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On# of th# Native# of Kenya.
(Prepared by the- National Geographic
Society, Washington, D. C.)
THE first link of the proposed
British air service from Cairo to
the Cape of Good Hope In Africa
will soon be established with the
beginning of an airplane line from
Khartum In the Soudan to Klsumu In
Kenya colony. Klsumu Is on Lake Vic
toria, the “Lake Superior” of Africa.
Kenya, which will thus be brought
Into much closer touch with England,
is one of the most fascinating regions
• of Africa, geographically speaking. It
presents a relatively new name to
world maps, for before the World war
It was known as British East Africa.
At the southeast corner of Kenya
» is Lake Victoria, second largest fresh
water lake In the world. Along Its
shores dwell a people whose nudity
is a symbol of their modesty, and
whose men are as beautifully formed
specimens of their sex as are the
Marquesas women of theirs.
Just across Kenya's southern border
is Kilimanjaro, highest mountain In
Africa, and jear its center Is Kenya
peak, also volcanic, which o’ertops
Mount Whitney by some 8,000 feet.
Cutting across the colonels the fa
mous Rift valley, here from 20 to 40
miles wide, and generally several thou
sand feet below the plateau’s general
level.
However, it is as a zoo ana a lux
uriant botanical garden that Kenya
makes its chief appeal to the nature
loving visitor. Perhaps Its most amaz
ing single spectacle is the flamingo
•colony on the northern shores of Lake
Hannlngton.
Hippopotami swim in the shallow
waters of this bay; antelope and gnu
infest Its shores. Its port, Kisumu, Is
the terminus of the Uganda steamship
line, which lands rubber, Ivory and
hides here for railway shipment to
the coast
Government of the Colony,
A few years ago Great Britain had
an uncomfortable racial problem on
her hands In Kenya, but the matter
has now apparently been smoothed
over. The native population numbers
about 8,000,000 and there are In addi
tion whites of European origin, East
Indians and Arabs.
From the time when British Influ
ence made Itself felt In East Africa,
during the last quarter of the Nine
teenth century, until 1920, the then
British East Africa was a protec
torate, a form of government which
the British empire generally makes
use of when there Is practically no
white population other than the ad
ministrative officials. Under this sys
tem there was scarcely any popular
phase to the government, affairs were
administered for the most part as the
official* thought best A start toward
popular institutions was made in 1900
when executive andxleglslduve coun
cils were 'established.
By 1919 the white population had
grown to the point (nearly 10,000) felt
to demand greater governmental par-'
ticipation. Provision was made for
the white settlers to elect 11 members
to the legislative council. Two were
appointed to represent the East In
dian population, and one to represent
the Arabs. A sufficient-number of offi
cial members was then appointed to
give the government a majority. The
final step of creating the newest Brit
ish crown colony from the old pro
tectorate was inade July 28. 1920,
when-Kenya oolony came Into exlst
-
the legislative council and demanded
equal suffrage. There also existed In
the background the question of what
part If any the 3,000,000 black native
residents of the colony should take
eventually in the management of af
fairs. The whites of Kenya and of
the much more important Union of
South Africa asserted that if Great
Britain abandoned the principle that
her people have the obligation to main
tain her institutions among the less
advanced peoples of her colonies, It
would mean the death of the British
empire and of the civilization which
she has developed In Asia and Africa.
People of Many Races.
The land which is now Kenya colony
has had Its mixture of races for a long
time. Phoenicians, Arabs, Indians,
even Chinese, skirted Its coasts In
very early times and traded with Its
natives. Later the Arabs came in
numbers; and now there is a popula
tion of about 10,000 of them In addi
tion to a large number of people of
mixed Arab and black blood. The In
dians began to go to this region be
fore British Influence began, and now
number some 25,000.
Of the blacks there are numerous
tribes. The Suks belong to the
Nilotic race group. The Swahilis are
the hybrid people formed by the
union of Arabs with the Somalis and
Gallas. There Is also the Bantu-speak
ing population, many of whom dwell
In the regions around Mount Kenya,,
which was for a time believed to lie
in the fabled regions of the “Moun
tains of the Moon,” as well as more
of the Nilotic group, consisting of the
Masai, the Nandi and others.
Though Kenya calls Itself the new
est of the British colonies, It is one of
the oldest lands of the earth. Colonel
Boosevelt, in speaking of his African
hunting trip, said that the Masai often
reminded him of the pictures of the
soldiers of Thothmes and Itameses
made by the ancient Egyptian
sculptors, in that their faces were
resolute and had clear-cut features.
The tgme noted traveler said of this
tribe that though the women were
scrupulously clothed, “the husbands
brothers very ostentatiously wear no
clothing for purposes of decency.”
Women Who Wear Tall*.
Though unclothed the Kavlrondos
are much bedecked, every circumfer
ence the human form affords, from
chest and stomach to ankle and wrist,
Is wire-wrapped. The women add one
other decoration, a tail-Uke tuft sus
pended from the waistline in the rear.
