder rather than

any other emotion that the pen the

last

is

laid aside, as

of those red walls with their dead

horrors within and

without

floats

dimness of memory across the mind.

even

in

the

APPENDICES

135

S5

3

a. Qi

u a

<

OS

a o b,

O b

O en

M

O <

O tn

X Q W PL,

U O

> o

'A

Ph

<

<

O >-l

< o

z ? o «

a iJ

n •U

H

—

APPENDIX

II

KITS Four

kits are

stowed

in

a seaman's painted canvas bag

—weight,

55 to 56 lbs.

Each bag should be marked thus

:

Division.

Company.

No If

time permits,

it

would be advisable to paint the bag the

Divisional colour.

Seamen's Kit In wear.

Spare.

I

Hat.

I

Blanket.

I

Handkerchief.

I

Waterproof sheet.

I

Knife and lanyard.

1

Towel.

I

Flannel.

2 Flannels.

I

Cholera

I

Cholera

I

Serge jumper.

I

Serge jumper.

I

Pair of trousers (serge).

I

Pair of drawers (optional).

I

Pair of drawers.

I

Pair of serge trousers.

I

Pair of socks or stockings.

I

Pair of socks or stockings.

I

Pair of boots.

I

Cap.

belt.

.38

belt.

APPENDIX

II

139

Marines' Kit In wear.

Spare,

I

Helmet.

I

Cap

I

Serge tunic.

1

Serge

I

Flannel

shirt.

2 Flannel shirts.

I

Cholera

belt.

I

Cholera

I

Pair of tweed trousers.

I

Pair of serge trousers.

I

Pair of drawers (optional).

I

Pair of drawers (optional).

I

Pair of stockings.

I

Pair of socks or stockings.

I

Pair of boots.

I

Waterproof sheet.

Each man armed with a in his

pouch. L.-M. M.

rifle will

tunic.

I

Blanket.

I

Towel.

belt.

carry 100 rounds of ammunition

APPENDIX

140

II

L.-M. M. equipment, with water-bottle

full,

rounds, but without blanket, weighs 25J lbs.

holds 334 rounds. Pistols.

—Each

6 boxes.

1st

or 2nd

One

No

long

icx>

belt

lbs.

and man armed with a

36 rounds of ammunition^

by the

A

Weight of box complete=49i officer

and

Maxim

lb. biscuit,

\

pistol is to carry

spare ammunition will be carried

Divisions, but the

Supply Column

box contains 768 rounds and weighs 38J lbs.

will

take

—

.

APPENDIX

III

PROVISIONS (i)

Rations for 24

forms one load, 56

The

men

i

day are stowed

in

a

tin

box, which

lbs. in weight.

scale of rations

is

as follows I

Biscuit

for

Man

:

for

one day.

.

Preserved meat

Sugar Chocolate

Tea Coffee

Sugar

.

for ditto

Rum Lime

juice

Sugar

for ditto

Rice

Onions

.

Salt.

Pepper.

Mustard.

Curry powder. Also candles and

2

boxes matches.

marked

(*)

all

these are

one box, called Packed Ration Box, and

all

are

numbered

With the exception of the stowed

in

consecutively from

I.

articles

— APPENDIX in

142

Note.

—Each

man

be paraded on landing with one day's

will

emergency rations, which are not to

do so from the

will also

officer

be carried

commanding

haversacks

in

be used without express authority

to

;

J

lb.

of biscuit

one day's rations

in

boxes are

the Division

;

and 9 days' supply with the Carrier

carried with each company,

Column. (2)

A commissariat He

Carrier Column.

exchange

will

empty

for the

attached to each Division and the

officer is

superintend the issue of the

ones, which, with their bags

be returned to the Carrier Column, who

will

make

boxes in

full

and

tins,

are to

the necessary

arrangements for passing them on to the base. (3)

The companies,

are organised in multiples of twelve,

etc.,

so that in

some cases a box

There are

sixty

men

in

will last

a company

boxes on the same scale as the men's.

rum contained

evening, and that discretion

is

(5)

A barricoe

rice are carried

carried

are included in the

Officers of

boxes

used in

its issue. its

is

own

companies are to

not drunk until the

officers will

perform

officer.

of lime juice, a box of sugar, bags of onions, and

by each Division, and a reserve

by the Carrier Column.

three issues daily,

commanding

etc.,

in the

(4) In the Marine Battalion one of

the duties of commissariat

box with

will carry the ullage

Rations for the officers of companies,

see that the

:

—

one day and two boxes the next and them.

