THE WHITE POPULATION 



on ; at any rate it was a pleasant and amusing scene. 

 The glorious sunlight, the blue sea edged with cream 

 where the tiny waves lazily rolled up the beach, the 

 white houses beyond, and the happy crowd of 

 natives, for the most part unspoiled by civilisation, 

 and clad in loose and brightly coloured robes, 

 together formed a very vivid picture of Eastern life. 



After seeing that my men passed the medical 

 inspection, I climbed down the ladder, not sorry to 

 leave the wretched little steamer, and was rowed 

 ashore, the last few yards of the journey being per- 

 formed on the back of one of the boat-boys, as the 

 beach sloped so gradually that it was impossible to 

 bring the boat much nearer in than fifteen yards or 

 so. There was a tremendous va et vient on the 

 beach, almost the whole of the population turning 

 out to see the arrival of the steamer; the noise was 

 overwhelming, and as the sun climbed higher in the 

 heavens, the glare increased and became very trying, 

 so that I was glad to pass out into the little town. 



Kismayu boasts of no hotel or inn of any kind ; 

 white visitors indeed rarely come to this part of the 

 world, but when they do, the hospitality of the 

 officials more than makes amends for any lack of 

 accommodation. The white population of Kismayu 

 consists of the Provincial and District Com- 

 missioners and their wives, the doctor, and the 

 Inspector of the Jubaland police. The Provincial 

 Commissioner was away when I arrived, but the 

 Honourable K. R. Dundas, the District Com- 

 missioner, very kindly asked me to stay at his house, 

 although I was a perfect stranger to him ; and for 

 the next week, while I was busily preparing for my 

 journey, he made me most truly welcome. He not 



39 



