IN THE LAND OF THE BORA. 113 



At one point only do the hills approach the 

 town, and this is just across the junction in 

 question. Here a long serrated ridge ends in a 

 detached peak a hundred and ninety feet hi^h, 

 and crowned by fortified buildings. Hearing that 

 these were disused, I climbed up thither, and, 

 entering a tumbledown gateway, finally reached a 

 central platform, if I may so designate an uneven 

 space dotted with buildings. Of these the highest 

 is a bomb-proof keep some thirty feet high, pierced 

 for field artillery and loopholed. The others con- 

 sist of barrack-rooms, officers' quarters, and offices, 

 all in an advanced stage of decay. 



To me, however, the important fact was that 

 this hill afforded ample space for a camp at a 

 height which promised immunity from fever, and 

 a still more important fact was that it was pro- 

 vided with an extensive rain-water cistern in 

 perfect repair. 



I at once decided that this place would do, and 

 returned to Fort Opus to arrange for our move. 

 Of course, my first step was to see the proprietor 

 of the site selected, who turned out to be a local 

 tradesman, by name Eado. I found him to be 

 most obliging, as indeed he was throughout our 

 stay, and he not only placed the whole thing at 

 our disposal, but offered to accompany us thither 

 after his dinner, and to bring the keys. 



Whilst we were walking up to it he narrated 



i 



