Legendary Scouter Baden Powell meets Legendary Scoutmaster Fred

May 19, 2018
I’m in awe as I write this, sitting in a 1927 lodge originally frequented by Lord Baden Powell, founder of Scouting. I was in my room when an attendant came in a built a fire to take off the chill of being at 6,000 feet, south of the equator by 25’. I’m in Kenya, having flown 55 minutes from Kampala to Nairobi, then traveled 150 miles north.
Baden Powell fell in love with this area (saying, “Near Neryi [the nearest town] is near bliss”), and commissioned a house to be built here, which he named, Paxtu. Apparently his house in London was Paxun. I’m not sure whether the Pax refers to “Peace” but I know BP’s disgust with the carnage of World War I led him to resign from the military to devote full time to making the Scouting movement a force for peace.
In ill health, he retired here and spent his remaining days in Kenya at Paxtu. He died In 1941 . The house was then occupied by another Englishman, James Corbett, whose claim to fame apparently was that he killed most of the man-eating lions in India. Today, the home has become a museum on the grounds of the Outspan Hotel. While there’s not much BP in it (a few of his drawings, some furniture, and some clippings), it’s kind of a shrine for Scouts around the world, who have left neckerchiefs and patches. I’m happy to report that there is now a WD Boyce patch adorning the museum, so the Founder (Baden Powell) has a “Home of the Founder” (W.D. Boyce, who brought Scouting to the United States) patch as well. I was surprised when looking at a few of the items to see a Malaysia neckerchief—signed by Eric Khoo; many years ago, David and I had dinner with Mr. Khoo in Kuala Lumpur. It is, as the song goes, a small world after all.
The other Baden Powell site is his grave near the local Anglican Church. While his family had hoped to bury him in England (there’s an empty tomb in Westminster), his choice was Kenya. His wife, Olivia, who lived until 1977 (she was his junior by 32 years), and was the Chief Girl Guide) died in London, and was cremated and buried alongside Baden Powell. ”doing a good turn.” My guide both did a “good turn,” and since one good turn deserves another, was rewarded for his efforts.
Now on to the Scout camp (actually it’s a safari place in a preserve) where I’ll be staying—in a tent! As I said, I’ll be prepared with my snakebite stone.