480 
LUMBWA CAVES 
many bats ; and at one spot, over one hundred yards from the 
mouth of the cave, a number of mosquitos were seen. 
The roof of the cave is very sound and safe, but the air 
was very foul in some of the passages, and our lamps grew dim. 
The specimens from this cave gave good results. 
The next we visited was called Kiptoit. We found, how- 
ever, that the mouth had been blocked by fallen rocks. The 
sequence of rocks was the same as at the ones previously 
visited, and the entrance was under a small waterfall. 
Having heard of an extensive cave to the east of the cart 
road, we determined to visit the spot. The name of this 
cave is Kibroise, and it is on a small stream called Chemunguet. 
As usual, the entrance is behind a small waterfall, and is 
very low, but, once inside, it becomes higher. We penetrated 
to a distance of about 180 yards, and some of the passages 
went in still farther. There were two large pools in the main 
passage, through which we had to wade for some distance ; 
they were about three feet deep. 
Near the end of the workings, we found from twenty to 
thirty young men (Lumbwa) busily excavating the soft rock 
they call ngenda. The deposit found in this cave is stated 
to be specially suited for cattle, and large numbers of cattle 
were munching it with avidity at long wooden troughs, placed 
in a clearing about one hundred yards from the cave, at the 
top of the hill. A number of natives were working away 
outside at the entrance to the cave, crushing this soft rock 
with stones. The rock is undoubtedly very attractive to 
domestic animals ; for when we approached these troughs, 
my mule, who had never been to this district before, whinnied 
and rushed to one of the troughs and eagerly began to munch 
the powdered rock ; the native goats were also nibbling at 
the rock exposures in the vicinity of the caves. 
The natives stated that, if possible, they brought their 
cattle to this spot about three times a month. We inquired 
if the caves were owned by any person or group ; but were told 
that they were free to any members of the tribe who desired 
to dig the rock for his stock. No person outside the tribe 
is allowed to dig. As each person requiring it digs for the 
use of his own stock, the rock has no quotable value. 
