Semi-weekly herald., 1909-04-22

scampering 10 the nearest hill. to SUI
vey the strange putting creature tha
had presumed to race with them
II was all too wonderful to be real
1t was really like going through al
ideal geological park. hundreds o
miles long. where animals could roam
free of the restraint OF fences. Ever
when we stopped at the tidy railway
stations, where strangely bedecket
Nasal. armed with long spears anc
Gcanty clothing, stood alongside ol
hardy English flowers. such as gera
NUNS and roses. We had but to raise
our eyes to the surrounding country
to see herds OF antelopes and zebras
grazing on the sun-dried grass.
All the way TO Nairobi this abund
ance OF animals continued The town
IS encircled by double line of barb
ed wire fences hung with wind d-blown
rags. to keep the wild animals OF the
plains from entering the town Such
a precaution really seems absurd when
one considers that Nairobi is fair.
sized modern town, which. though but
ten years old, bonsts OF fine stone
buildings, water works, electric light
and an excellent hotel and stores
where all manner OF things may be
purchased (and at only slightly more
than home prices). Here, in the heart
OF what but so few years ago was
termed Darkest Africa" thoroughly
modern steamrollers were working on
well-mnde roads. on which marched
the almost naked people of the neigh.
boring country Probably no town In
The world has more delightful eli
mate than Nairobl: even though It is
situated within a few miles of the
equator, the days are not unpleasantly
hot and the nights are invariably cool
owing to the altitude of about 5000
feet. Ii is within sight of both the
great snow-clad mountains, Kenia, over
1000 feet. and Killma- Marc, which is
over 10000. AS we entered the sta
lion, about the busiest l have ever
seen, the troops (Ffing's East African
we're entrainine for the Somaliand
expedition against the Mad Mullah $50
called) The native soldiers, as fine
looking, soldierly men as one would
wish to see, seemed pleased with the
idea OF The expedition. while the Brit
ish officers We're fairly beaming with
delight at the immediate prospect of
active service.
Our sajari (expediilon) outhtters
met us at the train, and soon had our
belongings off 10 their stores, while
we went in a rickshaw to the hotel
1t was Sunday, so nothing could be
done toward getting ready for a trip
We decided to take advantage OF the
governors permission to work on the
big game reserve. where no shooting
Is allowed This district covers about
10000 square miles and includes the
country from one mile north OF the
railway, southward to the German
boundary. and from Tsavo about to
Nairobi. ! was anxious to try my pho
tographlc outfit thoroughly before un
dertaking a long expedition, and to
learn something of the way of camping
in East Africa. Therefore this trip
suited my purpose exactly. Two days
later our caravan. consisting OF eigh
teen porters, head man, cook, guide,
gun-bearer, camera-b bearer, and our
two boys" marched to the railway
station, and, after chattering as much
as tree full of monkeys, they were
finally packed aboard, each man stick
ing closely TO his red blanket, water
bottle and three days artions. Al
noon we left Nairobi and went south.
ward to Kin, arriving about 4:30
There we camped near the station,
enjoying our first night under canvas
in equatorial Africa. How different II
was from what one might have expect,
ed The wonderful clearness OF the
with our ideas of what a tropical night
should be. The insects that should
have been there TO torment us, the
suffocating heat which should have
made US dread the very idea of bed.
where were they? Certainly not here!
OF insects there were none save IN
occasional moth which fluttered
against the lamp; and. instead of heat,
the keen and clear air actually waxed
Us to our beds. where three warm
blankets kept us comfortable and hap.
py as we passed into the land of
dreams.
By o'clock next morning we were
up and making ready for an early
start. as we wanted to do most OF the
march OF sixteen miles before the sun
became too hot; but It was nearly 6
O'Clock before we actually started, ow-
ing to the Incompetence of the head
man, who had no idea of handling the
men. Three sheep, which were to be
used for food during our trip. serious
ly objected to leaving their native
place, and II required the united ef-
forts OF the cook flor whom they had
am instructive dlslike) and our two
boys to persuade those sheep to keep