40 AFRICA SPEAKS 



In due course of time we crossed Kilindini channel; 

 Kilindini being a Swahili word meaning "deep water." 

 When we ran off the ferry, the rear wheels dipped into 

 the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, then the front 

 ones touched the dusty road and headed westward 

 toward the distant Atlantic, where it rolls in white- 

 capped surges across the Gulf of Guinea, to break 

 against the silent palm-Uned shores of the Slave Coast. 



On the first day we chmbed from sea level up to the 

 high plateau, leaving behind the damp heat of the 

 tropical coastal region, and entered into a vast plain 

 where still roam immense herds of game. Here in a 

 landscape of flat-topped mimosa trees and huge ant 

 hills, with distant mountains just visible through the 

 heat haze, hve the great and small animals of Africa, 

 the graceful antelopes and those queer beasts left over 

 from past ages. This is a country of heart's desire to 

 all those men who love God's great wild places. 



Many giraffes raced with us along the road, or stood 

 at what they thought a safe distance and gazed in 

 popeyed wonder as we passed. Herds of wildebeest, 

 kongoni, zebra, and tommies kicked dust into our faces 

 or stood at attention to see us by, while thousands of 

 small animals and game birds were continually scat- 

 tering away from the roaring trucks. 



In the mountains that rimmed the horizon lived 

 herds of elephants, while in the thorn thickets at the 

 mountain bases the black rhinoceros browsed on the 

 tender leaves or stood dozing in the shade. Here the 

 days are dry and hot from a sun that burns in a clear 

 sky, and the nights are cold under bright stars that 

 wink just over your head. When the first stars appear, 

 a strange hush comes over the veldt, then an uneasy 



