216 WAR : CAMPAIGNING IN EAST AFRICA 



hunting out of Meja what enemy force remained 

 there. 



We took up a position by the side of the road, 

 but it was hard to find a really satisfactory spot 

 for an ambush — it is always advisable to have a 

 reasonable chance of escape in these entertain- 

 ments in case something rather bigger than is 

 expected comes along. We did no good that day. 

 During the afternoon one solitary German askari 

 came striding along the road fearing no evil, and 

 coming quite close up to me. Hoping, of course, 

 to take him prisoner for information, and 

 whispering to the twelve askaris with me not to 

 shoot, I spoke to him suddenly when he was 

 nearly opposite me. The man stopped dead, 

 hearing the voice, but still not locating me. Again 

 I said, " Emanie tupa bunduki " ("Hands up, drop 

 your rifle "), and then, like a buck, he vanished, 

 tearing off into the bush. Of course, we all shot 

 at him, and of course all missed, for he got clean 

 away. Whether he was just an odd man, or the 

 advance scout of a little party following, I do not 

 know. Anyway, I had made a mess of things, 

 and all that remained was to curse long and 

 heartily. Not but that the plucky fellow well 

 deserved his escape. 



Of course, all this noise had queered our pitch 

 as far as the road was concerned, and the only 

 thing to be done was to start back through the 

 bush towards Meja and get a decent, quiet camp, 

 away off the road, where we could cook our day's 



