VIL] 



AN IMPEOBABLE STORY. 



91 



fantastic shapes and forms piled together in grotesque confu- 

 sion. Passing through a gap in this range, we came upon an 

 open and partially cultivated plain, bestrewed with piles of 

 rock, and some enormous solitary blocks of very striking ap- 

 pearance. 



A short distance from camp, there arose abruptly a grand 

 mass of rocks, having on the top a small pool with smooth, steep 

 sides ; and, according to report, an elephant which had endeav- 

 ored to drink there had fallen in and been drowned. But the 



July, 

 1873. 





OAMP, USEKIIE. 



drawback to this story was the absolute impossibility of any 

 elephant reaching the pool ; for the rocks were so slippery and 

 difficult to climb that, to visit the scene of the reported tragedy, I 

 was obliged to take off my boots and clamber up in my stockings. 



Eeturning thence to camp, we visited a place where the peo- 

 ple were accustomed to perform incantations for obtaining rain 

 in drought ; and a charred post and heap of ashes marked the 

 spot where some wretched wizard had paid with his life for 

 failure to procure the much-wished-for rains. 



Witchcraft is one of the curses and banes of the whole coun- 

 try, every illness being attributed to sorcery or evil spirits ; and. 

 of course, the wizard is resorted to in the hope of obtaining de- 

 liverance from the malign influence supposed to be exerted. 



