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thine。〃

After　that　we　cleaned　ourselves　as　best　we　could；　
fished　out　the　litter；　and　went　on；　minus　the　man　who　
had　been　drowned。　I　do　not　know　if　it　was　owing　to　his　
being　an　unpopular　character；　or　from　native　
indifference　and　selfishness　of　temperament；　but　I　am　
bound　to　say　that　nobody　seemed　to　grieve　much　over　
his　sudden　and　final　disappearance；　unless；　perhaps；　
it　was　the　men　who　had　to　do　his　share　of　the　work。

　CHAPTER　XI

THE　PLAIN　OF　KO^R

ABOUT　an　hour　before　sundown　we　at　last；　to　my　
unbounded　gratitude；　emerged　from　the　great　belt　of　
marsh　on　to　land　that　swelled　upward　in　a　succession　
of　rolling　waves；　Just　on　the　hither　side　of　the　crest　
of　the　first　wave　we　halted　for　the　night。　My　first　
act　was　to　examine　Leo's　condition。　It　was；　if　
anything；　worse　than　in　the　morning；　and　a　new　and　
very　distressing　feature；　vomiting；　set　in；　and　
continued　till　dawn。　Not　one　wink　of　sleep　did　I　get　
that　night；　for　I　passed　it　in　assisting　Ustane；　who　
was　one　of　the　most　gentle　and　indefatigable　nurses　I　
ever　saw；　to　wait　upon　Leo　and　Job。　However；　the　air　
here　was　warm　and　genial　without　being　too　hot；　and　
there　were　no　mosquitoes　to　speak　of。　Also　we　were　
above　the　level　of　the　marsh　mist；　which　lay　stretched　
beneath　us　like　the　dim　smoke…pall　over　a　city；　lit　up　
here　and　there　by　the　wandering　globes　of　fen　fire。　
Thus　it　will　be　seen　that　we　were；　speaking　
comparatively；　in　clover。

By　dawn　on　the　following　morning　Leo　was　quite　light…
headed；　and　fancied　that　he　was　divided　into　halves。　I　
was　dreadfully　distressed；　and　began　to　wonder　with　a　
sort　of　sick　fear　what　the　termination　of　the　attack　
would　be。　Alas！　I　had　heard　but　too　much　of　how　these　
attacks　generally　terminate。　As　I　was　doing　so　Billali　
came　up　and　said　that　we　must　be　getting　on；　more　
especially　as；　in　his　opinion；　if　Leo　did　not　reach　
some　spot　where　he　could　be　quiet；　and　have　proper　
nursing；　within　the　next　twelve　hours；　his　life　would　
only　be　a　matter　of　a　day　or　two。　I　could　not　but　
agree　with　him；　so　we　got　him　into　the　litter；　and　
started　on；　Ustane　walking　by　Leo's　side　to　keep　the　
flies　off　him；　and　see　that　he　did　not　throw　himself　
out　on　to　the　ground。

Within　half　an　hour　of　sunrise　we　had　reached　the　top　
of　the　rise　of　which　I　have　spoken；　and　a　most　
beautiful　view　broke　upon　our　gaze。　Beneath　us　was　a　
rich　stretch　of　country；　verdant　with　grass　and　lovely　
with　foliage　and　flowers。　In　the　background；　at　a　
distance；　so　far　as　I　could　judge；　of　some　eighteen　
miles　from　where　we　then　stood；　a　huge　and　
extraordinary　mountain　rose　abruptly　from　the　plain。　
The　base　of　this　great　mountain　appeared　to　consist　of　
a　grassy　slope；　but　rising　from　this；　I　should　say；　
from　subsequent　observation；　at　a　height　of　about　five　
hundred　feet　above　the　level　of　the　plain；　was　a　most　
tremendous　and　absolutely　precipitous　wall　of　bare　
rock；　quite　twelve　or　fifteen　hundred　feet　in　height。　
The　shape　of　the　mountain；　which　was　undoubtedly　of　
volcanic　origin；　was　round；　and　of　course；　as　only　a　
segment　of　its　circle　was　visible；　it　was　difficult　to　
estimate　its　exact　size；　which　was　enormous。　I　
afterwards　discovered　that　it　could　not　cover　less　
than　fifty　square　miles　of　ground。　Anything　more　grand　
and　imposing　than　the　sight　presented　by　this　great　
natural　castle；　starting　in　solitary　grandeur　from　the　
level　of　the　plain；　I　never　saw；　and　I　suppose　I　never　
shall。　Its　very　solitude　added　to　its　majesty；　and　its　
towering　cliffs　seemed　to　kiss　the　sky。　Indeed；　
generally　speaking；　they　were　clothed　in　clouds　that　
lay　in　fleecy　masses　upon　their　broad　and　level　
battlements。

