THE WILD GOAT. 173 



The highest points of the hill were at its western and 

 eastern extremities, and the sides of the basin on the 

 north and south dipped considerably below the level 

 of the two highest peaks. To reach our present 

 position in the hollow we had climbed over the rim 

 of the basin at one of its lowest points, and decided 

 to climb up the opposite side of the basin, and to 

 make our way round its rim to the western higher- 

 most point, and thence back, also along the rim, to the 

 place where we had made the ascent. The lower 

 part of the climb up from the cave was not difficult, 

 and we were able to carry our rifles in one hand. 

 But after the first hundred feet or so we found that 

 both hands were required for climbing, and had to 

 improvise rifle -slings out of the stems of forest 

 creepers. Wherever the face of the limestone was 

 not absolutely perpendicular wherever, that is to 

 say, seed could lodge or root could cling there grew 

 some plant or bush or tree. They seemed in some 

 way to receive a sustenance from the bare rock, for 

 there was no soil. Great snaky roots clambered for 

 yards upon yards over the barren limestone, dropping 

 a little bunch of rootlets into any crevice that offered 

 a hope of moisture or of support. Often the trees 

 grew out of the rock horizontally, and the trunks did 

 not turn skywards until a few feet from their base. 

 But, so far from affording the assistance in climbing 

 that one would have expected, both tree trunks and 

 roots always seemed to block the way. The surface 

 of the limestone had, through long subjection to 

 alternate heat and rain, become rotten, and the roots 

 insinuating themselves into every crack and interstice 



