94 
THE EAST AFRICAN RAILROAD 
flew from tree to tree and flower to flower. Far below were deep 
and ragged gorges, over which the train passed on elevated bridges 
and down which ran flooded streams, flowing into glades of palms and 
trees embraced by climbing creepers. Everywhere was luxuriance, 
nature at her best. As the train ascended from the humid coast lands, 
with their heats and glories, the jungle was left behind and forest 
took its place, different but not less luxuriant. Here, at an elevation 
of four thousand feet, the olive replaced the palm and the country 
took on the aspect of temperate climes. 
When Makindu station was passed the forest ended and a new 
phase of African scenery opened before the traveler. A broad prairie 
land succeeded immense fields of green pasture spreading out before 
the traveler. This was intersected by streams with well-wooded banks, 
while bluffs and ridges broke the monotony of the panorama. 
It is on this grassy plain that the great multitude of animals of 
which we have spoken come into view. It must have given joy to 
Roosevelt's heart—a born lover of animated nature—to see these 
graceful creatures, never before beheld by him except behind the 
bounds and bars of a menagerie or a zoological garden, here wander¬ 
ing about at liberty and disporting themselves in their native haunts. 
These came not singly before his eyes, but in droves and herds. 
Multitudes of antelopes in great variety, from the graceful gazelle 
to the great wildebeeste and hartebeeste; troops of zebras, at times as 
many as five hundred in a drove; ostriches walking sedately in twos 
and threes, and small animals of many kinds. With the aid of a field 
glass this spectacle could be traced for long distances, but many of the 
animals came within close view, and the traveler could readily see 
and admire the striped sides of the beautiful zebras, which would stand 
and watch the train with placid assurance, or perhaps scamper a few 
hundred yards away and then turn to gaze again. In it all was an 
innocent trustfulness which doubtless warmed the observers heart. 
If one wished to indulge in a hunt, the opportunity could easily be 
embraced. It is well to say here that a variety of what we may call 
trolley cars are in common use in that part of Africa. In Mombasa 
is a system of narrow-gauge railways which follow the main streets, 
with branches running to every house. No white man walks in that 
