MOMBASA TO KIKUYU. 



3 



during which time I experienced the very greatest 

 kindness from every one in Mombasa, as well as 

 the most generous hospitality. Mr. Younger very 

 kindly put me up during my stay, which was 

 partly occupied in botanising round Mombasa. 

 The island seems to consist chiefly of coral rock, 

 and is in most places covered by dense bush only 



Fig. 1. — Mombasa Fort. 



two or three feet high. Here and there are clumps 

 of bananas, graceful date-palms, and one may even 

 see an occasional mango-tree, though the island 

 distinctly gives a bad impression as far as its soil 

 and general fertility is concerned. • This may be 

 due to the lack of a good rainfall (see chap. xi. 

 p. 183), as the total for 1893 seems to have been 

 only 64*17 inches. 



