REACHING OUR RENDEZVOUS 



fine native band of the King's African Rifles. They 

 reflect the very greatest credit on those who trained 

 them. 



There were several old friends whom I had known 

 in South Africa, who were all unanimous in praising the 

 prospects for settlers in East Africa, more especially 

 around the highlands, the Uasin Gishu, Nakuru, and 

 Naivasha. 



Once or twice from the hill in the early morning 1 

 was able to see Kilimanjaro with the naked eye, quite 

 plainly, and Mount Kenia, although a hundred miles 

 away, on a clear day appears quite close. Some twenty- 

 five miles from Nairobi, on the line to the lake, we come 

 to Limoru, then we climb through a fine piece of forest 

 country to the Kikuyu escarpment, 7380 feet above 

 sea-level. From here we obtain a really magnificent 

 view, for we are looking 2000 feet down into the great 

 Rift Valley, which, it is said, can be traced from the 

 Zambesi to Palestine. At this spot it reaches its finest 

 development. The volcanic cones of Mount Longonot 

 and Suswa form a fitting background to this truly remark- 

 able picture. From Escarpment station we descend 

 along the side of the hills to Kijabe, through seven miles 

 of forest country, over imposing steel viaducts. Kijabe 

 is half way on the descent to the valley, and rattling along 

 at a very good pace for a three feet three inches gauge 

 railway, the train shortly runs through a piece of bush 

 country into Naivasha station. There are plenty of 

 elephants, hippopotamus, buck, gazelle, antelope, wild- 

 fowl, duck, etc., to be found around here. Leaving 

 Naivasha and passing through Gil-Gil and Elmenteita, 

 where the East African Syndicate, Lord Delamere, 

 Captain E. S. Grogan and others have large farming 

 interests, we reach Nakuru in time for a good hot dinner 

 at the Nakuru Hotel. 



On leaving here after a smoke and chat, I decided 



9 



