Kijabe E.A.P. Dec. 8
1904
Index
Miss Flornce Minch,
Hooppole, Ill.
My Dear Florence:
Your letter came
yesterday and I was very glad to hear from you. I was sorry to
learn however that you people were a bit alarmed about my
disposition for hunting. Now let me assure you that there is
no danger whatever. This elephant affair was simply an
accident. Mr. and Miss Alexander were the hunters. I had no
intention whatever of attacking an elephant. I was simply to
be near enough to assist should there be any serious accident.
I was to stop several hundred feet away but the elephants were
upon us before any of us could do anything. Had I made any
attempt whatever to do any shooting except in self defense
there would have been several hundred dollars fine and you
will soon discover when you get here that I am not ready to
pay any such fines. No shooting whatever can be done here
without a license costing $150 except wild pigs hyenas and
snakes and monkies. I am not so very anxious to shoot any of
these so you need not fear that hunting will run away with me.
I was just wondering why you people forgot old Mr. Alexander
and seemed to think of his daughter only in the hunt. The
first thing I know a report will be going round that John has
run off with a little n****r girl. You must think that I
rather enjoy guiding old maids through the country on a hunt.
Not very much I assure you when they prove to be greater
heroes than I am. Tell your mother if between you and I anyone
must lead in the hunt it certainly will be you for this was
the case with Miss Alexander and now with all the horrible
night mares I have had since the event it must be more than an
old maid to get me into it again. No Florence I’ve been in it
once, but I had rather stay at home and be a mamma boy. You’ll
not hear of it again unless it be purely accidental in some of
my travels through the country. I know my mother may think I
am a bit reckless in this respect but I am afraid I am not
quite as brave as she may think I am. But I am afraid this is
a lot of useless talking. If I thought that you mistrusted me
in the least in this line I should try to argue out of it, but
I think you know me better.
Now I believe I have the most glorious news
to write you this time that I have ever written. I think we
have had lately one of the most remarkable answers to prayer
and greatest triumphs I have ever seen. It was concerning our
affairs here at Kijabe. I told you I think in the last letter
that we were simply waiting for the Forest Officer to look
over the land we were going to buy for the Masai settlement
and then I would begin to build. Well he came just a few days
after the letter left, but what a gloom he did bring to
Kijabe. He said he went to the Land Office and found no
promise whatever that we might have the land (this we knew was
absolutely untrue) and moreover said that under no
considerations could he allow anyone to take up any land
whatever in this section. Moreover no Kikuyu nor Masai would
be allowed within five miles of the railroad. This would drive
all natives to a place five miles from us and practically ruin
our mission at Kijabe. Well I dont think I was ever quite so
badly broken up in my life. I went out in the woods alone and
cried like a baby. It seemed it just could’nt be after such a
beautiful start. On Sunday Mr Hurlburt called a special
meeting and told us how step by step the Lord first led him to
Kijabe then led him into the plan of making Kikuyu and Masai
settlements on lands belonging to the Mission and into
Industrial and Training Schools. Now he said will we trust the
Lord to carry it out in spite of the Government. It was hard
to trust when face to face with the English Government but
after a long time of prayer we believed the Lord would carry
out His plans. The natives were being arrested in large
numbers for cutting trees so early one morning a large company
of about 200 came to our doors and said if these were the ways
of the white man they didnt want any of us. So to show them
that we were opposed to such things Mr. Hurlburt told them
that anyone who was arrested should come to him and he would
pay all fines and see that things were made right again. This
pleased the natives much. So that when a special day of prayer
was set hundreds of natives came. Mr. Hurlburt sent a telegram
to the Sub Commissioner of this district asking him when he
could see him for a Conference and found that he would leave
Nairobi for Mombasa one hour after the first train got in to
Nairobi from Kijabe, but said he would see him at the station.
Thus knowing the hour the Conference would be we held a large
prayer meeting with the natives here at the same hour asking
God to give us what was right. This is the way it turned out.
Mr. Hurlburt found that Ainsworth the Sub Commissioner was
just going to Mombasa to take the place of Sir Donald Stewart
the first officer of British East Africa and that Mr. Hope was
to take Mr. Ainsworths place in Nairobi. One the first officer
in the Protectorate and the other the first officer in our
District. Both were personal friends of Mr. Hurlburt and both
deadly enemies to the Forest Department. A rather pleasant
situation to begin business with. There had just been a
special conference with a Crown Advocate sent from the King
concerning the doings of the Forest Department and it was
decided that all lands cultivated by the Kikuyu and all lands
pastured by the Masai should not be interfered with and cannot
be touched unless bought from the people and only bought with
the consent of the Government. This settles once and for all
our situation. The Masai can pasture and the Kikuyu cultivate
all about us. Moreover Mr. Ainsworth (with all authority in
this country) promised Mr. Hurlburt that if in any way
possible, he would give us permission to buy the lands in
desire. This all seemed as such a clear answer to our prayers
that we did have a most glorious time. We have not heard from
Mr. Ainsworth yet but hope to soon. I will let you know about
it as soon as we hear.
Next week Mr. Ridler an Englishman will
join our mission and his work will be with the Orphan boys
here at Kijabe also Mr. Evans comes from America to be Mr.
Hurlburts stenographer. These with Mr and Mrs Downing makes
Kijabe quite a little town. I suppose you will be the next one
to join our ranks. Oh how I wish you were here now. You
remember the little Masai girl I wrote about. Mrs. Downing has
taken her till you come. She will teach her housework also
reading and writing. I will pay for her food and clothing. I
am only afraid Mrs. D. will like her so well that when you
come we cannot get her. Her name is Musaigo. She is very
bright, and looks very cute in her little dress. Mulungit is
still getting on nicely. One more old man with his family has
moved on our grounds so we have now about twenty five Masai in
all. Mostly women and children.
I wrote some time ago about a stove. Mr.
Hurlburt says a stove is now being made in Nairobi which is
very serviceable and reasonably cheap so he thinks it is best
not to have stoves sent from America so you had better not
bother with it unless you get a very special price. You ask
what will an outfit cost. An outfit of course is the things
you will need to bring along which will not cost the Home
Council much since you have most of your things. It cost me
about $125 but you are having so many things made at home that
it cannot possibly cost you this. Perhaps it wold be well for
you to write Adams about this. So you think I had poor
judgement do you. Well dont you kind of admire people that
have poor judgement and are’nt you glad I had poor judgement
rather than good. Or do you kind a think that after all the
judgement was just a little good. and how dare you call me a
country Jake. I’ll settle that with you pretty quickly when
once I see you. But I must close. Hoping to hear from you soon
I am your (little native)
quotation from Florence
Minch
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