EXPERIENCES WITH THE NATIVES 167 



To this I replied rather sharply being angry that a 

 boy should have been killed so close to the Government 

 station telling of the other outrage by the hillmen, 

 and stating that I intended, failing Government 

 action, to take the matter of punishment into my own 

 hands. To this I had the following reply: 



" I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter 

 of the 13th inst., reporting attacks on your party 

 by the Isurava natives. This matter will have my 

 immediate attention, and I hope to be able to come 

 up to your camp at the earliest possible moment. In 

 the meantime I am sending two police, who have 

 instructions to remain with you until further orders. 



" I must beg that you do not take any irresponsible 

 action with regard to punishment of the marauders, 

 although, of course, should you be attacked you are 

 perfectly entitled to defend yourself. If your property 

 is obtainable, by all means recover it, but should it 

 have been removed to the native villages, or should 

 the attempt to recover it bring you into collision with 

 natives, its recovery must await my presence. The 

 police will only act in emergency, and for the moment 

 are sent for your protection." 



The native police sent up did not prove of much 

 use. On April 17th, a boy whom I suspected of being 

 implicated in the murder on the hills, strolled into my 

 camp with some others, and I signed to the two native 

 police (sent to me for " protection ") to catch him : 

 they made a good try, but he was too strong for them 