Sparse population of a region where
the altitude offsets the equatorial heat
and the fertility invites farming is due
largely to these warrior Masai whose
former livelihood was gained prin
cipally by raids on their neighbors.
Many of. them have settled down to
tilling the soil. ,
Another native tribe, the Andorahos,
formerly lived largely upon flesh of
the Colobus monkey. The skin has a
market valets because of its silky black
and white hair and the tail with an
immense bushy plume at the end
They, too, turned to the soil as the
British Imposed restrictions on mon
key killing to save the animals from
extinction.
The Gallas, though they are now of
little importance either politically or
economically, take great pride In theii
past They say that they once had a
'sacred book, like the Bible or the
Koran, but a cow ate It ahd not beint
certain about the particular animal, In
their search they are still opening the
stomach at every tow that dies, M
—nr
Beautiful Gateway to the Northwestern Sates
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Minneapolis claims to be the gateway to the northern tier of states and the great Northwest, and the pride at
the city is the symbolical gateway and plaza of Imposing architecture in a public park in the business district^
which opens to the northwest, . ** -
Romance of Sea
Rivals Fiction
Canadian Fireman Who
Saved Titanic Babe Be
come* Heir to Millions.
Toronto, Ont—Heir to $2,000,000
end guardian of a girl of fourteen
whom as an Infant he saved when the
Titanic went down In 1912 is the hap
py fate which, according to his own
story, has befallen John James, a fire
man employed In one of Toronto’s
pumping stations. A few days ago
James left for England for the pur
pose, he said, of concluding legal for
malities.
Among John James’ associates hts
story Is accepted at Its face value, for
they have known him for many, years
as a trustworthy workman and 1 man
of his word. Among others tBi-3 Is
skepticism pending his return from
England with his millions and fils
ward.
Jobs Jamas’ ptary In any case stands
unrivaled among romances of the sea.
Here It is in his own words:
“I had shipped on the Titanic as a
seaman under the name of John
Jones. I did not use my own name
because of a previous disagreement at
the company’s employment office.
“When the vessel struck the ‘growl
er’ I took my station beside No. 8 boat.
Receives Charge of Baby.
“It was as the passengers were get
ting into the boat that I received
charge of the baby, who has been re
sponsible for the.events which have
happened recently.
“A number of women had got into
the boat. I remember they included
Mrs. J. J. Astor and Lady Rothe, when
a woman carrying a baby In her arms
came forward. Her husband and two
other little children were with her.
She first handed me the child and
then, on learning that her husband
could not accompany her, refused to go
herself. The other two children stayed
with their mother, and I was handed a
sum of money and an address in Lon
don, with instructions that should any
thing happen I was to deliver the child
to that address. I was told I was
keeping the baby for extra precaution.
None of us dreamed for a moment the
Titanic vyoiild sink.
"We "lowered away and pulled off
from the doomed vessel.
“Bach hour I made each passenger
take a teaspoonful of rum and I took
some myself. It kept ns alive, for
the cold, following the proximity of
the icebergs, was Intense and I was
dressed only in canvas breeches and
Jersey. I had not even shoes on. I
had stowed the baby, wrapped up In
my oilskins, in the boat’s locker. Now
and pgain It would cry and I moist
ened its lips with a little rum and
wafer. That, in my opinion, kept It
alive.
Picked Up by the Carpathla.
“It was terrible when the passen
gers in the boat realized the giant
vessel * was gone. The tragedy has
been sufficiently written about, and
It Is enough for me to say that the
next morning we were picked up by
the Carpathla and that the baby was
still safe' and sound.
“On the Carpathla they tried to take
the child from me, but I had given my
word to deliver It to its grandparents
and I meant to keep It. The child was
well eared for, of course, and after we
reached New York I took It ashore
with mo and then back to England,
where I was mef bg the grandparents
at Liverpool and handed her over to
them. At the thn* I was well com
pensated financially, and after the
Washington and Southampton In
gujrjes, at both Ml which I gave evl
dence, I returned to my calling on the
sea.
“The grandparents would write me
and ^end me money on the Titanic's
anniversary, but it was not until the
war that I saw them again. It was
about six years after the Titanic’s.
sinking that I was In hospital wound
ed. When I was discharged I was
given a fortnight’s leave and I went
to spend it in London in the Union
Jack club. I had nothing to do there
so I thought I would call for' the first
time on the baby’s grandparents, for
I had been often Invited when in Lon
don to do so.
“I went down by bus and, of course,
I was wearing my sailor’s uniform.
When I arrived at the address I was
surprised at the size and imposing
front of the house I had come to visit.
Mustering up my courage I rang the
bell and when the door was opened
by a butler asked to see the lady of
the house. He viewed me with ap
parenk doubt and then remarked that
the lady of the house was not at
home.
“ ‘Take her my name,’ I said, T
know she will see me.’
