THE LAND OF FOOTPRINTS 



we quitted the jungle, had all come with their par- 

 ents' consent. In fact, we soon discovered that we 

 could buy any amount of good sound totos, not house 

 broke however, for an average of half a rupee (i6| 

 cents) apiece. 



The road was very much up and down hill over 

 the numerous ridges that star-fish out from Mt. 

 Kenia. We would climb down steep trails from 200 

 to 800 feet (measured by aneroid), cross an excellent 

 mountain stream of crystalline dashing water, and 

 climb out again. The trails of course had no notion 

 of easy grades. It was very hard work, especially 

 for men with loads; and it would have been impos- 

 sible on account of the heat were it not for the nu- 

 merous streams. On the slopes and in the bottoms 

 were patches of magnificent forest; on the crests 

 was the jungle, and occasionally an outlook over ex- 

 tended views. The birds and the strange tropical 

 big-leaved trees were a constant delight — exotic 

 and strange. Billy was in a heaven of joy, for her 

 specialty in Africa was plants, seeds and bulbs, for 

 her California garden. She had syces, gunbearers 

 and tent boys all climbing, shaking branches, and 

 generally pawing about. 



This idiosyncracy of Billy's puzzled our boys 

 hugely. At first they tried telling her that every- 

 thing was poisonous; but when that did not work, 



244 



