West with the Night

Charles was Markham’s father and is an important early presence in West With the Night. He allowed her to associate in complete freedom with the Kenyan population, speaking their languages, participating in their rituals, and joining in their hunts. Despite her enduring a series of significant, life-threatening injuries and dangerous experiences, Charles did not restrict Markham’s activities.

Markham describes a closeness and depth to her relationship with her father, who often spoke to her of the contrast between their world and that of Great Britain. Capturing the essence of their relationship is Markham’s description of the birth of the colt Pegasus: While Charles watched unseen in the background, Markham delivered the foal. Touched by her ability and tenderness, Charles gave her the horse.

When drought doomed his farming operation, Charles fulfilled all his grain contracts, even at a financial loss. He decided to move to Peru to pursue horse training, giving Markham the option to remain behind even though she was only 17. He gave her advice about becoming a horse trainer before leaving her to pursue her own career, signifying his trust and respect for her abilities. The two maintained contact during his absence, sending letters between Africa and South America until Charles returned and resumed training horses in Kenya. In the last chapter, Markham writes of sailing from the US to Africa to see her father again. Ignited by the same adventurous spirit as his daughter, Charles enabled her from her youngest days to pursue her dreams.

When Markham writes of her time in Molo, she indicates that the most important thing that happened was her chance encounter with Tom Black. Tom was a Royal Air Force pilot. When Tom appeared one night in Nairobi in an airplane with an injured hunter, Markham felt inspired and began learning to fly. She notes that she was the only person Tom ever taught to fly.

In the memoir, Markham depicts Tom as both an encouraging presence and a voice of reason. As a teacher, he gave Markham a lot of freedom and tried not to be too prescriptive in his guidance. He did, however, show a consistent concern for her well-being: He warned her against taking a flight with Denys, which later crashed. He also tried to dissuade her from scouting elephants for safaris due to the dangers. While Markham did not always take Tom’s advice, she respected him.

Throughout her flying career, Markham maintained contact with Tom. He won the famous London to Melbourne Centenary Air Race in 1934 and encouraged Markham to attempt her solo flight across the Atlantic. His died while sitting on a runway, waiting for clearance, when another plane struck his.

Markham writes often of Kenyan nationals who played instrumental roles in her life. The most important is Arab Ruta, a Murani or warrior of the Nandi people. Ruta’s name as a child was Kibii, a name he later surrendered when he went through the maturity ritual and became an adult.

As children, Markham and Kibii were playmates. Ruta’s father, Arab Maina, was a Murani who allowed Markham to accompany him and other warriors on their hunts. He also imparted wisdom to her through his animistic tales. When Maina died during a battle in World War I, the young Kibii vowed to one day avenge his father’s death when he becomes a man.

After moving to Molo in her late teens, Markham heard someone greet her one night. She discovered that the grown Ruta, who had traveled extensively, had tracked her down and wanted to work with her as a horse trainer. Ruta became her trusted co-worker with the horses. When Markham took up flying, Ruta retrained and became her chief mechanic. Ruta’s unwavering loyalty and kindness toward Markham illustrate The Importance of Loyalty in the memoir.