chapter XI 



THE GATEWAY TO KENYA 



When I left the Nika country I came down the Coast 

 by dhow and encountered a terrific storm. Our cockle- 

 shell of a boat was driven before the wind and in spite of 

 the efforts of my able Arab seamen, we were driven far 

 off our course. For two days and nights we battled with 

 the elements and I shall always recall with what delight 

 and genuine relief I arrived at Mombasa, the gateway to 

 Kenya. 



It must not be imagined that Mombasa was a small 

 village on a mud flat with no history. On the contrary, 

 it was a port of repute with a record then dating back 

 for more than four hundred years. It had a walled fort, 

 which frequently changed hands, and had been subject 

 to the attacks of many invaders. There had already been 

 super-class and secondly a Portuguese domination. The 

 constant clash between these had left the island a vivid 

 history of revolt and carnage. In spite of this there had 

 been an enormous trade in slaves running into many 

 millions of dollars, chiefly by dhow, with the Persian 

 Gulf and the Malabar Coast which was materially re- 

 stricted by the abolition of this traffic. 



The history of the coast of East Africa goes back long 



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