CHAPTER XXVII 



LAST WORDS 



The native askari — his games — respect for his officer — the last 

 of Ali — Somalis — Tanga — Dar-es-Salaam — not a woman's 

 country. 



I AM afraid, now that I am among white soldiers 

 again, I sometimes compare them unfavourably 

 with their black brethren. Perhaps it is the khaki 

 uniform ; from whatever cause it may come they cer- 

 tainly are not as smart in bearing, dress and manner 

 as the average British Central African native in the 

 1st Battalion King's African Rifles. Many of these 

 men are the sons of chiefs coming from what is now 

 called Nyasaland, and the battalion is drawn from 

 various tribes, both from the lakes and hills — tribes 

 descended from or connected with the Zulus. I 

 always admired the manner in which a man came 

 to speak to his officer, standing at attention and 

 saluting, and marching off again as if on parade, 

 head erect and shoulders well thrown back, where- 

 as, the Tommy slouches along with his khaki any- 

 thing but well arranged. 



English games were encouraged among the men 



305 20 



