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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



CANOES USED ON THE TRIP BACK TO CIVILIZATION 



A part of the return journey of the expedition was made 600 miles down a tributary of the 

 Luapula River in dugout canoes paddled by native experts. The logs are hollowed out by fire 

 and primitive tools, cleverly shaped, and scraped down to an inch in thickness. Playful hippo- 

 potami and rhinoceroses frequently overturn canoes by rising up under them or lunging at them 

 from the banks. 



The natives, with grunts of satisfaction 

 and approval, threw themselves flat on 

 the ground and trickled sand into their 

 hair — a sign of respectful homage — as the 

 commander passed among them. The na- 

 tive women flocked around, in an effort 

 merely to be seen by him, regarding this 

 as a fetish which would protect them 

 from evil spirits. 



In the meantime the prisoners had 

 been brought ashore, some hostility on 

 the part of the Belgian natives being 

 promptly quelled by the armed guards. 



GERMANS KILLED IN ACTION BURIED BY 

 BRITISH WITH FULL NAVAL HONORS 



Later the remains of the Germans 

 killed in action were brought ashore, 

 wrapped in canvas, ready for burial. 

 The interment, attended by both British 

 and Belgian contingents, took place dur- 

 ing the afternoon. Commander Spicer 

 Simson officiated and full naval honors 

 were accorded. A native bugle band, 

 which had a few hours previously wel- 



comed the commander ashore, played the 

 last post, and a salute, fired by a party 

 of 50 native soldiers, concluded the cere- 

 mony. 



A gruesome incident in connection with 

 the burial of the Germans is that a num- 

 ber of specially chosen native troops were 

 put on guard over the graves for some 

 time, day and night. The significance of 

 this lies in the fact that a large majority 

 of the Belgian native troops are recruited 

 from tribes addicted to cannibalism and 

 some of them might have felt tempted to 

 take the opportunity of indulging in their 

 horrible custom if precautions had not 

 been taken to prevent it. 



The victory was celebrated at nightfall 

 in the Belgian and British camps and 

 toasts were freely exchanged. 



The natives also celebrated until early 

 in the morning, performing wild native 

 dances around huge bonfires to the beat- 

 ing of many tom-toms. 



Shortly after the news had been wire- 

 lessed to the Admiralty in London the 



