Chapter VIII: Zanzibar Arrives At Dongolo

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EXPEDITION TO ALEXANDRAPOUR
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Date: 3-6 August 1900
Location: Legation City of Dongolo
Situation: Disembarkation
See Chapter VII posted 1 November 2011 here:
http://generalpettygree.blogspot.com/2011/11/chapter-vii-gaunlet.html

Map here: http://generalpettygree.blogspot.com/2011/07/chapter-vi-spy.html

Musical accompaniment: If you have the soundtrack from Lawrence of Arabia, play the overture as your read. Or... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuxHLzwlDY4
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Preface

Lt. Col. Lawford's passage up The Dakla River aboard HM Gunboat Zanzibar ends at the Legation City of Dongolo. After a pause, the pursuit of the Romanov Expedition to Alexandrapour and Countess Alexandra will resume.

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The Legation City Of Dongolo, Mafrica

3 August 1900

At the eastern gate....

A Germanian Schütztruppe squadron returns from patrol.

Inhabitants gather round to observe and hopefully make some money but....

The camelry rides on as....

Gunboat Luchs of the Imperial Germanian Kriegsmarine raises steam to depart.

The helm is put hard a starboard to help turn the gunboat almost in place.

The turn is successful as she heads out into The Dakla River.

Dockspace is needed for....

HM Britannian Gunboat Zanzibar. On the upper deck Nazeem, Lt. Colonel Lawford (blue shirt) and Mr. Wyatt observe the Germanian compound.

Zanzibar motors by and...

Enters the harbour.

Led by the pilot boat which has been with her from the beginning.

A slow turn to port soon....

Finds Zanzibar making the dock and later disembarking a portion of the crew.

Her sailors form at dockside whilst a section of Britannian infantry stand guard.

Lawford and Wyatt proceed down the dock escorting the wounded Colonel Boyle.

Boyle was wounded by plunging fire four days ago on 31 July. See:

http://generalpettygree.blogspot.com/2011/11/chapter-vii-gaunlet.html

The party crosses the bridge.

Wyatt: "Colonel, our legation is just round to the right of the American building. Ours is the old Iberian government house we took over last year."

Inhabitants again gather to sell their wares as Britannian and American guards cast a watchful eye and keep the natives away. Though his wound is not mortal, in this heat Boyle needs immediate care from medicos.

His wound is on the side of the abdomen.

Soon he will be resting within.

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Three days later:   6 August 1900

Left to right: Chargé d’affaires, Brigadier (ret.) Graham Day's servant Jitters, Day, Wyatt and Lawford.

Day: "Lawford, Wyatt, very good to see you."

Lawford: "When did you arrive Sir? We last saw you on the coast a month ago."

Day: "Last night. Surprised to see me -- I know. Wyatt you keep a good secret."

Wyatt: "You see Colonel, we did not want foes to see him board Zanzibar with us. As far as they know, the Consul General never left the port of Dakla."

Day: "Quite so. Secrets are everything in these parts. [Pause] And now after some refreshment and a tolerable curried chicken, we'll talk about the mission versus those infernal Romanovs."

Return in on the 5th proximo to hear the discussion.

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Closing Remarks

1. Jim P., Der Alte Fritz, kindly loaned the following from his collection: Tiger Miniatures Schütztruppe and Americans available from Recreational Conflict, Gunboat Luchs from The Virtual Armchair General, the pilot boat and the small stuccoed  building near the bridge from H.G. Walls. Thank you.

2. Chuck L.'s civilians, pots, boxes and reeds add much to the scene. Thank you.

3. Randy F. also loaned civilians to populate Dongolo. Thank you.

4. All flags with poles are from Flag Dude.

5.Most other structures are from Miniature Building Authority.

6. The cobbled road is from JR Miniatures.

7. The dock was scratch-built for a model railroad layout.

8. The late Brigadier Peter Young gifted The Petrus Monument to me in 1985. It is near the dock. Thank you.

9. Chapter IX is already photographed. Action will heat up with the arrival of Countess Alexandra's expedition and Colonel Lawford's pursuit. Come back on the 5th proximo, if you please.

10. Thank you for your interest. Your remarks are very welcome below. Simply click on the word Comments.

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