328 AFRICAN CAMP FIRES. 



met the river bottom again in the pleasantest 

 oval meadow with fine big trees. The moun- 

 tains quite surrounded us, towering imminent 

 above our heads. Ahead of us the stream broke 

 through between portals that rose the full height 

 of the ranges. We followed it, and found our- 

 selves on the Second Bench. 



Here was grass, high grass in which the boys 

 were almost lost to sight. Behind us the ram- 

 parts rose sheer and high, and over across the 

 way were some low fifty-foot cliffs that marked 

 a plateau land. Between the plateau and the 

 ranges from which we had descended was a sort 

 of slight flat valley through which meandered 

 the forest trees that marked the stream. 



We turned to the right and marched an hour. 

 The river gradually approached the plateau, thus 

 leaving between it and the ramparts a consider- 

 able plain, and some low foothills. These latter 

 were reported to be one of the feeding grounds 

 of the greater kudu. 



We made a most delightf ul camp at the edge of 

 great trees by the stream. The water flowed at 

 the bottom of a little ravine, precipitous in most 

 places, but with gently sloping banks at the 

 spot we had chosen. It flowed rapidly over 

 clean gravel, with a hurrying, tinkling sound. 



