94 THE EAST AFRICAN RAILROAD 



flew from tree to tree and flower to flower. Far below were deep 

 and ragged gorges, over which the train passed on elevated bridges 

 and dow^n which ran flooded streams, flowing into glades of palms and 

 trees embraced by climbing creepers. Everywhere was luxuriance, 

 nature at her best. As the train ascended from the humid coast lands, 

 with their heats and glories, the jungle was left behind and forest 

 took its place, different but not less luxuriant. Here, at an elevation 

 of four thousand feet, the olive replaced the palm and the country 

 took on the aspect of temperate climes. 



When Makindu station was passed the forest ended and a new 

 phase of African scenery opened before the traveler. A broad prairie 

 land succeeded immense fields of green pasture spreading out before 

 the tra\'eler. This was intersected by streams with well-wooded banks, 

 while bluffs and ridges broke the monotony of the panorama. 



It is on this grassy plain that the great multitude of animals of 

 which w^e have spoken come into view. It must have given joy to 

 Roosevelt's heart — a born lover of animated nature — to see these 

 graceful creatures, never before beheld by him except behind the 

 bounds and bars of a menagerie or a zoological garden, here wander- 

 ing about at liberty and disporting themselves in their native haunts. 



These came not singly before his eyes, but in droves and herds. 

 Multitudes of antelopes in great variety, from the graceful gazelle 

 to the great w^ildebeeste and hartebeeste ; troops of zebras, at times as 

 many as five hundred in a drove; ostriches w^alking sedately in twos 

 and threes, and small animals of many kinds. With the aid of a field 

 glass this spectacle could be traced for long distances, but many of the 

 animals came within close view, and the traveler could readily see 

 and admire the striped sides of the beautiful zebras, which would stand 

 and watch the train with placid assurance, or perhaps scamper a few 

 hundred yards away and then turn to gaze again. In it all was an 

 innocent trustfulness which doubtless warmed the observer's heart. 



If one wished to indulge in a hunt, the opportunity could easily be 

 embraced. It is w^ell to say here that a variety of what we may call 

 trolley cars are in common use in that part of Africa. In Mombasa 

 is a system of narrow-gauge railways which follow the main streets, 

 with branches running to every house. No white man walks in that 



