292 IN AFRICA 



camp-fire of a safari is usually in front of the tents 

 of the msungu, or white people, and around it 

 in the evening the msungu discuss the adventures 

 of the day and the plans for the morrow. Each 

 night Abdi, the neapara or head-man, comes up to 

 get his instructions for the next morning, and soon 

 afterward Abdullah, the cook, appears and waits 

 for his orders for the breakfast hour. 



Abdullah is the color of night, and no one ever 

 sees him approach or go away. He simply appears 

 and often stands only a few feet away before any 

 one is aware of his presence. And even after he 

 speaks, one sees only a row of white teeth looming 

 up five feet above the ground. If any important 

 matters are to be adjusted it is usually at the camp- 

 fire that the things are settled. If punishment is 

 to be meted out to a transgressor, it is there that 

 the trial is held and judgment rendered. 



Well, on this night as we sat talking by the camp- 

 fire, Abdi, our head-man, suddenly appeared and 

 squatted down. Soon after up came Askar, who 

 also squatted down, and we knew that we were in 

 for some unusual sort of a sTiauri. It was then 

 that Askar told of the strange mystery of the 

 mountain. 



"Askar says," spoke Abdi, interpreting Askar's 

 imperfect English, "that up in the mountain there 

 is a big door and a great cave. He went up with a 

 Frenchman, and the guides refused to go. Then 

 the Frenchman threatened to kill them if they 

 would not go. They were frightened, because all 



