288 CHIEFS & CITIES OF CENTRAL AFRICA 



down from their stronghold to meet our emissary, 

 but at first they would not let him come up, nor 

 would they themselves descend. Their opposition 

 relaxed, however, after a while, and it was arranged 

 that we were to visit the town. They are fortress 

 hills indeed, and every precaution is taken for defence. 

 At the base of the cliff, concealed in grass and leaves, 

 is a trench, dug to harass an invading army ; but 

 it would be a bold foe who attempted to storm such a 

 position. For 300 feet the cliff rose, in ever-increasing 

 sheerness, till we were clinginof to the rock with our 

 hands as we clambered up by artificial steps of wood, 

 laid in interstices of rock, to give foothold, and so 

 render the passage less arduous in time of peace. 



The ascent was a very serious labour to Mr Talbot, 

 but he was bent on more work with his theodolite, nor 

 would he have liked us to explore without him. Once 

 up we found ourselves among a small group of natives 

 gathered by some immense boulders beneath a little 

 tree. They were thin and tall, and had unpleasing 

 expressions, and though the chief conducted us from 

 place to place they certainly did not suffer our visit 

 gladly. A broad plateau was dotted with narrow 

 domed huts, built in groups that were each surrounded 

 by walls of matting. Nearer to the peak the level 

 ground narrowed in space, and here granaries were 

 built along the edge. They were raised from the 

 ground and were made of mud. The grain, grown on 

 the plain lands below, is poured in through a hole in 

 the top of the sambu, which is covered over by 

 thick matting. When the grain is required again a 

 man climbs a rudely constructed ladder, leaps into 

 the granary, passes out its contents in big bowls, 



