The Story of Baden-Powell: 'The Wolf That Never Sleeps'Begbie, Harold
History
The Story of Baden-Powell: 'The Wolf That Never Sleeps'
Begbie, Harold
Baden-Powell of Gilwell, Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, Baron, 1857-1941
Just as he encourages Tommy Atkins to learn scouting and the more
intelligent parts of soldiering, so he encouraged these negroes,
duller than oxen, and made them useful pioneers. Here is his own
simple record of the way he got to the hearts of the Levy: "How they
enjoy the palaver in which I tell them that 'they are the eyes to the
body of the snake which is crawling up the bush-path from the coast,
and coiling for its spring! The eyes are hungry, but they will soon
have meat; and the main body of white men, armed with the best of
weapons, will help them win the day, and get their country back again,
to enjoy in peace for ever.' Then I show them my own little repeating
rifle, and firing one shot after another, slowly at first, then faster
and faster, till the fourteen rounds roll off in a roar, I quite bring
down the house. They crowd round, jabbering and yelling, every man
bent on shaking hands with the performer."
But Baden-Powell, while humane and nothing of a bully, knows the value
of strictness, as we have shown, and he admits that sometimes it is
even necessary to shoot one's own men in order to maintain discipline.
He is, however, careful to remark that an extreme step of this kind
"should be the result only of deliberate and fair consideration of the
case." "Strict justice," he adds, "goes a very long way towards
bringing natives under discipline."
By these methods B.-P. won the confidence of his troops, and under him
these rough tribesmen, half-devil and half-child, manfully fought
their way through the jungle of forest, cheered by his encouragement,
awed by "Volapuek," and gradually growing to respect the dauntless
courage of the white man who managed them so nicely. A description of
an average day's work will give you an idea of Baden-Powell's task,
and the way in which his negroes worked.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account