112 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



and covered with a neatly plaited straw cap to keep out rain. 

 Some of the granaries are covered from top to bottom with 

 frills or flounces of straw. They are all raised above the 

 ground on wooden bases Hke hayricks or corn-stacks in 

 England, and their height varies from 10 to 20 ft. The 

 grain is extracted by a boy, who cHmbs up a ladder on the 

 outside, takes off the cap and, jumping in, passes out the corn 

 to men who have mounted to receive it. When the supply is 

 growing low, a hole is made in the bottom of the granary 

 and the grain drawn out. Scattered over the plateau are 

 ponds of water which we were told never dry up : but 

 this is so chalky that it can only be used for washing. 

 This chalk was a great surprise to us, as it was the first 

 formation, other than belonging to the igneous rocks, which 

 we had seen out there. A considerable number of dyeing 

 pits are also to be seen. 



Alexander, who was at the head, was the first to climb 

 up by the only way of ascent which he could discover to 

 these otherwise impregnable strongholds — a kind of chimney 

 crevice in which zigzag steps had been cut. At the moment 

 when the accompanying photograph was taken, in which 

 one can just see the foremost carriers like ants on the face 

 of the cliff, he was forcing the barricade at the top, though 

 at the time I, of course, did not know this. The natives 

 made no further opposition for the moment, after their 

 barricade had been cut through and we all reached the 

 plateau in safety. As we were debating, however, as to the 

 best spot for our tents, some of the carriers came rushing up, 

 and we saw that a number of the Kerri-Kerri had gathered 

 on the lower terraces of the peak and were throwing great 



