A FIRST ASCENT. 
235 
were clumps of forest up to 10,000 feet. Many bright- 
coloured flowers grew up to this altitude, notably a 
vivid blue cynoglossum (houndstongue), mauve and 
blue irises, and pink, waxy-white, and yellow “ ever¬ 
lastings.” Tufts of artemisia (southernwood) grew 
in sheltered places. There were many heaths, a small 
kind of geranium, huge proteas, and divers ferns and 
mosses. The foliage of the trees was rather a dull 
grey-green, and their boughs and trunks were rendered 
almost shapeless by the 
thick tapestry of moss and 
orchilla-lichen. A black 
and white raven was fre¬ 
quently seen sailing over¬ 
head, two or three white 
butterflies flitted about, and 
a small grey moth hovered 
over the grass. A little lizard, nearly dull uniform 
black, with faint markings, darted to and fro in the 
herbage, pursuing the drowsy-looking flies that settled 
on the grass-blades in the sun. 
Whilst my men were preparing lunch under the 
shade of a stunted tree 1 made a rapid excursion 
upwards to collect some plants, and then returned to 
my followers about noon. I had just got out my 
theodolite to take some observations of the different 
peaks in sight, and had finished u screwing up ” the 
levels, when a cry from my men behind caused me to 
look up. In the distance, coming from the west, a 
large band of Wa-kiboso—our most bitter foes—were 
to be seen approaching at a round trot, covering them¬ 
selves with their shields and waving their spears in the 
air. I had just time to form my little force of sixteen 
men into a square, and awaited with anxious heart the 
