6 
EASTERN ETHIOPIA 
I 
officials, traders, and agents. During the construction of 
the Uganda Railway, it was necessary to import twenty 
thousand men from India, chiefly Punjabis. On the 
completion of the railway the Indians settled in the 
country and became store-keepers, clerks, cooks, engine 
drivers, stokers, carpenters, artisans, station-masters, 
telegraphists, and moneylenders. In consequence 
Indians abound throughout the inhabited parts of the 
British East Africa Protectorate. They are shrewd, 
enterprising, and thrifty. This wholesale introduction of 
Indians explains the nature of the currency, for rupees, 
annas, with cents to replace pice, constitute the mechan¬ 
ism of exchange. 
The black (native) population consists of Swahilis and 
Arabs. The native quarter is situated on the part of 
the town facing the harbour. The houses are built of 
wattle and dab and thatched with dry grass. This part 
of the towm is traversed by narrow streets such as pre¬ 
vail in the native quarters of towns in Eastern countries. 
Many of the houses, especially those occupied by the 
Indians, are well constructed and bear unmistakable 
evidence of an Arab origin ; there are several interesting 
old doors and doorways. The native town has a 
commodious fish market and an interesting vegetable 
market. Each is worth an occasional visit, for curious 
fishes and fruits may often be seen there. 
Many towns and islands which present an artistic and 
alluring prospect from the sea are woefully disappoint¬ 
ing on landing. This is not the case with Mombasa. 
We landed on the second day of the New Year and 
found Vasco da Gama Street adorned with the flamboy¬ 
ant gold mohur in full flower. The brilliant purple 
bougainvillea grew around and covered the walls of 
houses, hid the clumsy wooden pillars of the verandahs, 
entwined itself along rudely arranged trellis-work, 
adorned the gardens of the Law Court, and decorated 
the weird and massive trunks of the mighty leafless 
baobabs. Few men have their names so exquisitely 
