Identifier: inwildestafricar00macq (find matches)
Title: In wildest Africa : the record of a hunting and exploration trip through Uganda, Victoria Nyanza, the Kilimanjaro region and British East Africa, with an account of an ascent of the snowfields of Mount Kibo, in East Central Africa, and a description of the various native tribes
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: MacQueen, Peter, 1865-1924
Subjects:
Publisher: London : George Ball and sons
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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is a great eventto the men of the native tribelets, who come hun-dreds of miles on foot to the market towns. Between Nairobi and Mount Kenia to the north,the native population is scanty in certain sections,owing partially to the ravages of the Masai priorto 1885, and later to famine during the greatdrought of 1897, when many died and whole vil-lages were obliged to seek food in the mountainranges and valleys. So great is the variety of savage and half-savagelife here gathered that one is tempted to lingeramong the irregulars, police and wayfarers at thispolitical and social centre of equatorial Africa. I delayed my departure from the East Africacapital for four short, busy weeks, weeks full ofpleasant and curious experiences. At last we trun-dled out of Nairobi and made our way up the steepgradients. So slowly does the train proceed thathere and there a native, decked for a holiday, hishalf-naked breast and limbs freshly massaged withred ochre and groundnut oil, issues from some for-
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The Uganda Railway 117 est path, and, running briskly after the train, jumpson board the third-class van, and quietly regaleshimself with a pinch of snuff. Perhaps, if he isshort of cash, he hangs on to the rear end of thetrain until driven off by an irate brakeman. In the first twenty-four miles beyond Nairobithe road rises two thousand feet, Limoru Stationbeing seven thousand three hundred and forty feetabove sea level. Here many acres are cultivatedby European planters. The average temperatureat this height is about sixty-six degrees Fahrenheitin cool weather and seventy-three degrees in hotweather; the lowest mean, forty-five degrees, beingreached in the early mornings of the cold season.Sometimes there are cold winds at night and chill-ing fogs at midday which call for heavy clothingand great care after becoming overheated, for eithersunstroke or chill are serious matters under theequator. The hot season is from December to April, andthe cooler months from July to September. Theh

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