. Two African trips, with notes and suggestions on big game preservation in Africa; . fari started, while we followedshortly after on our bicycles. We were by no meanspioneers in the use of this kind of locomotion in EastAfrica, but it is only the broader roads on which they canbe usefully ridden. The ordinary native track throughthe thorn-jungle is too narrow and tortuous, and the longgrass hampers the wheels. Solid tyres are essential, owingto the innumerable spines and thorny seeds which strewthe ground. We believed that the Taveta road, being cutbroad and straight, would be practicable, bu
. Two African trips, with notes and suggestions on big game preservation in Africa; . fari started, while we followedshortly after on our bicycles. We were by no meanspioneers in the use of this kind of locomotion in EastAfrica, but it is only the broader roads on which they canbe usefully ridden. The ordinary native track throughthe thorn-jungle is too narrow and tortuous, and the longgrass hampers the wheels. Solid tyres are essential, owingto the innumerable spines and thorny seeds which strewthe ground. We believed that the Taveta road, being cutbroad and straight, would be practicable, but it proved byno means free from traps for the unwary. Although thecleared road is twelve feet wide, the hard track beaten bythe feet of natives, who always move in Indian file, is onlya few inches wide and follows a wavy line. Thus theslightest deviation from it generally involves a flying leapover a tree stump or a dead stop in soft ground, followedby a fall. Thus our start was accompanied by some minoraccidents, of which, being in a state of mental exaltation,we thought BRITISH EAST AFRICA 7 After following the new road for a couple of hours, ourkirongozi, or guide, diverged along a native track. I canonly account for this preference of the old path by theinnate conservatism of the African nature. It involvedus and our machines in many difficulties ; in fact, that dayand the next we had to carry them almost as far as theycarried us ; but we forgave him in consideration of thebeauty of the camp to which he led us. This was on abranch of the Voi River; its bed was dry, but our followerseasily found water by scraping holes in the sandy timber-trees lined the banks, and lianas festoonedmany of them with a wealth of greenery. To walk alongthe winding river-bed, which sometimes was a mere tunnelof black shade, and again emerged into brilliant sunshine,was an enchanting introduction to the most attractive sideof tropical vegetation. Butterflies coursed up and
Size: 1347px × 1855px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjecthunting, bookyear1902
