98 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT 



CHAP. 



these forests were large open spaces, upon which I 

 counted fifty fires. To the northward there stretched 

 what appeared to be an endless plain, broken in one or 

 two places by cone-shaped hills. This plain gleamed 

 white and barren as the Sahara, and shimmered in the 

 light of the setting sun. We were puzzled to conclude 

 wliat natives inhabited these mountains. Dr. Peters, 

 writing of his journey up the Tana, had spoken of a 

 range of mountains lying to the north ; but he had not 

 reached them. With our minds filled with thoughts 

 of the Rendile, we hoped, as we could distinguish no 

 plantations, though using our glasses, that the natives 

 might prove to be the tribe of which we were in search. 



That night we made our first zeriba, which we con- 

 structed in circular form. As a rule, a zeriba is built of 

 thorns, and forms a very good means of defence, either 

 against wild beasts or savage men ; but as at this place 

 there were no thorns, we were forced to satisfy ourselves 

 with a hedge, which, though formidable in appearance, 

 would prove of little service in case of an attack. 



The following morning, December 17, Lieutenant 

 von Hohnel and I, with forty-eight men, set out to 

 ascend the mountain, for the purpose of reconnoitring. 

 For three hours we marched through grass tall as a 

 man and thick as one's little finger. The sharp edges 

 of the lava blocks under foot made walking painful, 

 and we were not displeased when at length we reached 

 a thick forest, which crossed our path. I halted the 

 party, sent four men ahead to reconnoitre, and awaited 

 their return near the edge of the forest. We were 

 all bathed in perspiration from the exertions of the 

 climb, for the rise from the plain had been quite steep. 



