Page 57 - SoMJ Vol 74 - No 1, 2021

The Mwasi Expedition 1895 47

2. All his guns and ivory must be delivered up.
3. 50 head of cattle and 30 goats and sheep handed over.
After consulting with his people, these terms were complied with. I was
obliged to make these hard terms owing to our having been fired upon by his own
men just before we searched. Chimbiku’s boma was taken and destroyed at about
1 o’clock.
The few of the enemy within it evacuated it as soon as we were seen to
be coming. They simply fired off their guns and ran. Several were taken prisoners.
The troops returned to camp at about 7 p.m.
st
The following day, January 1 1896 was spent by the whole of the troops
in looking for concealed ivory by digging up and prodding the houses in Chibisa’s
and Mwasi’s towns. I had previously given orders that no house was to be burnt
until the ground had been thoroughly searched, and during the day several large
tusks of ivory were brought in to the quarter guard. A large tusk weighing 97lbs
was found buried under the doorstep of Chibisa’s house, others being found in
almost similar places. A weighing machine was found in Chibisa’s house and we
were therefore enabled to weigh the various tusks.
The following is a list of the tusks of ivory captured. The total amount of
ivory captured was 564lbs comprised as per margin.

1 tusk weighing 97lbs.
1 do 72lbs
1 do 69lbs
1 do 63lbs
1 do 62lbs
1 do 45lbs
1 do 38lbs
1 do 32lbs
1 do 17lbs
1 do 14lbs
1 do 10lbs
12 small ones weighing 43lbs
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Total 564lbs

The total number of prisoners taken were fully 500, including women,
most of whom were proved by Mr. Swann to have been abducted from their homes
into slavery. Among the prisoners were five headmen, in addition to Saidi
Mwuzungu. 98 guns were taken and 56 bows and arrows. In the afternoon I
selected 20 Atonga and 200 irregulars to form the garrison at Mwasi’s under Sergt.
Major Ali Kiongwe and despatched them to Kirowa’s village, about 4 miles
distant, with orders to take up their quarters there until a site for a fort had been