CHAPTER XVI 



A WIDOW'S STORY 



VERY shortly before I left Tsavo I went (on 

 March 11, 1899) on inspection duty to Voi, which, 

 as I have already mentioned, is about thirty miles 

 on the Mombasa side of Tsavo. At this time it 

 was a miserable, swampy spot, where fever, guinea- 

 worm, and all kinds of horrible diseases were 

 rampant ; but this state of affairs has now been 

 completely altered by drainage and by clearing 

 away the jungle. Dr. Rose was in medical charge 

 of the place at the time of my visit, and as it was 

 the good old custom to put up with any friend one 

 came across towards nightfall, I made him my host 

 when my day's work was over. We spent a very 

 pleasant evening together, and naturally discussed 

 all the local news. Amongst other things we 

 chatted about the new road which was being con- 

 structed from Voi to a rather important missionary 

 station called Taveta, near Mount Kilima N'jaro, 



