VILLJERS HIS FIVE DECADES OF ADVENTURE VOL. II H OW TH E AUTHOR L OOK ED J UST A FTER THE GREAT WAR VILLIERS His Five Defades of· Adventure By· FREJ:)ERIC VILLIERS War Artist and Co"upondent VOLUME II Hutchinson f§! Co., London 1921 VILLIBIS: HIS FlvB DBCADIIS 011 ADVIIlmlUI CoJ>nisbt. 1920, by Harper a Btothera Prioteclla the Unltecl States or America a-v CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGB I. THE NEcus NEcusn • • • • • . • • • • • • • • 1 An uphill journry-Sir William Hrwitt arul Mason Dry­ The great Theodore-The Abyssinia ploteau-Adow-The reception-Manners arul CtlStoms of the people-A Worcester sauce bottle for a bride-A reception al the Palace-Johannes -Monkey Iand-A simian of quality. II. CATASTROPHE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 2.6 The retum to the coast-The simian's attempt to desert­ The mummers-Lion-The palace-The catastrophe-A curi­ ovs sunrise-Adr~entures of William Ridley-Down the Red Se-Alexarulri-Paris-Lorulon-He meets his old enemy -A"ested by poli;e-His incarceration-His trul. III. ORIENTAL YET OcciDENTAL • • • • • • • • • • • 45 Dongola arul its Mudirie-(),ientol splerulor-A guaintjleet -By Nile arul desert-] interoitfll the Mu.dir-1 am disillu­ sioned-My first immersion in the historic rir~er--Crocodiles -I lose my kit, but SOfie my life-Kitchener comes on the scene. IV. THE FIGHT FOR THE WATER • • • • • • • • • • 58 Sir Herbert Stewart-The Desert Column-The camel arul his ways-Abu Kle-Mayor French's sgtlOdrOft to the rescu -By the skin of ovr teeth-The march to the Nile-The knoll at Metomneh-<Jvr general placed hors de combat-The for­ lorn hope-The bloody sgvare-The Nile at last-A silent rtfleille-C~esporulents' casfi.IJhies so per cent. V. Wuc&ED A SEcoND Tws • • • • · • • • • • • • 74 A "haggle" arul his ways-Wolsiley's anxiety-] rrlvm to Cairo-Wrecked-] Imp the gangway-A topsy-tvrvy life belt -A grusome fi.ntl-Rmved by friendly enemies-Tiu solar topee-Brigantl and cutthroats-A merry t:rtfii-Tht case of CONTENTS CBAPl'Bil PAGB 11 mummy-In the meshes of Shepheartfs once f1101'e-The tnTible curse-Ingram's fate-A sai/Qr field marshal-The lines of communication. VI. A Saoli.T CAMPAIGN AND A LoNG Jouli.NEY • • • • • 94 A S"b-Btdgar gwmel-A nOflel way to gain the front-A retreat-The SOfl"eign Order of the Knights of Malta-My harem-safe in Belgrade-] beat the mail, am deli'Dtred hqore the kttm-On the road to Mandalay-Bells and pagodas­ An amiahle flic"oy-An ad'Dtnture on the Irrawaddy-The reception at the palace of the bloodthirsty monarchs-] am introduced to 11 great g~al-1 tell my story to Sir Fred~k Rohms. VII. ONCE A Gli.EAT LoNE LANI>-1898-1900 • • • • • • ns A gOfl"nor-g~al of ancunt lineage-" On, Stanley, on!" -Canada from coast to coa.ri-Some of her cilies-PlaiftS, forests, and a /tfll of her deniuftS. VIII. ToPSY"'''UllVY • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 129 The Land of the Rising Sun-Where East is West-Ping Yang-Umlmllas in action-Kinclwto-A pawnbroker's shop -Sacks of jtfllelry-The egg-The dragon-eyed ge""al-Cap­ ture of "the Chair Hill"-" Hang ow our bann"s"--Chinue methods of attack-The streets of Port Arthur-A bloody business. IX. PATHS or PEACE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 139 