The Tides Of War Pt 09

Chapter 35

The next morning David opened the rifle cases that Martin had brought, and gazed at the workmanship off each rifle. Their balance was amazing coming up to his shoulder like an extension off his body. The deep lustre off the figured mahogany furniture with its chequered pistol grip and cheek rest made it a weapon off beauty.

David had a gun cabinet already made; his .303 was in it along with the Winchester.

He fitted in each rifle, and put the ammunition in the drawers below, along with the tools and equipment that came with them.

Ali in one off his visits to Nairobi returned one day with twenty Road Island Red chickens and two cocks. He found David beside the stable and asked where he could put them, they finally agreed upon a spot, long side his vegetable plot, but before he left he said has how he had met a Maasia woman with a small child who had tried to get medical help for the child but had been turned away.

Susan looked up at this "where is the woman now Ali" she asked.

"I left her when I turned up the path to the hills Mrs"

"Saddle my horse David while I get my bag"

"You're not going alone" he said firmly, "Hanga saddle Tana and Kahn" has they both rushed into the house, returning with his pistol belt and rifle slung on his shoulder, and Susan carrying her medical bag.

He saw N'debi admiring the Jersey's and called for him, explaining about the woman has they mounted. N'debi started off in a long looping run has the two off them trotted behind.

They found the woman staggering five miles from the crater, she crouched down terrified off them trying to protect the child.

N'debi spoke to her and reluctantly she let Susan examine the small boy.

While Susan was attending to him N'debi questioned the woman. It seemed she was the daughter off a chief off the Maasia; the child had been wounded when slavers had attacked the village, many had been killed and wounded and 28 women and children taken by the slavers.

"This child has a nasty cut and is running a fervour, we need to get back to his home so I can treat him properly" Susan said firmly.

N'debi passed the child to Susan once she was mounted and then the woman to David.

When they arrived at the village they were surrounded by fierce looking warriors, but Susan handed down the child to N'debi and leapt down from her horse, then followed the woman who had slid down off Kahn into a hut.

A man in his fifties approached, the warriors making an avenue for him, started rapidly talking to N'debi.

N'debi translated for David. Over twenty Arab slavers had attacked a village killing and wounding thirty, taking women and young children captive and driving off fifty cattle. This had happened five days ago, the witch doctor had been one of those killed. The chief had gathered three off the villages together for better protection.

"Ask the chief how fast were they moving when the left" David said.

N'debi translated then turned to David "They move slowly it's hard to move cattle and prisoners"

David thought for a moment "N'debi return to the crater and tell my warriors I need them and to come swiftly with their weapons. Also tell bwana Martin and his woman what has happened here and that my woman may need help. Can the chief send out trackers to follow the slavers?"

N'debi told the chief and four off his men set off at a run, whilst N'debi set off back to the Crater.

David entered the hut; Susan was on her knees bathing the small boy has his mother looked on anxiously.

"How is he doing" he asked her.

"I've dressed the wound, but need to get his favour down" she replied.

He told her he had sent for Martin and Jill "There's probably more wounded in the village Susan" he murmured.

Though a series off miming and speech she got the woman to understand she wished to see the other wounded. David helped to move those that could be moved into the hut, whilst Susan organised hot water to be boiled.

"Those bastards even killed children and old people" she hissed.

An hour later Rham arrived with his ten men squad and N'debi and six off his warriors. Rham handed him his cartridge belt with a smile, "Are we going to have a fight sahib" he asked cheerfully.

David nodded grimly, N'debi we go to see these slavers and have a harsh word with them, you may stay here"

N'debi looked disdainfully at David "we have a wish to wash our spears in the blood of the killers off children bwana."

"You may not be able to keep up with us N'debi" David replied.

N'debi gave a slow smile, then with a yell of "Hamber" to his men set off in a blistering run following the trackers, by the time David was mounted they were already a mile away.

