78 UNDER THE AFRICAN SUN 



have enjoyed to loiter for a while with them ; but I had a 

 ten-hours' march to accomplish, past friendly Ngira's district 

 and on to Ndui. 



Next day I reached the Nzoia river and crossed it for 

 the first time in the Government ferry. It is a wide and flat- 

 bottomed boat. A strong wire rope spans the river, and by 

 turning a wheel another wire rope is wound up and draws 

 the ferry to the other bank. This is one of the road-improve- 

 ments introduced by the late Captain Sclater whom the 

 Government had entrusted with the construction of a cart- 

 road to Uganda. He had but just accomplished his task, 

 when he was carried off by an attack of black-water fever 

 and found his grave in Africa. 