For example

two days.

they will be given three boxes

The supply

and may be served out

Divisions, etc.,

may

at

decide.

for replenishing is

of lime juice admits of

such times as the

officers

The commissariat

officer

will attend to the issue of provisions.

Accounting for

officers

and men

provisions packed in boxes are

and the accountant

officer of

victualled from these boxes

flagship with the total

is

number

victualled from boxes.

all

supplied from

each ship having to furnish the fleet

victualled

—

(6)

The

the flagship

officers

;

and men

paymaster of the

under these conditions

the whole period, immediately on the return of the expedition,

for

when

APPENDIX III supply and receipt vouchers

will

143

be passed

the quantities of

for

provisions used.

Accounting for provisions issued to than those

to

which they belong.

—

officers

and men

(7) Officers

in ships other

and men

victualled in

any other ship than that to which they belong are not on the books, but supply and receipt vouchers are between the

respective accountant

officers

for the

be shown

to to

be passed

quantities

of

provisions issued.

WATER Water to

be boiled.

—

(i)

Nothing but boiled water

be used

to

is

for drinking purposes. (2) It is

presumed that water

and

for cocoa, coffee,

will

always be within reach

;

water

tea need not therefore be considered, as the

water must be boiled to make them. Quantity carried.

company

carriers,

—

(3)

which

A is

man

quart of water per

more than

is

rations of lime juice per

man, the daily allowance, and

the allowance of rum per

man

(4)

filled

is

is

mix with

over, the kettles should

with water and boiled

until all the water-cans are replenished

boiled water, which

to

at night.

Immediately the evening meal

cleaned out and

by

carried

sufficient to serve out three

;

this is to

and the

be

be continued

kettles are full of

then to be emptied into a seaman's painted

canvas bag, two of which are to be carried by each company's stretcher-bearers, to be continued

next morning

is

and marked "Drinking Water."

until sufficient

made, the

water to

fill

all

The

process

is

the water-bottles the

kettles are then to

be

refilled

and

left

ready for cooking the breakfast in the morning. (5) If this

be

sufficient

;

can be done each day, the company water supply should but in case

it

cannot be done, two days' water supply,

at the rate of | of a gallon per man, are carried by the Carrier

Column, and may be drawn upon by a written order from the Chief of the

StaC

— APPENDIX III

144

SCALE OF KETTLES AND LAMPS Ships scale

:

will

provide their

own

kettles

and lamps on the following

APPENDIX III

145

other Divisions will be provided by the flagship. painted the Divisional colour and

marked with

the

Boxes

Geneva

to

cross.

CONTENTS NOS.

I,

3,

S,

AND

7

Quantity.

Article.

Brandy

2 bottles

.

Extract of Beef

4

Milk

3 tins

Liebig's Extract Bovril .

3 tins

tins

3 tins

Cocoatina Chicken Broth

1

lb. tin

2

lbs.

Arrowroot Corkscrew Tin Opener Quinine Pills Quinine (bulk) Acid Sulphuric (concentrated)

2 lbs.

Candles' (ships)

3

I I

3272

.

5 oz. I

Total weight of each case, 50

Nos.

Article.

2,

4,

lbs.

6,

oz.

Provided by Flagship.

AND S

be

— APPENDIX

146

No.

9.

III

For Use of Field Hospital Article.

APPENDIX in Capital case complete.

147

Field tourniquets 2

in.

Hypodermic apparatus complete. Wells' pressure forceps Pocket case complete.

if

Catheters.

Esmarch's apparatus

(2 in.

wide

possible).

Scales, set for blood-

wide.

i

in.

wide.

Waterproof sheeting and towel,

less operations.

Each

sick berth rating to carry a haversack

appliance.

with "first aid"

APPENDIX LIST OF KILLED

IV

AND WOUNDED

Killed Lieutenant-Commander Pritchard Alecto

.

APPENDIX IV H. E. Targett, R.M.A.

.

149

APPENDIX V LIST OF OFFICERS TAKING PART IN

SHORE OPERATIONS *Allman,

Principal

Officer,

Medical

*Bacon, Commander, Head

mand

in

com-

of the Scouts.

**Facey, Staff Surgeon.

of

Intelligence Department.

Fitzgerald,

Surgeon,

Fleet

P.M.O.

