The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-13
ASCENT OF MOUNT KENYA.
Mr. M<CHJrDER's SUCCESSFUL Ex-
Petition IN EAST AFRICA.

tnterett1uE stony Hiuuy
Overcome-Fate Of the -Four French Ex-
peditions to Central Africa-The scheme
of n Florida Canal to Divert the Gulf
stream-The SEpenDy Novel 10 England
Mrs. O'Connor's Play on Parneli.
LONDON. Nov Mr.. II. J. Mackinder. reader
In geography at the University Of Oxford who
recently made the ascent OF Mount Kenya In
East Africa. arrived 10 England on Oct. 80. and
gives some interesting details OF his successful
expedition His party consisted Of himself
Mr.. G. H. Hansbers. a relative. two Alpine
guides. Nr. Saunders. natural history col
lsctor. and Mr.. Camburn. q taxidsrmist At
Zanzibar siIty-six Swahili porters wsre en-
gagged telght o! them being askairs or soldiersl.
and sent on to Nalrobi, where about 100
Wakikuyn porters were aided to tho party In
addition to the white mem bers Of the sxpedi-
tior and the askalrs. some OF the porters wero
armed. the total number OF guns carried being
about forty.
Starting from vairobi. In north by-north-
sa-terly direction. their route lay through tho
Kikuyu country. which 10 ruled by a number
Of small independent chiefs. The country was
fairly we'll populated and well cultivated.
Their reception dspsadsd on the character OF
the local chiefs. and 1t was generally necessary
to protect the camp at night and always have
one Of the white mem bers on guard.
They next came to tho Mcranga country. one
81 the most interesting and most fertile in
Fast Africa. Its political constitution dlf-
fers entirely from that OF tho surrounding
country. 1t may roughly be described as an
informal republic There are no chiefs or
kings. and tho government Is in the hands OF
Shauri. or council OF elders. ~ whom there
are about fifty. Two or three OF the elders are
recognized IS leaders. As soon as the .xpedI-
tion had entered the heranga country
Shauri was held. and IL was determined to
give the expedition every assistance. Food
was abundant and easily purchasable. prac-
t"ally.the whole country was under cultivation
There were large banana plantations on all
the shambas. and hundreds Of acres were
under maize, while sweet potatoes. beans
and sugar-cans grew in abundance. Unfor-
turately. rain fell heavily while the sxpedi-
ton was crossing this land OF plenty. but the
roads were good. and In some places were
actually fenced. wearing in places the aspect
~ M English country lane. with tho ad lition
NJ tropical plants aud flowers. Two OF the
principal elders accompanied the expedition
to the river which forms tho northeastern
boundary OF the Meranga country. Beyond
this river was the country OF Wangombe. a
ahis' who WAS greatly feared by the MeranHa
people. The two elders positively refused to
enter his country. or to undertake to supply
the expedition with food after It had crossed
the river
WanGombe at first declined to have nything
To 10 with the expedition. but he eventually
agreed TO net himself as guide to the Sagana
River and undertook to supply the camp
which was to be formed there with provisions.
Athck forest belt. swarming with elenhants.
separates Wangombes county from the open
grassy plains OF L.il pia After crossing this
forest belt and arriving at the Sagana River.
Mr. Macsindsr inquired OF the chief when tho
fool supplies he had promised would be forth
coming. lie replied that h did not intend
to ct them have any food. wheraupon he was
told that when a white man gave a promise he
kept il. and rs he had given u promise TO a
white man he must keep il. and woul be- de-
tanned until he did. THIS measure was rem
d"rcd necessary from the fact that no food OF
any kind could he obtained from the country
round Mount Kenya itself. In short time an
ample supply o! food was fcrthcom ng. for
which Wangombs was paid on n liberal scale.
Mr. Mackinder then established a permanent
camp on tho banks OF the saana and SGT out
with the two guides and tho two collectors
and n number Of portsrs to establish n
camp above the forest .bc't on tho slopes o,
Mount kenya, leaving Mr.. HNusburg with All.
che interpreter, in charge OF the base camp
The Swiss guides. who werc excellent for
strrs, went first with hatch.ts and
were followed nv n number OF Wakikuyu
with s!ashers. By following elephant paths
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- -, ~ zoo, u ,'o"tH u u" ''Aeh
an. 80 u'espi' ~ &c un''
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GA, s'' '''.' ,".I' '.'' roy must win
vs. W. s.'t'' o"" ."e.s swami porUrs.
camp was established. Although below the
n.' ,' wy 5'I' W., t'''" anu pea''' long,
sI.,,. ""u ur,eu l"e surface anu
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y" ,.'",' ~ sy ', .h"ous ""'k 'hs prog
~ '', w -" ""s ''oPpeu' out
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