Life of Frederick Courtenay Selous, D.S.O., Capt. 25th Royal Fusiliers — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Life of Frederick Courtenay Selous, D.S.O., Capt. 25th Royal Fusiliers
John Stuart Mill · en
Visit to Texel Island--Intends to make expedition to the
Bahr-el-Ghazal--Frustrated by the war--Selous'
patriotism--Efforts to serve--Lord Kitchener thinks him "too
old"--Col. Driscoll and the War Office--At last taken for
service in East Africa--Selous' account of the capture of
Bukoba--Letter to Heatley Noble--The position in East Africa in
1915--Letters to the author--German ascendancy--The Indian
Government forces--Precarious position of the British
forces--Intends to publish his experiences--Roosevelt's
letters--German thoroughness--Roosevelt anxious for America to
join the Allies--Letters to the author on the difficulties of
the campaign--Unfortunate mistakes--The Munyamwesi--Wonderful
fighters--Advance to Kilimanjaro--General Smuts in
command--Description of the advance--A deadly climate in the wet
season--Returns home for an operation--Again leaves for the
front 299
CHAPTER XIV
SEPTEMBER, 1916-1917
The last journey--Arrival at Tanga--German East Africa in
1916--The difficulties of the campaign--Progress by General
Smuts--The Royal Fusiliers go to Mikesse--A fearful
march--General Smuts on the action at Beho-Beho--Selous'
gallantry--His death at the head of his men--A noble
life--Captain Haines on the last days of Selous--Selous'
grave--General Smuts on the future of German East Africa 340
CHAPTER XV
CHARACTER, APPEARANCE, ETC.--SOME STORIES OF HIM
Untiring energy as a hunter--His modest requirements--Rifles--A
story of his practical nature--Sir Alfred Pease on Selous as a
hunter and naturalist--The average of shots required in various
lands--Selous as a hunter--His love of the
shot-gun--Perseverance to excel--The Brocklehursts--A lover of
cricket--Bicycling--The triumph of physical fitness--His
personal magnetism--Memory--Powers as a
story-teller--Diffidence--Inclined to melancholy--The spring of
perennial youth--The force of heredity--Slatin Pasha's
estimation of Col. Marchand--Selous' opinion of Marchand--Powers
of speech--His independence of thought and action--Literary
gifts--Kindness of heart--Hatred of crowds--The perpetual call
of the wild--Home-sickness--The nostalgia of travel--A great
reader--His preferences in literature--Personal
friends--Hospitality at home--Lewanika's fears--His attitude
towards religion--Roosevelt on Selous--Selous' great influence
as a pioneer--A noble life and a fitting end 352
INDEX 377
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS