RECRUITING. 151 



before our contemplated start two or three cases 

 of bubonic plague had been discovered in the 

 bazaar, and as a consequence Nairobi was quaran- 

 tined. This meant that a rope had been stretched 

 around the infected area, that the shops had been 

 closed, and that no native could officially 

 leave Nairobi. The latter provision affected us ; 

 for under it we should be unable to get our bearers 

 out. 



As a matter of fact, the whole performance 

 unofficially was a farce. Natives conversed 

 affably at arm's length across the ropes ; hun- 

 dreds sneaked in and out of town at will ; and 

 from the rear of the infected area I personally 

 saw beds, chests, household goods, blankets, 

 and clothes passed to friends outside the ropes. 

 When this latter condition was reported, in my 

 presence, to the medical officers, they replied 

 that this was a matter for police cognizance ! 

 But the brave outward show of ropes, disinfect- 

 ants, gorgeous sentries in front and official 

 inspection went solemnly on. Great, even in 

 Africa, is the god of red tape. 



Our only possible plan, in the circumstances, 

 was to recruit the men outside the town, to camp 

 them somewhere, march them across country to 

 a way station, and there embark them. Our 



