2o8 THE RETURN MARCH part ii 



are going out of cultivation. We passed Kahamisi and Lake 

 Lagobuya, and camped on the eastern slope of the mountain 

 of Mangea, the summit of which I had previously twice seen in 

 the far distance. At Sinikumbe we saw the first cocoa-nut palms 

 and papaws. We passed Sokoki and Poroporo to Fuladoya, 

 and the following day crossed the Mwangudo river, which 

 yielded us some welcome fish, which proved to be a new 

 species {CJiroviis spilurus, Gthr.) We passed Akiluma, and 

 went down the Warabo valley to a deserted mission station at 

 Mwaiba. Here we once more saw the sea. Our last hard 

 march took us to the Methodist Mission station at Ribe, at 

 the edge of the great inland plateau, where I was kindly 

 entertained by the Rev. Mr. Carthew. 



We left Ribe next morning for the final march. We de- 

 scended the hill slope that led to the " temborari " or coastal 

 plain, passed the three round hills known as " Coroa Mom- 

 baza," or the Crown of Mombasa, and reached the estuary. 

 As the tide was out we marched along its bed toward Frere- 

 town, halting only to collect the cartridges from the men, lest 

 a salute should have undesirable consequences. I had to get 

 money for my men's food allowances, and it being Saturday 

 I hurried on, to try to reach Mombasa before the bank 

 closed. At the beach at Freretown a boat was ready, and 

 two stalwart Suahili rowed me rapidly down the harbour to 

 Mombasa, and landed me at the quay. 



A great change seemed to have come over the town during 

 the past five months. The British East Africa Company was 

 in a state of suspended animation, and its condition seemed 

 reflected in that of its chief town. In March Mombasa was a 

 bustling mart, full of life and activity. The harbour was then 

 crowded with dhows ; the quay and streets were noisy all day, 

 with people of many nationalities. Native Suahili, Soudanese 

 and Somali soldiers, Beluchi and Arab traders, Hindoo Ban- 

 yans and their Goanese clerks, were all busy in connection 

 with the safaris that were continually coming or going. But 

 now all was quiet, the harbour was empty, the shops and sheds 

 closed, the quay deserted. As I went through the town to 

 try to find some one, I saw only a few boys. I found Hobley 

 at lunch, and he returned to the Transport Office to receive my 

 luggage and distribute rations, while I went back to the terrace 



