XI 



TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 



495 



his long experience in Africa had learned (what it 

 is impossible to teach missionaries fresh from home) 

 that the native must first of all be taught to work a 

 little harder than is absolutely necessary to support 

 life ; this fills the native with an interest in his future 

 life on this earth. Then, and not until then, is he 

 ripe for religious instruction. 



At this mission station I left the two slaves I had 

 freed at Ukambani — Dr. Charters offering to care 

 for them, and send them home by the first caravan 

 passing toward Kikuyu. 



I was told that Hamidi had been employed in the 

 construction of this mission some years before, but 

 owing to his fondness for intrigue against the Euro- 

 peans he had been sent away. I wished that I had 

 known this before I engaged him ; but alas ! it is 

 almost impossible in Africa to learn the character of 

 one's men until acquired by painful experience. 



From Kibwezi to Mombasa there stretches a cap- 

 ital road, fifteen feet wide and clear of all brush. It 

 was a great treat to us to find a smooth road under 

 our feet, and to be relieved from all anxiety as to 

 water. Mile-posts were placed along the side of the 

 road, and the whereabouts of water was ascertained 

 from large painted sign-boards. The distance from 

 Kibwezi mission to Mombasa is just 200 miles, and 

 this we accomplished without undue effort in less 

 than ten days. The march was uneventful. At a 

 place called Voi, about half-way to the coast, we came 

 to the camp of Mr. Wilson, who was employed in the 

 road-making. He had under him a few Zanzibari, but 

 most of the work was done by a force of over 200 