“He was about to close the door
when a little girl walked from a room
to the left of the great hall across it
She was dressed in white, and as she
crossed she saw me. She stopped and
looked at me for a long moment
•• ‘What is your nameT’ she asked
me, and I told her.
" ‘Martin,’ she said, ‘kindly let the
gentleman In. I know him and grand
mother will see him.’
"I was taken inside, where an old
lady was sitting reading. I Introduced
myself and to my consternation she
kissed me.
“ ‘Send for Mrs. Martin,’ she or
dered the butler. ‘Mr. James will stay
with me.’
“I demurred, but she Insisted and
the whole of my fortnight’s leave was
Baby War Refugee
. Is Made Heiress
London. — Fourteen-year-old
Marie Suzette Stevenson, a tiny
Belgian refugee from the war
torn fields of Europe 12 years
ago, Is a British heiress as a
result of that same war which
spread misery and ruin across
half of Europe.
Suzette was born in Belgium,
where her father was an artisan.
When the nations leaped at one
another’s throats, she was two
years old. Her father went to
the front and along with thou
sands of other refugees, Suzette
was brought to England.
A fairy wand waved over the
humdrum refugees’ camp one
day. Suzette was scarcely old
enough to see It. Lord and Lady
Stevenson stepped out of their
limousine in search of a child to
gladden their home. The wand
pointed to flaxen-balred Suzette
and she became their adopted
daughter.
For three years Suzette had
filled the Stevenson home with
laughter. Lady Stevenson died
In 1917. But at her deathbed,
Lord Stevenson promised Suz
ette would never want for any
thing. The second Lady Steven
son, too, loved Suzette. A few
months ago there came the death
at Lord Stevenson, agd his will,
just made public, brings to Suz
ette a legacy of 1126,000 which
la all her very own.
spent in tnat wonderful house. Each
day we would drive to the theater or
some entertainment or other, while I
met many,.people at her home. You
can guess I. was not entirely con*
fortable, but I gradually got used to
the new luxury and my leave expired
almost before It had begun, so to
speak. Thea I went back to the sea
again. After the war, with £500 the
old lady gave me, I came to Canada
and started my new life here.”
Now, according to James, the grand
mother Is dead and he has been noti
fied that he must assume guardianship
of the child and Is heir to an estate
that Is valued at $2,000,000.
An embarrassing change In his mode
of life is entailed but James thinks he
can best bridge the gulf by becoming a
gentleman farmer, an old ambition
with him.
In any case, he says, he will not
abandon Canada or his friends at the
city hall and elsewhere In Toronto
Diamond “Kings” Fear
Diggers’ Price Cut
London.—Diamonds soon will be as
common as artificial pearls If the
present unrestricted output from allu
vial diggings continues, in the opinion
of the . South African diamond mag
nates, says a dispatch to the Daily
Express from Capetown.
The correspondent says the diamond
mine owners are perturbed over the
increasing output of stones from the
alluvial diggings, where Individual
seekers are finding plenty of dia
monds and putting them on the mar
ket at prices below those charged by
the De Beers syndicate.
Solomon B. Joel, Sir Ernest Oppen
heimer and Sir Abe Bailey, mine own
ers, have arrived in Capetown from
England with the hope of inducing the
South African government to limit the
alluvial output. Mr. Joel is a direc
tor of the De Beers Consolidated
mines. He is a nephew of the late
Barney Barnato, a poor Jewish ped
dler who went to 8outh Africa in the
early ’70’s, and made a large fortune
in diamond and gold mines.
Shoos Pigeons Out of
Church After 50 Years
Milwaukee, Wls.—The age-old prob
lem of ousting tenants without hurt
ing their feelings Is facing Rev. Ar
thur H. Lord and the vestrymen of
St, James’ Episcopal church, because
the time has arrived, they believe, to
ask pigeons to move from the steeple
of the church where they and their
ancestors have lived for 50 years.
Two months ago a steeple-cleaning
expedition was carried on by Otto
Gehrke, sexton, and three men. They
took 108 bags or nearly three tons of
debris from the floor of the tower. It
was seven years since a similar Job
had been performed, according to
Gehrke and the debris Included skele
tons of dead pigeons.
Reverend Lord wishes they would
find new homes, but says they may
use the steeple on cold days.
Salted Whales’ Tails
Delicacy to Japanese
Tacoma, Wash.—Over In Japan
there Is no worry over the shortage
of turkeys for the holiday season for
during the last week 170,000 pounds
of salted whales’ tails have been ex
ported to that country. The whale
tails, in great demand there, came
from the various whaling stations on
the north Pacific Alaskan coast and
represent a value of over $41,000,
whereas a few years ago they were
discarded or worked over Into low
grade fertiliser.
Sticks to Job
London.—David Lewis has been a
farmhand on one British estate for 09
years and has been awarded the Ban
bury Agricultural association's long
service medal.