As a rule travellers to East Africa
journey by the overland route to Marseilles and thence
on by steamer to Mombasa - the whole journey from
London averaging about eighteen days.
The present fares for the best accommodation from
London to Mombasa by the Union-Castle Line
(including railway ticket to Marseilles) are as follows
First-Class Single, about 48 pounds; Return (available for
one year) about 93 pounds.
The fares by the German East African Line
(including railway ticket to Marseilles) are: - First-Class;
Single, about 48 pounds. The Return fare (available for one;
year) is double the Single fare, less 10 per cent, of ocean
part of journey.
By the Messageries-Maritimes Line the through
First-Class Single fare from London to Mombasa
(including railway ticket to Marseilles) is about 48 pounds.
The Return fare (available for two years) is about 72 pounds.
Fairly good hotel accommodation can be had at both
Mombasa and Nairobi.
Before any shooting can be done it is necessary to
take out a Game License, which may be obtained
without difficulty at either of these two centres. This
license (which costs 50 pounds) imposes an obligation on the
sportsman to make a return before he leaves the
country of every animal shot by him. By obtaining
a special license two elephants, a giraffe, greater kudu,
buffalo and eland may be shot; but there are various
stipulations and fees attaching to this license which
alter from time to time.
Fairly good maps of the country may be obtained
at Stanford's, Long Acre, W.C., while the Game Laws
and Regulations can be procured from the Colonial
Office in Downing Street.
Passenger trains leave Mombasa at 11 a.m. on Mondays,
Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and are timed to
arrive at Nairobi at 11:15 next morning and at Kisumu
(the railway terminus on Lake Victoria Nyanza) at 9
o'clock on the morning following. The First-Class Return
fares from Mombasa to Nairobi, Kisumu, and Entebbe are
5 pounds 17s. 9d., 10 pounds 10s. 3d., and 13 pounds 13s. 3d. respectively.
It is unnecessary to specify district by district when
particular species of game are to be found, for the
sportsman can easily learn this for himself and get the
latest news of game movements on his arrival at
Mombasa. As a matter of fact, the whole country
abounds in game, and there cannot be lack of sport
and trophies for the keen shikari. The heads and skins
should be very carefully sun-dried and packed in tin-lined
cases with plenty of moth-killer for shipment
home. For mounting his trophies the sportsman cannot
do better, I think, than go to Rowland Ward of
Piccadilly. I have had mine set up by this firm for
years past, and have always found their work excellent.
