364 IN AFRICA 



We imagined that the ship from Mombasa to 

 Bombay would be nearly uninhabited by passen- 

 gers. Few people are supposed to cross that part 

 of the Indian Ocean. Bift when we embarked on 

 the Umzumbi on February first we found the ship 

 full. There were British army officers bound for 

 India, rich Parsees bound from Zanzibar to Bom- 

 bay, two elderly American churchmen bound from 

 the missionary fields of Rhodesia to inspect the mis- 

 sionary fields of India ; two or three traveling men, 

 a South African legislator bound for India on rec- 

 reation bent, and a few others. 



After leaving Mombasa our travels were upon 

 crowded ships, on crowded trains, and from one 

 crowded hotel to another crowded hotel. It seemed 

 as if the whole world had suddenly decided to see 

 the rest of the world. 



Bombay was crowded and we barely succeeded 

 in getting rooms at the Taj Mahal. There were 

 swarms of Americans outward bound and inward 

 bound. You couldn't go down a street without en- 

 countering scores of new sun hats and red-bound 

 "Murrays." The taxicabs were full of eager faces 

 peering out inquiringly at the monuments and 

 points of interest that flashed past. 



The train to Agra was crowded and we succeeded 

 in getting reservations only by the skin of our teeth. 

 Also the hotels at Agra were jammed and many 

 people were being turned away, while the procession 

 of carriages jogging out toward the Taj Mahal was 

 like an endless ehain. Upon all sides as you paused 



