the land of footprints-第57章

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ntal　shrubs；　a　sundial；　and　lawns。　In　the　river　bottom　land　below　the　bluff　is　a　very　extensive　vegetable　and　fruit　garden；　with　cornfields；　and　experimental　plantings　of　rubber；　and　the　like。　For　the　use　of　the　people　of　Juja　here　are　raised　a　great　variety　and　abundance　of　vegetables；　fruits；　and　grains。

Juja　House；　as　has　been　said；　stands　back　a　hundred　feet　from　a　bend　in　the　bluffs　that　permits　a　view　straight　up　the　river　valley。　It　is　surrounded　by　gardens　and　trees；　and　occupies　all　one　end　of　the　enclosed　rectangle。　Farther　down　and　perched　on　the　edge　of　a　bluff；　are　several　pretty　little　bungalows　for　the　accommodation　of　the　superintendent　and　his　family；　for　the　bachelors'　mess；　for　the　farm　offices　and　dispensary；　and　for　the　dairy　room；　the　ice…plant　and　the　post…office　and　telegraph　station。　Back　of　and　inland　from　this　row　on　the　edge　of　the　cliff；　and　scattered　widely　in　open　space；　are　a　large　store　stocked　with　everything　on　earth；　the　Somali　quarters　of　low　whitewashed　buildings；　the　cattle　corrals；　the　stables；　wild　animal　cages；　granaries；　blacksmith　and　carpenter　shops；　wagon　sheds　and　the　like。　Outside　the　enclosure；　and　a　half　mile　away；　are　the　conical　grass　huts　that　make　up　the　native　village。　Below　the　cliff　is　a　concrete　dam；　an　electric　light　plant；　a　pumping　plant　and　a　few　details　of　the　sort。

Such　is　a　relief　map　of　Juja　proper。　Four　miles　away；　and　on　another　river；　is　Long　Juja；　a　strictly　utilitarian　affair　where　grow　ostriches；　cattle；　sheep；　and　various　irrigated　things　in　the　bottom　land。　All　the　rest　of　the　farm；　or　estate；　or　whatever　one　would　call　it；　is　open　plain；　with　here　and　there　a　river　bottom；　or　a　trifle　of　brush　cover。　But　never　enough　to　constitute　more　than　an　isolated　and　lonesome　patch。

Before　leaving　London　we　had　received　from　McMillan　earnest　assurances　that　he　kept　open　house；　and　that　we　must　take　advantage　of　his　hospitality　should　we　happen　his　way。　Therefore　when　one　of　his　white…robed　Somalis　approached　us　to　inquire　respectfully　as　to　what　we　wanted　for　dinner；　we　yielded　weakly　to　the　temptation　and　told　him。　Then　we　marched　us　boldly　to　the　house　and　took　possession。

All　around　the　house　ran　a　veranda；　shaded　bamboo　curtains　and　vines；　furnished　with　the　luxurious　teakwood　chairs　of　the　tropics　of　which　you　can　so　extend　the　arms　as　to　form　two　comfortable　and　elevated　rests　for　your　feet。　Horns　of　various　animals　ornamented　the　walls。　A　megaphone　and　a　huge　terrestrial　telescope　on　a　tripod　stood　in　one　corner。　Through　the　latter　one　could　examine　at　favourable　times　the　herds　of　game　on　the　plains。

And　inside…mind　you；　we　were　fresh　from　three　months　in　the　wilderness…we　found　rugs；　pictures；　wall　paper；　a　pianola；　many　books；　baths；　beautiful　white　bedrooms　with　snowy　mosquito　curtains；　electric　lights；　running　water；　and　above　all　an　atmosphere　of　homelike　comfort。　We　fell　into　easy　chairs；　and　seized　books　and　magazines。　The　Somalis　brought　us　trays　with　iced　and　fizzy　drinks　in　thin　glasses。　When　the　time　came　we　crossed　the　veranda　in　the　rear　to　enter　a　spacious　separate　dining…room。　The　table　was　white　with　napery；　glittering　with　silver　and　glass；　bright　with　flowers。　We　ate　leisurely　of　a　well…served　course　dinner；　ending　with　black　coffee；　shelled　nuts；　and　candied　fruit。　Replete　and　satisfied　we　strolled　back　across　the　veranda　to　the　main　house。　F。　raised　his　hand。

〃Hark！〃　he　admonished　us。

We　held　still。　From　the　velvet　darkness　came　the　hurried　petulant　barking　of　zebra；　three　hyenas　howled。



