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left a drain to keep it clear。 Seest thou the river to
the right？〃 and he pointed to a fair…sized stream that
wound away across the plain； some four miles from us。
〃That is the drain； and it comes out through the
mountain wall where this cutting goes in。 At first；
perhaps； the water ran down this canal； but afterwards
the people turned it； and used the cutting for a
road。〃
〃And is there then no other place where one may enter
into the great mountain；〃 I asked； 〃except through the
drain？〃
〃There is a place；〃 he answered； 〃where cattle and men
on foot may cross with much labor； but it is a secret。
A year mightest thou search and shouldst never find
it。 It is only used once a year； when the herds of
cattle that have been fattening on the slopes of the
mountain； and on this plain； are driven into the space
within。〃
〃And does _i_ She _i_ live there always？〃 I asked； 〃or
does she come at times without the mountain？〃
〃Nay； my son； where she is； there she is！〃
By now we were well on to the great plain； and I was
examining with delight the varied beauty of its semi…
tropical flowers and trees； the latter of which grew
singly； or at most in clumps of three or four； much of
the timber being of large size； and belonging
apparently to a variety of evergreen oak。 There were
also many palms； some of them more than one hundred
feet high； and the largest and most beautiful tree…
ferns that I ever saw； about which hung clouds of
jewelled honey…suckers and great…winged butterflies。
Wandering about among the trees or crouching in the
long and leathered grass were all varieties of game；
from rhinoceroses down。 I saw rhinoceros； buffalo （a
large herd）； eland； quagga； and sable antelope； the
most beautiful of all the bucks； not to mention many
smaller varieties of game； and three ostriches which
scudded away at our approach like white drift before a
gale。 So plentiful was the game that at last I could
stand it no longer。 I had a single…barrel sporting
Martini with me in the litter； the 〃Express〃 being too
cumbersome； and； espying a beautiful fat eland rubbing
himself under one of the oak like trees； I jumped out
of the litter and proceeded to creep as near to him as
I could。 He let me come within eighty yards； and then
turned his head and stared at me； preparatory to
running away。 I lifted and taking him about midway
down the shoulder； for he was side on to me； fired。 I
never made a cleaner shot or a better kill in all my
small experience； for the great buck sprang right up
into the air and fell dead。 The bearers； who had all
halted to see the performance； gave a murmur of
surprise； an unwonted compliment from these sullen
people； who never appear to be surprised at anything；
and a party of the guard at once ran off to cut the
animal up。 As for myself； though I was longing to have
a look at him； I sauntered back to my litter as though
I had been in the habit of killing eland all my life；
feeling that I had gone up several degrees in the
estimation of the Amahagger； who looked on the whole
thing as a very high…class manifestation of
witchcraft。 As a matter of fact； however； I had never
seen an eland in a wild state before。 Billali received
me with enthusiasm。
〃It is wonderful； my son the Baboon；〃 he cried；
〃wonderful！ Thou art a very great man； though so ugly。
Had I not seen； surely I would never have believed。
And thou sayest that thou wilt teach me to slay in
this fashion？〃
〃Certainly； my father；〃 I said； airily； 〃it is
nothing。〃
But all the same I firmly made up my mind that when
〃my father〃 Billali began to fire I would without fall
lie down or take refuge behind a tree。
After this little incident nothing happened of any
note till about an hour and a half before sundown；
when we arrived beneath the shadow of the towering
volcanic mass that I have already described。 It is
quite impossible for me to describe its grim grandeur
as it appeared to me while my patient bearers toiled
along the bed of the ancient watercourse towards the
spot where the rich brown clad cliff shot up from
precipice to precipice till its crown lost itself in
cloud。 All I can say is that it almost awed me by the
intensity of its lonesome and most solemn greatness。
On we went up the bright and sunny slope； till at last
the creeping shadows from above swallowed up its
brightness； and presently we began to pass through a
cutting hewn in the living rock。 Deeper and deeper
grew this marvellous work； which must； I should say；
