104 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



declaring that there could not possibly be any water on 

 the top. Previous experience had taught me, however, to 

 pay no attention to this sort of thing, and when we eventu- 

 ally gained the easternmost peak, we found plenty of rain- 

 water collected in holes in the granite rock. We were 

 rewarded by a magnificent view in every direction, and I 

 could see clearly not only Mount Ampang, but what I had 

 hardly dared to hope for, the whole Murchison range at 

 least seventy miles off. I also had the pleasure of observing 

 our old friend Mount Madong, to which angles had been 

 taken from Ibi. To the north loomed the big masses of Mounts 

 Zaranda and Buh, over the other side of which I was told 

 lay Bauchi, which was to be our next objective. 



Considering how thin the soil was on the mountain, 

 there was an extraordinary amount of vegetation, but despite 

 the attractions of the place, with its beautiful Httle dells, 

 fresh foliage and clear atmosphere, we did not pass a happy 

 time there. None of us felt well and I had great difficulty 

 in keeping the carriers from deserting me. I do not know 

 whether this was on account of their terror of the evil spirits, 

 which they declared infested the mountain, or because some 

 injurious metallic substances had got into the water from the 

 rocks. The nights were rainy or very cloudy, and it was nine 

 days before enough observations could be obtained to justify 

 me in leaving my uncomfortable post. In the middle of this 

 Alexander arrived from his journey to Shell, but finding that 

 I could not leave yet, went on to Kashinaua at the foot of 

 Mount Zaranda, and from thence to Bauchi, where he visited 

 the British Resident. 



During his absence, I saw something of the other side of 



