262 EASTERN ETHIOPIA xx 



tlie chaiigx'S wliicli have Ijrought a particular park-land 

 into existence. 



The euphorbias also play a great part in the produc- 

 tion of these park- lands, for these plants arise from seed 

 conveyed by birds : under the shadow of the euphorbia, 

 plants and grass flourish and in this way get a footing 

 on the land. In time individual patches increase in size 

 and coalesce until the whole flat is covered with euj^hor- 

 bias, grass, and trees. 



Many parts of the British East Africa Protectorate 

 are covered with dense forests which have never been 

 thoroughly explored. In the Kikuyu country, when 

 the natives wish to extend their " shaml)as," as the 

 cultivated tracts are called, they set fire to the grass. 

 Such fires do not simply destroy the grass, but the 

 bushes and young trees, as well as those of moderate 

 growth. In consequence of this thoughtless destruction 

 the Wa-Kikuyu are already suffering badly, for in many 

 districts the women upon whom the duty devolves of 

 obtaining wood often make long journeys, sometimes 

 four and five miles, in order to oljtain a supply of fire- 

 wood. 



The trains on the Uganda Railway and the steamers 

 on the Victoria Nyanza use wood as fuel. At the 

 present time there is no sign of diminutiou in the 

 supply, but when the enormous c|uantity required for 

 this purpose is kept in mind, it is clear that steps 

 should be taken to supply the waste by judicious 

 planting. 



The Kigelia is a curious tree, and one sure to attract 

 the traveller's attention. It is found everywhere in 

 Eastern Ethiopia. It is a liig tree with bark of a cold 

 stone-grey, and its leaves are similar to those of a 

 walnut. The fiowers are tulip-like, reddish-purple 

 or yellow, and grow on pendants from two to six 

 feet in length. The seed vessels hang on the long 

 stalks and are one to two feet in length ; they have 

 rounded ends and are as bia,' as German sausages. In- 



