T H E C O V E N A N T E R
I went to work on the cockroaches and turned to red mud, and we trudged up the
finally eradicated them. As long as nothing track with about six children keeping dry
was left uncovered and the table scrubbed under rubber ground sheets held high over
and the floor swabbed, we kept them at their heads. I wish we could have taken
bay. pictures it was a weird sight (the mothers
One other incident in the kitchen later got wet!)
in the year - a swarm of hornets came to To go to Nairobi on my own, I had to walk
rest on the inside of the apex roof. This was across the field, to the front of the camp and
dangerous. John ran to the camp for a huge wait for the African bus (I couldn’t drive at
can of insecticides and with towels over our this point in time). It was pretty basic, full
heads nose and mouth took it in turns to of Kukyu women going to market, and
stand on the table and spray the area - the various hens, vegetables, etc. The bus went
whole tin was used, but it did the trick. We to the terminal in the centre of Nairobi, so
opened all the windows and doors to get rid it was safe enough. Returning, I always took
of the excess. Mosquitoes were also a pest a taxi to the Camp gates.
- we all slept under nets, you could hear My impression of the town was that the
them zooming around. If one got under the centre square mile was modern - a large
net the kids yelled for you to kill it. hotel dominated the main road (Delamere
We had an elsan dry toilet, at the back Avenue) the new Stanley Hotel. All the
of the bungalow about 15 feet away it was shops were one storey with overhanging
very eerie going out to it after dark. I went walkways which kept the sun at bay.
with a torch one night and, after seating The shops were mostly run by Indians -
myself the torchlight shone on the door they almost swamped the blacks, and used
corner, and sitting there blinking was a them for labour. It is not surprising the
huge bullfrog. I was glad it wasn’t a snake. independent Kenya pushed them out of the
The first trip to town I purchased what country on taking over.
passed for Potties so the children didn’t There was a large new cinema called, I
need to go out during the night. The think, 20th Century. We went only once -
previous occupant, had the dry toilet in the you had no idea who you’d be sitting next
bathroom. How they stood the chemical too and the bodily smells in the heat were
smell and the Kikuyus trooping in every overpowering. I had always believed that
day to empty it, I can’t imagine. For a little Kenya was one of the best of the colonies
privacy we put up a rush fence to the toilet, but on arrival I was disappointed to see only
all the bungalows were staggered in such a part of Nairobi was up to date. Everywhere
way the neighbours could count the times else was Kikuyu shanty towns and villages
you went. It worked well. further out, people came looking for work
The families were split up in three and just set up a hut for themselves.
locations. Half were in Kahawa, about four The Mau Mau troubles were over but
miles further out from our huts, the rest there still was a feeling of tension; if there
were, conveniently for the wives (but not was a slight traffic accident there would
for the troops) on the other side of Nairobi suddenly be hundreds of blacks milling
in blocks of flats, close to the NAAFI - The round from nowhere.
shopping place for the army. The Kenya The flower market was beautiful; flowers
Regt had a barracks there, mostly white were arranged from floor to ceiling on
officers and Somali troops. They were good raised planks in large buckets.The perfume
trackers as well as soldiers and they showed was thick, and all the English type flowers
this during the Mau Mau troubles. were three times as large as the ones back
John took us by car to do the weekly home.
shopping and to enrol the children at the The fish market was also something to
Army school, mornings only. This was all see. I didn’t recognise any of them apart
right for Ian as he could already read and from the shellfish.
write, but not so good for Marion, already Lots of the shops had material in, but no
behind - she did not progress very far in the shops which made up clothing - apart from
year we were stationed there. Safari type gear. I was glad I had my sewing
The children were taken to school by bus, machine as everything for Marion and me
we walked them up the murram track to had to be made. Including, a ball dress of
the main road, and waited for the bus. This pale pink brocade for the New Year’s Ball.
was no problem in the dry season, but quite I was proud of myself, it turned out very
another in the rainy season. The murram well. I also made about six Christmas party

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