A FIRST ASCFRT. 
229 
CHAPTER XL 
A FIRST ASCENT. 
Faithful to their promise, Mandara’s five soldiers, led 
by Kilaki, arrived in our settlement at sunrise. They 
brought with them bags of provisions, and three fat 
sheep, which were to constitute a further supply of 
food, and one which would obligingly transport itself 
to the desired goal. 
Leaving Faraji, the cook, alone in charge of Kitim- 
biriu, we commenced our ascent by following the 
upper road skirting the crest of our long hill. We 
walked first between tall hedges of glossy-leaved 
dracoenas and gorgeous scarlet-flowered aloes, which 
grew from tall stems in arborescent form. As we 
passed the wooden doorways of the different congeries 
of huts which border these Caga lanes the inhabitants 
rushed out mirthfully to greet us. tc Utonga ako, 
Mange Muzungu ? ” (Where are you going, white 
chief?) they cried. “ Kgatohga Kibo” (I am going 
to Kibo) I joyfully answered. (Kibo is the giant 
summit of the mass.) From each little tidy compound 
of Wa-caga, from their trim fields and luxuriant 
plantations, came merry girls, their arms linked to¬ 
gether affectionately, and accompanied by their brothers, 
fathers, and husbands, all in perfect nudity and all in 
smiling good-humour. They would range themselves 
