MOMBASSA TO LION LAND 5 



rare Englishwoman, far more admired and petted here 

 than she ever is at home, in every sort of dress and 

 undress (a renowned English politician on his recent 

 visit, made mortal enemies of many of them, in that playful, 

 if not always kindly way he seems to have, by admitting 

 their good looks, but describing their dressing as 

 "dowdy") and on every sort of "mount'* pony, mule, 

 donkey, bicycle, in 'rickshaw or wagon, motor-car or 

 camel cart pass ceaselessly up and down. 



But you come to see the brown and the black man 

 and nowhere will you find him in greater variety many 

 tribes and races here throng together. 



Arab and Somali traders are here, some of them 

 knowing more of inmost Africa than any white man alive. 

 Hindu merchants and shopkeepers, among the least honest 

 of the earth. Wanyamwazi porters whose homes are 

 in far-away German East Africa; many of them would 

 fain change from a German to an English overlordship 

 if they could; but the German hand reaches far and 

 grips tightly, and they love their distant cattle and, 

 let us hope, their wives, and these the Germans take 

 great care of in their absence and so German natives 

 they are fated to remain. 



Then you come across hundreds and hundreds of 

 Kikuyus, for this is their country, and all the rich shambas* 

 of the neighbourhood, European or native, are tilled by 

 them. Most of the natives in the motley throng are on 

 pleasure bent. These Kikuyus are not like the rest, 

 a casual glance at them is enough to convince you they 

 are no idlers. Up and down the streets they trudge 

 with their burdens, quite as many women as men. 

 They are the moneymakers of this part of the Protectorate. 



There is movement and colour everywhere. Smart 

 black women, often with very fine figures, in their most 



*Name for farm. 



