Not least interesting is the moulding of the signallers. Obviously it
is of vital importance on an expedition that detached parties, perhaps
unexpectedly surrounded by overwhelmingly superior numbers whom they may
be able to keep off temporarily, shall be equipped with means for making
their position and plight known to the main body.
Whether the men selected for signalling tuition are Hausa or Pagan
matters not. Scarcely any can read, much less write, their mother tongue.
That, to say nothing of English, would be as Greek is to the average
recruit in Great Britain.
You will gather what pains and patience the British N.C.O. exercises
with his charges when it is said that these Nigerians—some, wild men
from the hills and mountains; others, simple labourers or farming hands
previous to the equivalent of “taking the King’s shilling”—can not alone
signal by flag, lamp and heliograph a message handed to them in English
but—it seems almost marvellous—receive from any of the three instruments
mentioned, and write, such a message, not knowing in the least what it
means.
The explanation is simple. They learn that a figure—for example, B—is
sent by a particular form of flag-waving, lamp-flashes or helio-rays.
Conversely, certain movements of flag or the other instruments mean that
the man receiving them has to draw the character—i.e., letter—associated
with the sign; space between words, of course, being recognised as well.
Imagine what it must be to teach that to simple creatures who know no
writing and can read none and who never fingered a pencil until they
entered the signalling squad, for, as has been said, they have not the
least idea what meaning is conveyed by the messages they despatch or
receive.
The value of signalling was utilised for civil purposes two years ago,
when early in the tornado season the telegraph connecting Zungeru with
the important centre of Minna, 38 miles distant, was destroyed by storms.
For 10 days, until the line could be restored, communication between the
two places was uninterruptedly maintained by the signalling section of
the First battalion.
A message was flagged under my observation by the Second battalion, at
Lokoja. Beyond handing the paper to the native Corporal, no white man
gave instructions or interfered in the slightest. On page 290, photograph
1 shows the original communication; photograph 2 is as the receiving
signaller wrote it. I asked Major Baker, temporarily in command of the
battalion, to use the words employed, as I wished to have a kinematograph
illustration of the operation.
Then there are the bands, and excellent they are. Both the Hausa tribes
and the Pagan tribes have a multiplicity of musical instruments on their
native heath, wind and even string. A detailed catalogue would occupy
space of an article as long as this. But the military band of each
battalion is quite in the lines of English regiments.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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