The Antipodes-Australia and Sovth Africa-COflernors­ g~al-Tasmani-A popular Prime Minister-A Western state gOflernor-A simple knighi-The late Lord Brassry­ "I'm Mt a Seidlitz pOfllder"-An indi.scren Mbkman­ Arlistic co'"us-The Sydney Supp" Clab-Y"se bttwun two cigars-Phil May-South Afric-I dine with Cecil RhoJts-Diamond hospitality-Jameson's Raid-Million­ aires in a nighi-HOfll pebbles of the right sort are found-The last of the Tsars-He trOWftS the Empress-Their hloody end. X. AM UNEQUAL STII.UGGLE • • • • • • • • • • • • IS9 I land at Yolo-The broken sun-A turhaknt night-! kup gate at the British consulate-My cinema camer-HOfll I nursed it-A CN4U machine-] am hostage in the land of the t~11Sptakahlt Turk and find him a good fellow-An Ent­ lishman's word-The last fight at Domokos-The war of the cinem-Barnum's axiom. CONTENTS CBAPTEK PACB XI. SHADOWS OF THE PAST AND HIGH LIGHTS OF To-DAY • • 184 Archibald Forbes-Fred Bvrnaby-Pelltgrini-Sir A. Conan Doylt-Thomas Hardy-Hmry Stton Mtrriman­ Scott of Chicago-Brvu Ingram of tht "lllwtrated London Nngs"-Sir Forbu Robtrtson-Barry Pain-JY. JY. Jaeobs -Richard Barry-Stanlty Washbvrn. XII. ON THE HoRNs OF A DILEMMA • • • • • • • • • 205 1 try my friends tht Japs once mort-Am not disappointed -Cvriow behflflior of my colleagw.r-" Yov told tht tr'lllh tnJ _ years ago; you will ttll tht trwh now"-WeU chosm-Tht pecvliar Chinest-A pet fowl-Scattered learJes from my diary. XIII. A MIDNIGHT INFERNO • • • • • • • • • • • • 221 Tht beginning of night warfart-A Whistler rtvtly-A. noc­ tvrne in gold, silrJer, and blood-An attaek vnder star l!omb.r­ Searchlight and tht crescent moon-Ban-u-san in tht light of day-Japanese htroe.r-Life on a movntain top-Dodging tht eyes of tht tnemy-Tht Shinto Shades. XIV. GREETED BY THE EMPEROR oF KoRBA • • • • • • • 238 More scattered learJes from my diary-SilrJer fish-A l!ad cat-/ change qvarters-Cho-san takes a hard drink and be­ comes soft-My colleagw's birthday-Land of tht Morning Calm-Tht Palaee of Prosperity and Yirt11t-We intnTJing royalty-Tht chief t'lln'IICh-Morning Calmers and thtir ways -Togo and his ships of war. XV. KrrcHENER IN THE SuDAN • • • • • • • • • • • 259 Up tht Nilt-Across tlie desert-A mooie camera and iron horse cawt jealowy-Tht adrJanct on Omdurman-A scorpion and its ways-A gunboat darkroom-A setback-Tht dtrfJish attack-SarJing tht Camel Corps-Winston Churchill-Liev· ' tenant Beatty-Thtir first rungs of tht prooerbialladder-A. solemn ceremony-The men of tht moment, MacDonald, Hun• ttr, and "Back-acher" Gatacre. XVI. CLAIRVOYANCE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 273 I am told my fortunt-1 sail for tht Capt-Land at Port Elizabeth-The trail of tht prophtcy-Tht Magersfonttin af· fair-Tht prophecy comes trut-Sunnysidt-Lvmbago sQfles a brigadt-Major Haigh-{;meral Frtnch-Brabtl%1J'Il of tAl Gvard.r-1 miss my silver disk-Cecil Rhodes besieged-] in· ttrfJiew tht Empire-builder-He takes flit round Kimberlty CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGB atul .ilwws me tkt sight.r-Methutn tJtul !tis night attack-Tkt ptJJsing of an Empru.r-Tkt mystery of the cannon. XVII. Ru;JANS AND RuFFIANS • • • • • • • • • • • • 292 I a"ir1e in Melilla-Tkt Berbtrint CotJJI-Corsairs of old -Pinto's