XI 



77?^ VELS m EASTERN AFRICA 



493 



slaves. The mission station at Ikutha is pleasantly 

 situated on the side of a hill which slopes down to a 

 small stream called the Tiva River. It is surrounded 

 by a well-kept garden; and there was, of course, the 

 inevitable and neat grave, wherein reposed the last 

 remains of some European. 



I cannot say that during my short stay at Ikutha 

 I was much impressed with the degree of interest 

 taken in religion by the natives. The mission was 

 supplied with a sweet-toned bell, and three times 

 daily was it tolled. It sounded delightfully peaceful 

 in my ears, but did not seem to have any effect 

 upon the natives, for none came at its summons. 

 The Wakamba people are so happy in their exist- 

 ence, so free from trouble of any type, that I fancy 

 it is a most difficult matter to interest them with 

 thoughts of a future life; but the missionaries at 

 Ikutha are loyally performing their work, and if 

 they do not succeed in caring for the souls of the 

 natives, they at least do a good deal of good for 

 their bodies with medicines. Daily the mission is 

 surrounded by a number of sick and ailing, who are 

 treated as well as the supplies of the mission permit. 



At 2 P.M. January 30, we reached Kibwezi mission, 

 and there found the missionaries, Mr. Watson and 

 Dr. Charters. It vv^as Dr. Charters who had operated 

 on Lieutenant von Hohnel and started him on the 

 road to recovery before sending him to the coast. 

 The mission station at Kibwezi is the most beautiful 

 of any I had seen in Africa. Through its grounds 

 flows the Kibwezi River, the waters of which are ice- 

 cold and clear as crystal. All the houses are built 



