came from all parts of the country from Melindi to Takaungu;
my guide, and several other collectors who joined him later
on, came from the latter place.
The vines were all a species of Landolphia, and this was
my first acquaintance with this variety, my previous knowledge
having been confined to the South American varieties.
For all known information concerning the East African
rubber vines the world is indebted to the valuable researches
of Sir John Kirk, carried on when he was her Majesty’s
Agent and Consul-General at Zanzibar; and I was personally
greatly indebted to his various reports on the subject for my
ability to classify the varieties growing in the coast regions,
which I believe to consist of four, viz. Landolphia jlorida,
L.petersiana, L. owariensis, and L. Ktrkii, named after Sir John
Kirk, the discoverer, and yielding the best rubber, which is of
a pink colour.
The present system of collecting, as I saw it, left very
much to be desired ; the use of salt water is especially to be
condemned, as it renders the rubber wet and spongy. I have
entered into the subject so exhaustively elsewhere1 that I will
not add more here, beyond remarking that the poor prices
realized by African rubber are undoubtedly due to want of
care in the preparation, and frequently to a'dulteration with
heavy substances, stones, etc., to add to the weight. It is
my firm impression that indiarubber is destined eventually to
prove one of the most important exports of the country, and
in view of the increasing demand in so many branches of
manufacture too much attention cannot be given to it. As
an example of the good quality of the rubber obtainable
even by their imperfect native methods, a sample submitted
to a leading firm of brokers in 1890 was reported upon as
follows —
1 Ball fine, free from sand or wood; this quality is very
desirable, as so much of the rubber which comes in is mixed
with sand, wood, or barky substance. Such as yours, owing
to the market being very firm, would bring 2s. 5d. to 2s. 6d.
per lb.,” the top prices then ruling.2
1 See Appendix D.
2 For further information, see Appendix B,
CH AP TER IX
GUM-COPAL TREES—AROBOKO TO MELINDI—SEARCHING
FOR A SLAVE CARAVAN
Gum-copal Trees— Aroboko— A Well-cultivated Valley—Wasania Village
— Return to Melindi— Pay off my Men— Untrustworthiness of A li bin
Jumah— Small Troubles—-News of a Slave Caravan— Once more tin
the March— The North Bank of the Sabaki— The Wakamba Tribe
G uarding the Roads— River F ords— A Trackless Wilderness— Arba-
gundi— Camping under Difficulties— Native Simplioity— The Wa-
Galla— Insect Plagues— Crocodile and Hippo Lakes— A Village Fire
-—Snakes— Back to Jelori.
AFTER my visit to the rubber vines, I made my way back
through the forest to the sea-shore, till I struck the regular
track leading to Melindi. This I followed till 9.30 a.m., when
I came on the path branching off to Aroboko, my destination.
So far, that is from Takaungu northwards, I had
been travelling more or less in a line with the sea-coast, but
the path to Aroboko now led off at right angles to it. A fine
land-locked lagoon surrounded by mangroves is a noticeable
feature here, and I passed a pilé of timber roughly dressed by
the axe, stacked close to the path awaiting shipment to
Mombasa. Our way led through a thick forest, the soil
being of a white to grey sandy loam. I noticed à large
number of gum-copal trees as I passed : they are most handsome
trees, with a tall straight stem and a white silvery bark,
much resembling birch, and yield the well-known gum-copal
varnish of commerce. The tree grows in great abundance in
the forests throughout the Giryama .country, and belongs to
one of the most valuable varieties o f copal-bearing trees,
viz. the Trachylobium hornemannianum H., from which the
Zanzibar copal or Animi is obtained.