XXVII。　A　VISIT　AT　JUJA

Next　day　we　left　all　this；　and　continued　our　march。　About　a　month　later；　however；　we　encountered　McMillan　himself　in　Nairobi。　I　was　just　out　from　a　very　hard　trip　to　the　coast…Billy　not　with　me…and　wanted　nothing　so　much　as　a　few　days'　rest。　McMillan's　cordiality　was　not　to　be　denied；　however；　so　the　very　next　day　found　us　tucking　ourselves　into　a　buckboard　behind　four　white　Abyssinian　mules。　McMillan；　some　Somalis　and　Captain　Duirs　came　along　in　another　similar　rig。　Our　driver　was　a　Hottentot　half…caste　from　South　Africa。　He　had　a　flat　face；　a　yellow　skin；　a　quiet　manner；　and　a　competent　hand。　His　name　was　Michael。　At　his　feet　crouched　a　small　Kikuyu　savage；　in　blanket　ear　ornaments　and　all　the　fixings；　armed　with　a　long　lashed　whip　and　raucous　voice。　At　any　given　moment　he　was　likely　to　hop　out　over　the　moving　wheel；　run　forward；　bat　the　off　leading　mule；　and　hop　back　again；　all　with　the　most　extraordinary　agility。　He　likewise　hurled　what　sounded　like　very　opprobrious　epithets　at　such　natives　as　did　not　get　out　the　way　quickly　enough　to　suit　him。　The　expression　of　his　face；　which　was　that　of　a　person　steeped　in　woe；　never　changed。

We　rattled　out　of　Nairobi　at　a　great　pace；　and　swung　into　the　Fort　Hall　Road。　This　famous　thoroughfare；　one　of　the　three　or　four　made　roads　in　all　East　Africa；　is　about　sixty　miles　long。　It　is　a　strategic　necessity　but　is　used　by　thousands　of　natives　on　their　way　to　see　the　sights　of　the　great　metropolis。　As　during　the　season　there　is　no　water　for　much　of　the　distance；　a　great　many　pay　for　their　curiosity　with　their　lives。　The　road　skirts　the　base　of　the　hills；　winding　in　and　out　of　shallow　canyons　and　about　the　edges　of　rounded　hills。　To　the　right　one　can　see　far　out　across　the　Athi　Plains。

We　met　an　almost　unbroken　succession　of　people。　There　were　long　pack　trains　of　women；　quite　cheerful；　bent　over　under　the　weight　of　firewood　or　vegetables；　many　with　babies　tucked　away　in　the　folds　of　their　garments；　mincing　dandified　warriors　with　poodle…dog　hair；　skewers　in　their　ears；　their　jewelery　brought　to　a　high　polish　a　fatuous　expression　of　self…satisfaction　on　their　faces；　carrying　each　a　section　of　sugarcane　which　they　now　used　as　a　staff　but　would　later　devour　for　lunch；　bearers；　under　convoy　of　straight　soldierly　red…sashed　Sudanese；　transporting　Government　goods；　wild…eyed　staring　shenzis　from　the　forest；　with　matted　hair　and　goatskin　garments；　looking　ready　to　bolt　aside　at　the　slightest　alarm；　coveys　of　marvellous　and　giggling　damsels；　their　fine…grained　skin　anointed　and　shining　with　red　oil；　strung　with　beads　and　shells；　very　coquettish　and　sure　of　their　feminine　charm；　naked　small　boys　marching　solemnly　like　their　elders；　camel　trains　from　far…off　Abyssinia　or　Somaliland　under　convoy　of　white…clad　turbaned　grave　men　of　beautiful　features；　donkey　safaris　in　charge　of　dirty　degenerate　looking　East　Indians　carrying　trade　goods　to　some　distant　post…all　these　and　many　more；　going　one　way　or　the　other；　drew　one　side；　at　the　sight　of　our　white　faces；　to　let　us　pass。

About　two　o'clock　we　suddenly　turned　off　from　the　road；　apparently　quite　at　random；　down　the　long　grassy　interminable　incline　that　dipped　slowly　down　and　slowly　up　again　over　great　distance　to　form　the　Athi　Plains。　Along　the　road；　with　its　endless　swarm　of　humanity；　we　had　seen　no　game；　but　after　a　half　mile　it　began　to　appear。　We　encountered　herds　of　zebra；　kongoni；　wildebeeste；　and　〃Tommies〃　standing　about　or　grazing；　sometimes　almost　within　range　from　the　moving　buckboard。　After　a　time　we　made　out　the　trees　and　water　tower　of　Juja　ahead；　and　by　four　o'clock　had　turned　into　the　avenue　of　trees。　Our　approach　had　been　seen。　Tea　was　ready；　and　a　great　and　hospitable　table　of　bottles；　ice；　and　siphons。

The　next　morning　we　inspected　the　stables；　built　of　stone　in　a　hollow　square；　like　a　fort；　with　box　stalls　opening　directly　into　the　courtyard　and　screened　carefully　against　the　deadly　flies。　The　horses；　beautiful　creatures；　were　led　forth　each　by　his　proud　and　anxious　syce。　We　tried　them　all；　and　selected　our　mounts　for　the　time　of　our　stay。　The　syces　were　small　black　men；　lean　and　well　formed；　accustomed　to　running　afoot　wherever　their　charges　went；　at　walk；　lope　or　gallop。　Thus　in　a　day　they　covered　incredible　distances　over　all　sorts　of　country；　but　were　always　at　hand　to　seize　the　bridle　reins　when　the　master　wished　to　dismount。　Like　the　rickshaw　runners　in　Nairobi；　they　wore　their　hair　clipped　close　around　their　bullet　heads　and　seemed　to　have　developed　into　a　small　compact　hard　type　of　their　own。　They　ate　and　slept　with　their　horses。

Just　outside　the　courtyard　of　the　stables　a　little　barred　window　ha