332 A COLONY IN THE MAKING chap. 



are of all breeds and varieties with Arabs predominating. 

 Although the price of Arabs has increased considerably 

 of late years, yet even now decent untrained ponies 

 may be shipped either from Port Sudan or Bombay 

 and landed at Nairobi at an inclusive cost of little more 

 than forty pounds. These have up to the present 

 formed the best sources for obtaining polo ponies, 

 though good ponies have also been imported from 

 South Africa. In a year or two, if not already, there 

 will be no necessity to import, since the produce of the 

 Protectorate itself is at least up to Arab form. 



Up to 1909 polo in Nairobi carried on a somewhat 

 fitful existence, chiefly under the auspices of the King's 

 African Rifles. In that year, at the instigation of Mr. 

 Berkeley Cole, the Club was reformed on a proper 

 basis, Mr. Cole being the first Secretary. On Mr. Cole's 

 retirement Captains O'Brien and Murray together 

 took on the secretaryship, and to their unremitting 

 efforts the present position of the club is almost 

 entirely owing. The ground belonging to the club is 

 a really first-rate one on the high land overlooking the 

 town to the west ; there is also a private ground 

 belonging to Government House, to which H.E. the 

 Governor often kindly invites the club. This latter 

 ground is of hard mud and very fast, even faster 

 than that belonging to the Club. The only draw- 

 back attaching to it is the dust, which at certain 

 seasons of the year is rather bad, though not worse 

 than is the case on many similar grounds in India. 

 Polo takes place three times a week and chukkas are 

 of very varying quality and quantity. Thus one day 

 not only will most of the best local players be in 

 Nairobi, but some keen players will be passing through 

 on their way to shoot. There will be eight or nine 



