CH A P T ER X IV
SHAMBA LIFE—JOURNEY TO MOMBASA AND BACK
An Unpleasant Voyage— Mr. Weaver becomes my Assistant— The Wët
Season— Rain-gauge—Shipment -Qf Copra— Transport Questions—
Rats and: Snakes—Revisit Jelori— Change in the Attitude of thé Watoro
— Somali Children— A Hard March— Lions—Watamu— The N’Zovoni
River— Meet Bishop Tucker at Frere Town— Mombasa again— Rabai
Mission Station—Through the Giryama fCountry— An ' Enthusiastic i
Reception.
I RETURNED, from Pemba Island on Saturday, April 9, 1892,
having left VVeti at 6 a.m. in; the; Sultan’s“ steamer Kilwa,
and arrived; at Mombasa at 2.p.m.,-after a delightful voyage
of eight hours.
I was detained, there pn various matters till the 15th, when
I left for Melindi, accompanied by Mr- Weaver, who had been
appointed my assistant on', the Magarini shambas.
We sailed .early in the morning-in; a very;small dhow, a
great contrast to the comfortable. for what with the
rough sea, heavy scuds of rain, the smells. on board, and seasickness,
the voyage was a most unpleasant one ! We reached
Melindi in the dark after thirteen hours’ pitching and tossing',
and as a wind got up we were nearly wrecked on the rocks
outside. We fired two shots as a signal to Bell-Smith to
send a boat for us, and when I landed I was so weak that
I could hardly stand.
Leaving Weaver behind at Melindi to send up the loads,
I proceeded next day to the shambas, and after a very
fatiguing march, feverish and sea-sick, I reached my old
camp-shed at Shamba Baraka at dusk. Here another travelling
experience awaited me— I had no lights, the box of
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