RECRUITING 



area, that the shops had been closed, and that no 

 native could officially leave Nairobi. The lat- 

 ter 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 affa- 

 bly at arm's length across the ropes; hundreds 

 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 I But the brave outward show of ropes, 

 disinfectants, 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 goods and 

 safari stores we could then ship out to them by train. 



Accordingly we rode on bicycles out to the Swahili 

 village. 



This is, as I have said, composed of large "bee- 

 hive" houses thatched conically with straw. The 

 roofs extend to form verandas beneath which sit 



135 