distJJttr-Mount Gurugoo-A polite Gefltt'al Staff -A courttoUJ oj/ictt"-Tkt but way to take Malaga-Riff mtlnfltt'S and ctutom.r-1 metl El Garto-Spanish troops. · XVIII. A GHASTLY BusiNESS • • • • • • • • • • • • • 300 Onct undtr tkt Turkish yokt-Tkt quick change to freedom ~ood solditr.r-Mwtapha PtJJha-Snapshot and mooiu at an e:ttecution-Gruesome sune.r-1 meet King Ftrdinand­ He arlmiru my katktr coM-War and wattt' color.r-His knowledge of my carett"-Belgrtuk-Looking for troublt-Tkt coming of tkt Great Storm-My inmdulow agtnl. XIX. 1914 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 3o6 Stranded war c~tspontknt.r-Paris during mobilization­ Tkt ltJJt of tkt Conttmptible.r-Afttr tkt Marnt-Like rabbit­ shooting-Tkt Pt'Uisian tkbacle-Tramping it-A shift in a furniture r~an-Tlu Crown Prince and champagnt-Tkt battle of tkt Aisnt--1 am ukm for a spy-A score for my paptt'"­ Early- and lattn-day trenclu.r-TM Red Tabbie.r-Tiu Brit­ _ish War Office atul its way "peculiar"-[ e:tthaust the Westtrn front of dramatic incidmt.r-1 seek fmh folds and pastures fltru-1 try East Africa-Muopotamia without succus and find incident for my sketchhook Ofl tkt northwtst frontier of India­ TM Mohmatuls at war--Armored cars, airplanes, and' elec­ tricity JUrprist tlu hillmen. XX. MY LAST CHAPTER • • . • • • • • • • • • 327 Four big sights in tlu four quarttt's of tkt globe-Tkt Matop­ pos, South Africa-Tiu Khybtt"-Tkt Great Wall of China­ Tkt mooiu, CalijOt'flia-People by the way-Tkt City of White Light-Things to be consitkml by tlu t~~an who wants to be a war c~tspondmt-Hors-de-comba~-Prolonged r~isits "to ctrtain Hotels Ditu-Ganarla and htt' Sisttrs of Mtrcy-A famous surgeon and his patitnt~ood Samaritans tfltryWMt -Adieu. ILLUSTRATIONS How THE AuTHOR LooKED JusT AFTER THE GREAT WAR • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Frtmtispiect~ ScENE IN THE LATE RusSIAN-jAPANESE WAR • • Facingp.254 VIEW OF TRENCHES ON WESTERN FRONT, 191-f.. (PERISCOPE IN LowER RIGHT-HAND CoRNER) " 318 TaE AUTHOR VxsxTs CHARLIE CHAPLIN IN CALI- FORNIA • • • .. 332 VILLIERS HIS FIVE DECADES OF ADVENTURE VOL. II VILLIERS HIS FIVE DECADES OF ADVENTURE Chapter I mE NEGUS NEGUSTI .In uphill journey-Sir William Hewitt and Mascm B~The gmzt Theodore-The Abyssinia plateau.-.ldowa-The rtctption-Mann.ers and cu..rtoms of the people-A Worcester sauce bottle for a bride-.1 reception at the Palace-Johannes-Monkey lana-A simian of qu.al~y. THE other day I happened to pick u'p a book which de~cribed a journey by motor car to the capital of IGng Menelik of Abyssinia, On dipping· into its pages 1 discovered that the whole country had been turned topsy-turvy by the advent of so­ called civilization and that the manners and customs of its people were so completely changed from the ~ delightfully primitive state in which I found them when I first visited the country that I thought it would be interesting to the present generation to I YILLIERS: HIS FIPE DECADES ot AIJPENTURE know something about this remarkable Christian race, isolated on a mountain top 8,000 feet up from the arid plains of Ailet on the Red Sea littoral, as they were before the automobile churned up the dust of their land and impregnated its pure atmos­ phere with the fumes of petrol.