Mabutuland Details

The only knowledge of the local Songo area is the map detailed above - the Limbpope River runs on the right hand side and a tributary from the west . The actual map area is larger than this as it runs some distance west, north and south but our interpid Jaxonians have not ventured out yet so it the area is currently unknown. Currently the Detachment is living in tents next to the village of Songo.

The map shall be revealed as they explore, hunt, rescue people etc (if they live that long). The area is populated with the following tribes;
i) The  Mabutu - Generally passive and friendly, however tribes inland have not had that much exposure to Europeans so on occasion might react in a "very agry manner".
ii) The Mbeechi - Hostile. The Mbeechi are a tribe from further south that have slowly encroached Mabutu in the last few years. They have a tendancy to usurp Mabutu villages and sell those survivors they dont want to the Slavers. As a nation they are very unhappy at the presence of the whiteman in "their" kingdom.
iii) The Asanti - A tribe from the Mountainious southeast, not much is known of their nation apart from a willingness to trade ore and minerals. Use the river route for trade but will stop whenever there is trouble on the river.
iv) The Slavers - Scandelous Europeans and Arabs who prowl the African coast looking for easy pickings.  They have used the Limbpope for inland incursions for some time. Wary of the Mbeechi though happy to use them to "harvest the crop". Like the Mbeechi are somewhat unhappy as the jetty near Songo was an excellent loading area.
v) Random Explorers, Missionaries and wild animals with big horns and bad temperament.

Beginnings......

As the column set off into the distance Major Colhn deployed a skirmish line to watch the jungle edge while he assessed his new environment. The village of Songo was a sorry looking affair, obviously it had bore the brunt of Mbeechi activity in the last few weeks and as such looked rather dejected. However as the Mbeechi menace had been dealt with the villager seemed rather happy and flocked to welcome the Jaxonians’ with fruit and flat bread. The Songo Chietain had just departed after offering the Major any assistance possible and native canoes slipped quietly along the Limbpope river carrying trade good or fisherman and the entire area did seem awfully serene, however it was only early morning and it was already terribly hot. The weather here was oppressive to say the least, and while his men had grown accustomed to it it was clear that the heat and rain would limit the troops in whatever task they were doing.

A small distance from the village stood what remained of the Mission, the only building left standing was a small structure that appeared to be some sort of Storehouse. The rest of the mission had been burnt to the ground in the Mbeechi attack and Colhn knew that he had to work very hard to get any sort of defensive value out of the area. He was no stranger to ferocity of the Mbeechi war parties and he estimated that it wouldn’t be long till they would return, in fact he felt as if they were watching him right at this moment.

The Major barked several orders, the majority of his men hauled the supplies up to the remaining mission building which would act as a storeroom (and his Quarters) and the first task issued to them was to erect several tents that would act as their quarters for the time being. Sergeant Mosse, the engineer Baxterz and his detail were already surveying the area to prepare it for various structures, sanitary and defensive works. The Mabutu cooks, Mr Mambo  and Musunala began to collect water to boil and prepare cooking facilities for the coming day.

From the supply house the major surveyed the land around the supply dump. Several barracks would need to be built and he planned to enclose the garrison in a stockade wall at least. Depending on the length of time this took, he ordered 5 men to be on sentry at all times to warn of any impending attack, but also to make sure no Mabutu children found their way into the supplies. For the remainder of the day the sections of soldiers set about making tents, collecting wood and loading supplies and settling into life on the river.