344 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT 



CHAP. 



supernatural. The circular sides of the interior cast 

 no shadow, so that the bottom of the hollow stood 

 out in all the perfection of its form. In the centre 

 of the hollow gleamed, white and startling, the 

 deposit of sulphate of magnesium. 



Owing to the depth of the crater, and the bright 

 moonlight, we were unable to distinguish the fires, 

 which we knew would be burning if natives were 

 encamped there. Such is the distance of the crater 

 from the last village of the Embe on the Jombeni 

 range, that the natives visiting this spot are forced to 

 spend the night in its hollow bottom. Not only do 

 the natives imagine this crater to be inhabited by 

 spirits of the most dreadful type, but long and pain- 

 ful experience had taught them that the spot we had 

 chosen for our camp, namely, the outer side of the 

 crater, near the entrance, was infested with lions. For 

 that reason they invariably passed the night at the 

 bottom of the crater, where, for the purpose of safety, 

 they had build a strong thorn zeriba. 



Upon reaching the edge of the crater, I sent Karscho, 

 my gun-bearer, with all the men (except those who had 

 remained behind with the two sufferers from thirst, and 

 my two tent-boys) to the bottom, to get water. I told 

 them to advance as noiselessly as possible, and procure 

 their water, without arousing the natives, should they 

 find any there ; but if they should find natives in great 

 number, who in any way proved hostile, they were to 

 take what cover they could secure behind the rocks on 

 the side of the crater opposite the entrance. If attacked, 

 they were to fire upon the natives, who thereupon would 

 flee up the other side, in my direction, and endeavour 



