268 THE WORLD'S MEAT FUTURE 



Fourteen years ago infrequent steamers dropped casual pas- 

 sengers in Mombasa. Two trains a week ran up to the high- 

 lands, and for several years in Nairobi the trains were an event 

 of sucli importance that clergymen protested against one of the 

 trains arriving on Sunday in that it drew away nearly their 

 entire congregation ! Nairobi consisted of the Government 

 and railway offices and quarters, one or two white tradesmen, 

 the bazaar, and a few other Indian shops. Metalled roads 

 there were none outside the railway quarters. The Govern- 

 ment road, though laid out, was a quagmire bordered by a few 

 beginnings of buildings. So little did some people believe in 

 East Africa that a deputation of prospective settlers was in- 

 formed by the Provincial Commissioner that British East 

 Africa was not a country for white settlement, and that they 

 were not wanted ! 



Turning to the land side of the question, wonderful advance 

 is shown. In 1904 the majority of the settlers had their hold- 

 ings in the Kyambu district, and even in that fertile area many 

 found it impossible to make both ends meet. Land was prac- 

 tically valueless, and quite a large number of farms changed 

 hands for a mere song, or were surrendered to the Government. 

 It is true a slight boom set in during the year owing to the 

 rapid influx of new settlers, but when the subsequent reaction 

 came things were worse than ever, and the optimists of the 

 country could have easily been counted on one's fingers. Up- 

 country the position was almost worse than round Nairobi ; 

 quarantine had brought the stock trade to a standstill ; depres- 

 sion was everywhere. Land then to be had for the asking has 

 increased in value by leaps and bounds until improved Kyambu 

 coffee farms have changed hands at over £25 an acre, and un- 

 improved land at £12 and over an acre. Many of the big graz- 

 ing areas throughout the country have proved valuable agricul- 

 tural lands, and have been split up into small blocks selling at 

 up to £2 and £3 an acre. Everywhere a steady increase in 

 values has taken place. 



However, it is no place for a man without capital, all manual 

 labour being done by natives or Indian artisans. On the other 

 hand, it offers great attractions to the young man of moderate 

 means, and enterprising enough to grapple with new conditions. 



