grows down to the shore, the surface soil in such places being
generally of a very sandy nature.
I examined a good portion of this country, and though
much of the bush is thin and scattefed and the land poor, yet
fertile portions do exist. But the scarcity of water is the
principal drawback to cultivation. Shallow swamps and pools
of rain-water are formed here and there in the wet season,
and if wells were sunk in these places it is probable that
water might be found. Water is good and abundant at
Mombrui at no greater depth than about 6 to 10 feet from
the surface. Fundisha, about half-way between Gongoni and
Marereni, may be instanced as a case in point. In this place
shambas have been opened up for the purpose of growing
food for the orchella-weed gatherers who come to Marereni,
and here there are springs in the sand, as well as at Marereni
itself, within 100 yards of the sea.
I have mentioned a dwarf palm as being common in the
adjoining bush, particularly near N’Gomani. This is the fan
palm, a dwarf variety of the Hyphcene tliebaica, yielding a
strong fibre, and used very extensively by the natives for
thatching and mat-making purposes, and also for the mat-
bags, (makandas) in which all grain produce is packed for
export. The palms growing in sandy soil yield the strongest
leaf and fibre, and the better quality is always found closer to
the sea..
We nowarrived at Marereni, the head-quarters of the orchella-
weed gatherers, which is situated, as the crow flies, sixteen
miles from Gongoni and twenty-two from Mombrui. A
great change had taken place here since my first visit
in 1891. Then there existed only a small stockade for the
protective garrison, and a shed sufficed for the accommodation
of the weed-gatherers. Now a small village of thirty huts
had arisen to accommodate the increasing number of people—
over 200 having come up this season.1
Marereni ends what may be described as the settled northern
1 The opening of the Fundisha shambas doubtlessly helped towards
this, as in former years food was scarce and dear, having to be carried
up all the way from Mombrui on men’s heads— camels being useless
owing to the mud of the mangrove swamps and back-waters.