MOMBASA 



effort; but the steersman throws in his bit at odd 

 and irregular intervals.^-^hus: 



Headman (shrill): ^^Hay ah monP^ 



Pushers (gruff in rhythm) : Tunk! — tunk! — 

 tunk! — "or: 



Headman (shrill and wavering minor chant): 

 ^^ Ah — nah — nee — e-e-e!^^ 



Pushers (undertone) : " Umbwa — jo-e! Umhwa — 

 jo — er 



These wild and barbaric chantings — in the 

 distance; near at hand, dying into distance again, 

 slow, dogged, toilsome — came to be to us one of the 

 typical features of the place. 



After breakfast we put on our sun helmets and 

 went forth curiously to view the town. We found it 

 roughly divided into four quarters — the old Portu- 

 guese, the Arabic, the European, and the native. 

 The Portuguese comprises the outer fringe next the 

 waterfront of the inner bay. It is very narrow of 

 Ij^fcstreet, with whitewashed walls, balconies, and 

 wonderful carven and studded doors. The business 

 of the town is done here. The Arabic quarter lies 

 back of it — a maze of narrow alleys winding aim- 

 lessly here and there between high white buildings, 

 with occasionally the minarets and towers of a 

 mosque. This district harbours beside the upper 

 class Swahilis and Arabs a large number of East 



