242 WAR: CAMPAIGNING IN EAST AFRICA 



forces probably needed a good rest, they rested 

 in the calmest fashion for some ten days, appar- 

 ently taking but little notice of the movements of 

 our columns in the neighbourhood. Their askaris 

 undoubtedly were in great spirits over their recent 

 run of successes. 



With a few askaris I had gone from Namarve 

 towards the boma at Salapa, between K.A.R. 

 2nd Col., who were keeping somewhat north, and 

 the German force ; and when near the boma 

 at Salapa I heard from some natives, who, mis- 

 taking me for a German, were most friendly, that 

 the boma had been hurriedly abandoned by the 

 Portuguese, but that as yet no Germans had been 

 there to loot and burn it. Eureka ! I thought 

 at last we have found what we always dreamt of, 

 a boma, abandoned by the Portuguese, but 

 missed by the Germans. Visions of a fine set of 

 cooking-pots, perhaps some chest of drawers full 

 of clothes, or something good in the tucker line 

 from the pantry, were conjured up ; perhaps a 

 well-stocked vegetable garden. My askaris and 

 porters, as well as myself, were pretty ragged just 

 then, for I had only a little time before again lost 

 half of such belongings as I had at Namirrue, 

 where we had got into a little trouble the day 

 before K.A.R. 2nd Col. came up. A crowd of will- 

 ing natives soon collected to guide me to Salapa, no 

 doubt hoping to indulge in the joy of seeing their 

 hated Bastille go up in flames. 



Selecting two as guides and driving the others 



