CROSSING THE UASO NYIRO 



resembled that which I had so enjoyed two days 

 before. The early morning sun was casting long 

 shadows across the rather muddy waters, a wonderful 

 variety of trees overhung the banks, while towering 

 above them the giant mimosa and slender dom palms 

 showed wonderfully green and delicate against the 

 pale blue sky. 



Taking off my boots and putties, I got on to my 

 mule, and plunged down the slippery bank into the 

 river, after taking the precaution of firing a couple 

 of shots into the water to scare away any possible 

 crocodiles. The Uaso Nyiro, near Marti, attains its 

 greatest development, being just under 200 feet in 

 breadth, but at the point where I crossed it, it was 

 barely two feet deep. It did not therefore take me 

 long to reach the northern bank, up which I clambered, 

 and found myself immediately in another grove of 

 dom palms. Through this I made my way, and 

 emerged on to a flat and muddy plain scarcely a 

 mile across, which divides the river from the mountain. 

 Having reached the foot of the latter, I left the mule 

 and started on the steep climb that lay before me. 



The sides of Marti are clothed with small stunted 

 trees, and many varieties of euphorbia, while the 

 ground is composed of loose volcanic rock. Every 

 step therefore requires care, for a fall would be 

 attended with unpleasant consequences from the 

 thorns and sharp pointed rocks. After three-quarters 

 of an hour, however, I reached the edge of the plateau, 

 which is formed by a ring of bare volcanic rock, and 

 sat down with my glasses to have a look round. The 

 view was disappointing, for there was a thick mist in 

 spite of the strong wind that was blowing, which 

 rendered the course of the river and the distant hills 



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