have employed thousands of men for many years。 Indeed；
how it was ever executed at all without the aid of
blasting powder or dynamite I cannot to this day
imagine。 It is and must remain one of the mysteries of
that wild land。 I can only suppose that these cuttings
and the vast caves that had been hollowed out of the
rocks they pierced were the State undertakings of the
people of Ko^r； who lived here in the dim lost ages of
the world； and； as in the case of the Egyptian
monuments； were executed by the forced labor of tens
of thousands of captives； carried on through an
indefinite number of centuries。 But who were the
people？
At last we reached the face of the precipice itself；
and found ourselves looking into the mouth of a dark
tunnel that forcibly reminded me of those undertaken
by our nineteenth…century engineers in the
construction of railway lines。 Out of this tunnel
flowed a considerable stream of water。 Indeed； though
I do not think that I have mentioned it； we had
followed this stream； which ultimately developed into
the river I have already described as winding away to
the right； from the spot where the cutting in the
solid rock commenced。 Half of this cutting formed a
channel for the stream； and half； which was placed on
a slightly higher leveleight feet perhapswas
devoted to the purposes of a roadway。 At the
termination of the cutting； however； the stream turned
off across the plain and followed a channel of its
own。 At the mouth of the cave the cavalcade was
halted； and； while the men employed themselves in
lighting some earthenware lamps they had brought with
them； Billali； descending from his litter； informed me
politely but firmly that the orders of _i_ She _i_
were that we were now to be blindfolded； so that we
should not learn the secret of the paths through the
bowels of the mountains。 To this I； of course；
assented cheerfully enough； but Job； who was now very
much better； notwithstanding the journey； did not like
it at all； fancying； I believe； that it was but a
preliminary step to being hot…potted。 He was； however；
a little consoled when I pointed out to him that there
were no hot pots at hand； and； so far as I。 knew； no
fire to heat them in。 As for poor Leo； after turning
restlessly for hours； he had； to my deep thankfulness；
at last dropped off into a sleep or stupor； I do not
know which； so there was no need to blindfold him。 The
blindfolding was performed by binding a piece of the
yellowish linen whereof those of the Amahagger who
condescended to wear anything in particular made their
dresses tightly round the eyes。 This linen； I
afterwards discovered； was taken from the tombs； and
was not； as I had at first supposed； of native
manufacture。 The bandage was then knotted at the back
of the head； and finally brought down again and the
ends bound under the chin to prevent its slipping。
Ustane was； by the way； also blindfolded； I do not
know why； unless it was from fear that she should
impart the secrets of the route to us。
This operation performed we started on once more； and
soon； by the echoing sound of the footsteps of the
bearers and the increased noise of the water caused by
reverberation in a confined space； I knew that we were
entering into the bowels of the great mountain。 It was
an eerie sensation； being borne along into the dead
heart of the rock we knew not whither； but I was
getting used to eerie sensations by this time； and by
now was pretty well prepared for anything。 So I lay
still； and listened to the tramp； tramp of the bearers
and the rushing of the water； and tried to believe
that I was enjoying myself。 Presently the men set up
the melancholy little chant that I had heard on the
first night when we were captured in the whale…boat；
and the effect produced by their voices was very
curious； and quite indescribable on paper。 After a
while the air began to get exceedingly thick and
heavy； so much so； indeed； that I felt as though I
were going to choke； till at length the litter took a
sharp turn； then another and another； and the sound of
the running water ceased。 After this the air got
fresher again； but the turns were continuous； and to
me； blindfolded as I was； most bewildering。 I tried to
keep a map of them in my mind in case it might ever be
necessary for us to try and escape by this route； but；
needless to say； failed utterly。 Another half…hour or
so passed； and then suddenly I became aware that we
were once more in the open air。 I could see the light
through my bandage and