The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-23
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In q chapter on health, climate, food
supplies. &c. we are told that the lower
lying parts Of East Africa may all be de-
scribed as planters' oountries-that Is coun-
tries where Europeans can temporarily
live and supervise plantations without any
great Inconvenience TO their physical well
being, but where they cannot reside per-
manently. As egalds healthfulne n. the
coast Of the East African mainland is
with the exception Of a few localities,
pronounced the best Of these districts.
Zanzibar and Uganda are inferior, though
still habitable. The worst parts are the
shores Of Lake Victoria and some swampy
places on the coast such as Vanga and the
lower part Of the Tana River, in both Of
which the number OF mosquitoes and the
absence Of proper accommodation are very
trying to Europeans. To the greater part
Of the coast, particularly Mombasa and
Lamu, is assigned high rank for health
fulness among tropical count ries; Sir Charles
Eliot thinks them superior in climate to
Bombay, Calcutta or Madras This SUI
peTiority il attributed largely to the dryness
Of the soil and, above all, TO he constant
fresh breeze from the Indian Ocean. II the
possibility Of going up country by rail for
an occasional change Of air Is taken into
consideration, Mombass may be termed
We are assured, a very tolerable residence
for Europeans.
For the highlands Of East Africa, on the
other hand. in which may be included the
Teta Hills, more than this may be said.
They constituted country in which Europeans
can thrive and breed, az has been shown
by an experience Of years, Our author.
Of course. would not assert that the climate
Of the East Africa highlands has no fault.
There U.s. no doubt, certain amount Of fever,
though that 1t can be actually caught above
an elevation Of FIVE thousand feet may be
questioned. Perhaps the victims are
always persons who had got II in their
system, elsewhere, According to Sir
Charles Eliot, fever Is certainly not more
prevalent and not more dangerous in the
East Africa highlands than Is inf uenza
In England, and the prospect Of 1t need not
deter any intending visitor or settler. To
the best Of his belief, there have been no
instances Of dangerous forms OF fever, OF
course, the great requisite for preserving
ones health In East Africa, as elsewhere in
the tropics, is good accommodation. This
can easily be shown by comparative statistics
Of the deaths that have occurred on the one
hand, among ofhoers who have had 10 move
about much, and, on the other, among
those functionaries who. like the railway
officials, live constantly In places where
proper house, are available. Though the
climate h healthful, the sun IL strong and the
rain violent. II people expose themselves
to the sun, or even II they live In houses
with too thin a roof, they run great danger
Of sunstroke or Of some similar malady.
II, on the other hand, they get wet, or allow
the rain TO enter their houses, they catch
a chill, which Ia more dangerous In the
tropics than In temperate climates. In
an ordinary solid house, however. both
dangers can be avoided II appears thst
in Nairobi and the Kikuyu district the
average temperature Is about % degrees
+. In the COOL season, and % degrees r.
in the hot. The coolest time h In the
early morning. when the Thermometer
often falls 10 30 degrees r. Al midday 1t
frequently reaches 70 degrees. Never
theless, at Lmoru, railway station IN
Kikuyu, about 1000 feet above the sea,