Also whether there was any means arranged for arming these
natives; if so, in what way and in what numbers.
Knowing that my friend was quartered in the place, I called upon him
as the first step, without any definite plan in my mind as to how I
was to set about getting the information. He was kind enough to take
me for a tour of inspection round the town, down to the river, and up
in the citadel.
By a lucky chance I got on to the idea that the citadel ought to be
lit with electric light since the water power produced by the torrent
below could work a dynamo at very low cost if properly engineered.
This was so much in my thoughts that as we went through the barracks
and buildings in the fort, I kept pointing out how easily and
inexpensively places might be wired and lit. And I gradually persuaded
him that it was a matter that he should take up and suggest to his
superior.
Finally, when he had seen almost everything, my friend remarked: "I
don't suppose you would care to see inside the arsenal, it is so much
like many others you must have seen before." But I assured him that
it would interest me very much; in fact, it was rather essential to
forming any approximate estimate for the lighting; and so he took me
in.
There was gallery after gallery filled with racks of arms, all
beautifully kept, and over the door of each room was the name of
the tribe and the number of men who could be mobilised in the event
of their being required, and the number of arms and the amount of
ammunition that was available for each.
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