206 WAR : CAMPAIGNING IN EAST AFRICA 



crossing the Muiriti river, twelve days from the 

 Rovuma found us at the Portuguese boma of 

 Coronge on the Msalu river. The place, only 

 lately abandoned by its owners, was in good 

 order, as was also another smaller and abandoned 

 post at Nicoque farther south. 



The German force, after following the Lugenda 

 southwards, had scattered a good deal, some of the 

 companies going west towards Nyassa, and other 

 small raiding parties reaching to the coast. It 

 was only the arrival by ship of the Gold Coast 

 contingent, under Colonel Rose, at Pemba (Port 

 Amelia) that had prevented the enemy entering 

 and taking that port. The main enemy forces 

 with Von Lettow occupied a stretch of country 

 between Mweri (Medo) and Mahua, in the very 

 centre of northern P.E.A., and to dislodge them 

 our communications would have to be lengthy 

 and difficult. 



Our own little party, reduced by sickness and 

 desertions to twenty-seven, had formed a camp 

 amongst a little rocky outcrop in the bush, about 

 five hours north of Mweri — where two companies 

 of the enemy, under Hauptman Kohl, one of Von 

 Lettow's best officers, were then stationed. With 

 the heavy rains now beginning to fall almost 

 daily, it was necessary for us to build some sort 

 of shelter. 



The Germans had found that food of every 

 kind, except meat, was most plentiful ; fowls, 

 also fruit, rice, and other indigenous crops, were 



