156 WAR: CAMPAIGNING IN EAST AFRICA 



going on in the Kiberaschi district, where there 

 was supposed to be one German company. For 

 some days we had very bad water, and a day's 

 march from Kiberaschi Lewis fell sick with fever, 

 and we had to leave him planted in some thick 

 bush near a little water-hole. Brown and I pro- 

 posed to take three out of the four askaris with 

 us ; but the first man we picked said he was sick, 

 the second man complained of feeling ill, the third 

 man said his feet were sore, while the fourth, on 

 being told he was to come with us, thinking 

 apparently that the supply of excuses was ex- 

 hausted, immediately threw down his rifle and 

 bolted off through the thorn bush. By that time 

 I felt pretty mad, and so I knelt down to have a 

 steady shot at the flying figure. But Brown, who 

 always had the coolest head of us three, said, 

 " Don't shoot," and sent the two guides after 

 him. 



The Kwafi, of course, soon ran him down and 

 brought him back, and I remember that a lengthy 

 and heated argument followed. I insisted that 

 the man was a useless coward, that we were better 

 off without him, and that on no account would I 

 agree to take him. Brown was equally emphatic, 

 maintaining that if this man were allowed to 

 remain, all the other askaris would naturally play 

 the same game. The argument was at its height 

 when we struck on a happy conclusion. We 

 decided the askari should be made to come, but 

 his rifle and bandolier were to be taken from him, 



