XXXVI. 



ACROSS THE THIRST. 



WE were off, a bright, clear day after the 

 rains. Suswa hung grayish pink against 

 the bluest of skies. Our way slanted across the 

 Rift Valley to her base, turned the corner, and 

 continued on the other side of the great peak 

 until we had reached the rain water " pan " on 

 her farther side. It was a long march. 



The plains were very wide and roomy. Here 

 and there on them rose many small cones and 

 craters, lava flows and other varied evidences of 

 recent volcanic activity. Geologically recent, I 

 mean. The grasses of the flowing plains were 

 very brown, and the molehill craters very dark ; 

 the larger craters blasted and austere ; the 

 higher escarpment in the background blue with 

 a solemn distance. The sizes of things were not 

 originally fitted out for little tiny people like 



