MOMBASA 



waist by yards and yards of broad red webbing, loose, 

 short drawers of khaki, bare knees and feet, and blue 

 puttees between. His manner was inflexible. The 

 babu jabbered excitedly; telling, in all probability, 

 how he was innocent of fault, was late for his work, 

 etc. In vain. He had to go; also the kid, who now, 

 seeing himself again an object of interest, recom- 

 menced his howling. Then the babu began franti- 

 cally to indicate members of the crowd whom he 

 desired to retain as witnesses. Evidently not 

 pleased with the prospect of appearing in court, 

 those indicated promptly ducked and ran. The 

 policeman as promptly pursued and collared them 

 one by one. He was a long-legged policeman, and 

 he ran well. The moment he laid hands on a 

 fugitive, the latter collapsed; whereupon the police- 

 man dropped him and took after another. The 

 joke of it was that the one so abandoned did not 

 try again to make off, but stayed as though he had 

 been tagged at some game. Finally the whole lot, 

 still vociferating, moved off down the white road. 



For over an hour we hung from our window sill 

 thoroughly interested and amused by the varied life 

 that deployed before our eyes. The morning 

 seemed deliciously cool after the hot night, although 

 the thermometer stood 79°. The sky was very blue, 

 with big piled white clouds down near the horizon. 



6S 



