A strange patch of white kept appearing and
disappearing again. This resolved itself into the side of a
building. A spider-legged water tower appeared above the trees.
Gradually we drew up on these. A bit later we swung to the right
around a close wire fence ten feet high, passed through a gate,
and rode down a long slanting avenue of young trees. Between the
trees were century plants and flowers, and a clipped border ran
before them. The avenue ended before a low white bungalow, with
shady verandas all about it, and vines. A formal flower garden
lay immediately about it, and a very tall flag pole had been
planted in front. A hundred feet away the garden dropped off
steep to one of the deep river canyons.
Two white-robed Somalis appeared on the veranda to inform us that
McMillan was off on safari. Our own boys approaching at this
moment, we thereupon led them past the house, down another long
avenue of trees and flowers, out into an open space with many
buildings at its edges, past extensive stables, and through
another gate to the open plains once more. Here we made camp.
After lunch we went back to explore.
Juja is situated on the top of a high bluff overlooking a river.
In all directions are tremendous grass plains. Donya Sabuk-the
Mountain of Buffaloes-is the only landmark nearer than the dim
mountains beyond the edge of the world, and that is a day's
journey away. A rectangle of possibly forty acres has been
enclosed on three sides by animal-proof wire fence. The fourth
side is the edge of the bluff. Within this enclosure have been
planted many trees, now of good size; a pretty garden with
abundance of flowers, ornamental 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.