*Beamish, Lieutenant, R.N.

Beaumont,

Lieutenant,

*Erskine,

N.C.P.F.

Captain, R.M.L.I.

Foote,

Captain,

manding 2nd

Blane, Midshipman. Bridges, Lieutenant, R.M.L.I.

R.N.,

com-

Division.

*Fyffe, Surgeon.

*Fyler, Lieutenant, R.N.

***Britten, Assistant Paymaster.

**Brown, Gunner, R.N.

*Gallwey,

***Buckland, Lieutenant, R.N.R.

Captain,

D.S.O.,

N.C.P.F.

Midshipman.

*Burrows, Captain, N.C.P.F.

Gilbert,

*Byrne, Captain, R.M.L.I.

Girty, Assistant Paymaster.

*CampbeIl, Captain, R.N., com-

Gladstone, Sub-Lieut., R.N.

manding

Good, Midshipman.

1st Division.

Goolden, Midshipman.

*Carter, Captain, N.C.P.F.

**Charrington, Lieutenant, R.N.

Grant, Surgeon.

Gregory, Lieutenant, R.N. Gregory, Sub-Lieutenant, R.N. Griffiths, Lieutenant, R.N. Hadley, Paymaster, R.N.

*Chelds, Lieutenant, N.C.P.F. Clayton, Surgeon.

*Cockburn Captain, N.C.P.F.

*Cowan, Lieutenant, R.N. *Daniels, Lieutenant, N.C.P.F.

Hale, Captain, R.M.L.I.

*Dimsey, Staff Surgeon. *Egerton, Captain, R.N., Chief

Hamilton, Lieutenant-Colonel, in command of Advance Guard.

of the Staff. Elliott,

Harrold, Lieutenant, R.N.

Paymaster.

England, Flag

Heaslop, Chaplain.

Lieutenant.

*Benin Column.

**Gwato, ISO

***Sapobar.

APPENDIX V **Hunt,

Lieutenant

and

Com-

mander.

15'

*0'Shee,

R.E.,

Lieutenant,

Special Service.

***Irvine, Darcy, Medical Officer,

N.C.P.F.

*Phibbs, Sub-Lieutenant. *Phillpotts, Lieutenant,

Jeans, Gunner, R.N.

R.N.

Piggott, Midshipman.

*Johnson, Gunner, R.N.

Prendergast, Gunner.

***Kennedy, Lieutenant, R.N. Koe, Captain, N.C.P.F.

*Pears,

Lieutenant,

R.N.,

in

charge of Carriers.

*Landon, Major, A.S.C.

***Pritchard,

Leonard, Major, A.S.C.

Lieutenant

and

Commander.

***Levinge, Surgeon.

*Rawson,

Livingstone, Midshipman.

Rear-Admiral Com-

mander-in-Chief

Llewellyn, Midshipman.

*Richardson, Midshipman.

Locksley, Lieutenant, R.N.

*Ringer, Captain, N.C.P.F.

Macaulay, Lieutenant, R.N.

*Roche, Major, R.M.L.L

M'Lean, Sub-Lieutenant, R.N.

•*Roth, Medical Officer, N.C.P.F.

Rowe, Secretary to Commander-

M'Cullagh, Midshipman.

M'Gregor, Surgeon.

in-Chief

***M'GiIl, Captain, R.N., in com-

mand

at

Sapobar.

*Searle, Major, N.C.P.F.

Seath, Assistant Clerk.

Main, Engineer, R.N.

Smith, Engineer, R.N.

Stephenson, Midshipman.

*Martin, Staff Surgeon. Martin, Boatswain.

**Startin,

May, Midshipman.

Commander.

Stokes- Rees,

Commander Com-

Measham, Clerk. Mobbs, Boatswain.

Stovin, Staff Paymaster.

Moor, K.C.M.G., Consul-Gen.

Trew, Fleet Paymaster.

*Moorshead,

Assistant

missariat Officer.

Pay-

master.

District.

**0'Callaghan, Captain, R.N., in

command

at

Gwato.

O'Farrell, Secretary to Consul-

General.

Turner, Commissioneffor Benin Unwin, Lieutenant, R.N.

Vyvyan, Lieutenant,R.N. Walker, Capt., Special Service. Way, Surgeon.

PRINTED EY MORRISON AND GIBE LIMITED, EDINBURGH

ilUll

Ill

III

III