xx THE UGANDA RAILWAY 201 



Reserve, and then ascending to the very prosperous 

 Limoru district. Here we have essentially the home 

 of small homesteads. Mixed farms, fruit farms, coffee 

 and wattle plantations are intermixed. All do well 

 and as the soil and rainfall are good and the climate 

 glorious, land here is as valuable as any in the 

 Protectorate, being at the average price of from two 

 to four pounds an acre. 



After a few miles there is a steep and very beautiful 

 descent through the forests of the Kikuyu escarp- 

 ment into the great Rift valley, which lies below us in 

 a glorious vista ; and in another hour we are in the 

 sheep country. The change comes incredibly quick, 

 for we are now in a dry, warm climate, passing through 

 undulating plains and hills of short, sweet pasture. 

 Homesteads are nestling under hills and great flocks 

 of sheep are grazing far and wide. Tea is at Naivasha 

 station where there is a pretty little town on the lake 

 of that name famous for its ducks and hippopotamus, 

 and erstwhile for the thousands of Grant's gazelle 

 which browsed along its shores and whose place has 

 now to a great extent been usurped by the more 

 profitable sheep. We shall get some splendid English 

 eggs here, about which we need have no suspicions 

 whatever. After tea we shall be passing through the 

 same type of country for two or three hours, while the 

 sun sinks and the wood sparks from the furnace begin 

 to glow. Wood fuel, cut and supplied along the line 

 itself, is now used exclusively. It is likely, however, 

 that, with the traffic increasing daily, a change will be 

 made. Coal or oil may be used as far as Nairobi. 

 Beyond, wood will probably always be used. Not 

 only is there a good natural supply, but the wattle 

 industry will have an ever-increasing quantity to 



