178 A COLONY IN THE MAKING chap. 



though it lies near Nairobi — only some 60 miles to the 

 south-west — it had until recently been comparatively 

 little explored. (To whom the original discovery was 

 due I am not sure, but among the first to visit it were 

 Mr. V. M. Newland and Captain Riddell.) The reason 

 of this is that not only is there no surface water 

 within many miles of the lake, but the approach to it 

 in every direction is through singularly barren, difficult, 

 and waterless country. The value of the soda has long 

 been realised in the country and more than one option 

 has been taken on it, but until 1909 the great cost 

 connected with extracting and transporting the soda to 

 the coast had prevented its exploitation. In that year 

 a large expedition was formed under the auspices of 

 Messrs. M. Samuel & Co. to examine the commercial 

 properties of the soda, with a view to its acquisition. 

 The principals of the party were Messrs. W. H. Levy 

 and A. E. Herz, with Captain Shelford as consulting 

 engineer and Mr. A. Trobridge as chemical expert, 

 the whole being under the guidance and organisation 

 of Mr. H. F. Ward. The results of the expedition, 

 which was splendidly managed, exceeded all expecta- 

 tions. Captain Shelford discovered a route for the 

 railway in which the engineering difficulties were com- 

 paratively few ; Mr. Trobridge reported that at a low 

 estimate there were 200 million tons of crystalline soda 

 of extraordinary purity, and that moreover this soda 

 might by a very simple process be converted into a soda 

 ash equal in chemical purity to any on the market. 

 The result has been the formation of a huge company 

 with splendid prospects before it. The branch railway 

 is already under construction. 



The lake itself merits a word or two of description. 

 It is some 15 miles long and has a total area of more 



