84 THE REDISCOVERED COUNTRY 



sort of a march, we divided into three sections : First, 

 myself, guide, gunbearers as a sort of reconnoissance 

 party to spy out — and blaze — best routes, hunt for 

 water, etc. Second, the carriers, with guide, to take 

 their own gait with the outfit. Third, Cuninghame, 

 the donkey men, and guide, to get up as best and as far 

 as they were able. For two miles we followed down 

 the valley close to the hills. Little naked children 

 perched on dizzy crags far above us to watch us go. At 

 every little crossroad squatted a group of women who 

 arose at our approach and waved and screamed us into 

 the proper path. We met many people going to their 

 fields, each carrying a gourd, a leaf packet of provi- 

 sions, and a smouldering brand with which to start his 

 fire. They all shouted and screamed at us in their own 

 language. 



Then we turned into a rocky canon with a stream, at 

 the head of which we accompHshed a terrific straight- 

 up climb of I, IOC feet. Very hot, bad footing, steep; 

 a regular heart-breaker. Up at last, this brought us 

 to rolling mountain tops and low summits a few miles 

 away to which we rose slowly; and then a wooded shady 

 pass through the main crest with a beautiful high still 

 forest and monkeys and traiUng vines and still cool 

 shadows and breathless leafy gHmpses and bright birds; 

 next slowly opening out to grassy openings and tree 

 clumps; and so over an edge to find not a drop on the 

 other side, but yellow plains undulating away before 