That night they camped without making a fire chewing on biltong that Ali had made from eland meat. The next day before dawn had broken they were off again. It was late afternoon when the caught up with one off the trackers. From questions poise by N'debi they found out that the slavers were only an hour away, there pace slowing has they entered the hilly country leading to the coast.

David led his men in a wide circle around them looking for an ambush site, finding one were the track they followed entered a narrow gorge.

N'debi, put five off his men in the rocks, at the start off the gorge, and himself and another man at the end of it, David had impressed on him to remain hidden until the firing had creased. David and the Gurkhas spread out on both sides off the trail, their orders to fire only when sure off hitting a target.

David had taken up a position at the end of the gorge with Rham on the other side of it.

The sound off cattle was the first indication that the slavers had entered the gorge, David crouched down has they came into view.

Behind them a fat man rode a donkey armed with a scimitar with a rifle slung over his shoulder, alongside off him walked seven or eight evil looking Arabs armed to the teeth with swords, daggers and rifles, behind them two columns off women and children stumbled with ropes around their necks.

Some off the women were carrying children too exhausted to walk.

Arabs with whips walked along side off the column, striking anyone who faltered.

David waited until the slavers were almost out of the gorge before firing. His first shot entered the fat man's head between his eyes, he downed two more before the slavers knew they were under attack, screams echoed from the gorge has the deadly fire from the Gurkhas cut them down.

Three off the slavers ran to escape towards the end of the gorge, but N'debi rose up from behind a rock and with a savage yell stuck his spear into one off them and then turned to face the other two who had drawn scimitars.

David couldn't shoot because off fear off hitting N'debi, but then Rham was suddenly alongside off him with his drawn kukri.

The slaver gave a vicious smile has Rham ran towards him, and sliced at him with the scimitar, but Rham ducked under it and with a yell off "Ayo Gorkhili" almost sliced off the man's head, with one blow. N'debi who had dispatched the other slaver looked on amazed.

The trackers and N'debi's men gathered up the bodies off the slavers, while the Gurkhas and David tended to the women and children.

They smashed the rifles off the slavers, but allowed the edge weapons to be kept by the Matabele and Maasia warriors, they used the scimitars to hack off their heads and stick them on poles at the side off the track has a warning.

The women and children were mounted on to the horses and the donkey and with the Ghurkhas holding the bridle set off back to the village.

It took almost four days to return, when they did arrive the village went mad with joy, more so because the cattle had been returned.

A little boy had been following David everywhere, on the trip back, David asked N'debi about him.

"His name is Tamba bwana, his parents were killed by the slavers, he is alone in the world now."

Poor little mite David thought.

Susan rushed out to meet him, grateful he was back safe, the wounded had responded to the treatment and the chief had given her a necklace, which according to N'debi gave her the status off a witchdoctor.

That night there was a feast in their honour and somehow Tamba managed to sit at the side off him.

When they emerged from the hut the next morning they found him sleeping near the doorway. David told Susan about him, he seems to have adopted me, he explained.

Susan, through N'debi asked the chief what would become of him. The chief shrugged his shoulders "someone may use him has a servant if he is lucky" the reply came back. Susan shook her head "tell the chief he is coming back with us to live"

The chief just nodded his head.

Before they left the chief presented David and Susan with a bull and four cows. Martin looked them over and nodded his approval.

On the way back to the Crater N'debi asked David where he would graze the cattle.

"I thought the chief off the Matabele should decide where, has he and his men have earned them"

"The bwana is giving them to us" N'debi asked surprised "But what of the bwana's little warriors they fought well too"

David chuckled at the description off Gurkhas being called little warriors, "They have no time for cattle, they're hearts are only for horses."

Later when David glanced back down the column he saw N'debi walking at the side off Rham examining Rham's kukri, he smiled to himself.

"What's amusing you?" Susan asked alongside of him with Tamba sat in front of her.

"I think the Matabele and Gurkhas have just become fast friends"

Has they reined in at the stable Susan handed Tampa down to Hanga "Take care of him Hanga" Susan said "he'll need a bath and some cloths to fit him, ask Ali to help he knows their language"

To be continued

Part 8