I　sat　up　in　my　hammock　and　gazed　out　across　the　plain　
at　this　thrilling　and　majestic　sight；　and　I　suppose　
that　Billali　noticed　it；　for　he　brought　his　litter　
alongside。

〃Behold　the　House　of　'　_i_　She…who…must…be…obeyed　_i_　
！'〃　he　said。　〃Had　ever　a　queen　such　a　throne　before？〃

〃It　is　wonderful；　my　father；〃　I　answered。　〃But　how　do　
we　enter？　Those　cliffs　look　hard　to　climb。〃

〃Thou　shalt　see；　my　Baboon。　Look　now　at　the　plain　
below　us。　What　thinkest　thou　that　it　is？　Thou　art　a　
wise　man。　Come；　tell　me。〃　

I　looked；　and　saw　what　appeared　to　be　the　line　of　
roadway　running　straight　towards　the　base　of　the　
mountain；　though　it　was　covered　with　turf。　There　were　
high　banks　on　each　side　of　it；　broken　here　and　there；　
but　fairly　continuous　on　the　whole；　the　meaning　of　
which　I　did　not　understand。　It　seemed　so　very　odd　that　
anybody　should　embank　a　roadway。

〃Well；　my　father；〃　I　answered；　〃I　suppose　that　it　is　a　
road；　otherwise　I　should　have　been　inclined　to　say　
that　it　was　the　bed　of　a　river；　or；　rather；〃　I　added；　
observing　the　extraordinary　directness　of　the　cutting；　
〃of　a　canal。〃　

Billaliwho；　by　the　way；　was　none　the　worse　for　his　
immersion　of　the　day　beforenodded　his　head　sagely　as　
he　replied；

〃Thou　art　right；　my　son。　It　is　a　channel　cut　out　by　
those　who　were　before　us　in　this　place；　to　carry　away　
water。　Of　this　am　I　sure：　within　the　rocky　circle　of　
the　great　mountain　whither　we　journey　was　once　a　great　
lake。　But　those　who　were　before　us；　by　wonderful　arts　
of　which　I　know　naught；　hewed　a　path　for　the　water　
through　the　solid　rock　of　the　mountain；　piercing　even　
to　the　bed　of　the　lake。　But　first　they　cut　the　channel　
that　thou　seest　across　the　plain。　Then；　when　at　last　
the　water　burst　out；　it　rushed　down　the　channel　that　
had　been　made　to　receive　it；　and　crossed　this　plain　
till　it　reached　the　low　land　behind　the　rise；　and　
there；　perchance；　it　made　the　swamp　through　which　we　
have　come。　Then；　when　the　lake　was　drained　dry；　the　
people　whereof　I　speak　built　a　mighty　city；　whereof　
naught　but　ruins　and　the　name　of　Ko^r　yet　remaineth；　
on　its　bed；　and　from　age　to　age　hewed　the　caves　and　
passages　that　thou　wilt　see。〃　

〃It　may　be；〃　I　answered；　〃but　if　so；　how　is　it　that　
the　lake　does　not　fill　up　again　with　the　rains　and　the　
water　of　the　springs？〃　

〃Nay；　my　son；　the　people　were　a　wise　people；　and　they　
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　c