I 36 
BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA 
crops. They knew besides that the 
Europeans fought at a disadvantage in the rainy season, and it was evident 
if we did not take steps to reduce the Arab power before the end of December 
they would attack us in January with many chances in their favour. 
Accordingly with some reluctance I resolved to continue our campaigns- 
on Lake Nyasa by an expedition against the Arabs. Our little force had by 
this time been nicknamed the “ever victorious army.” We had now 400 men 
(100 Sikhs and 300 natives) on whom we could place absolute reliance, and 
the force had been strengthened by the advent of several volunteer officers.. 
The officers on the staff consisted of Major C. A. Edwards ; Captain F. T. 
Stewart; 1 Captain the Honble. W. E. Cavendish; Lieut. Id. Coape-Smith; 
Lieut. G. de Iderries Smith ; and Lieut. Alston ; 2 Dr. Wordsworth Poole and 
Sergeant-Major Devoy. 
It was essential that the Arabs should be taken by surprise ; that we should 
fall on them with all our available force and surround their strongholds before 
they could escape to the interior, for they might prefer to run away instead of 
fighting out the struggle, which they could renew at a more convenient season. 
Therefore, our most important problem was how to transport 400 men, seven 
officers and the necessary munitions of war in one trip. The gunboats would 
only carry about fifteen men each and a similar proportion of our stores ; the 
African Lakes Company’s steamer Domini could not take much more than 
1 Who with Captain Cavendish was left to watch Makanjira and Zarafi. 
2 The Volunteers were Major L. Bradshaw (of the 35th Sikhs), Major F. C. Trollope (Grenadier 
Guards), and last, but not least, Mr. Walter Gordon Cumming. These gentlemen served in the autumn 
campaign of 1895 without pay and at their own expense. Major Trollope and Mr. Gordon Cumming 
were visiting the country for the purposes of sport. Major Bradshaw, who was a brother officer of 
Major Edwards, and assisted us when in India to recruit Sikhs, was very anxious to study the question of 
Indian soldiers fighting in Africa, and had obtained leave of absence so that he might join our campaign. 
