A SECOND ASCENT. 
271 
tion of an occasional high-soaring kite or great-billed 
raven, I saw no other bird. 
On reaching a height a little above 14,000 feet, I 
stopped again to boil the thermometer and refresh 
myself with a little lunch. The result of my observa¬ 
tions gave this altitude as 14,117 feet. Throughout 
this ascent, which was easy to climb, I suffered abso¬ 
lutely nothing from want of health or mountain-sick¬ 
ness, although my three Zanzibari followers lagged 
behind, panting and exhausted, and complained much 
of +heir lungs and head. Moreover, every gust of 
Fig. 58.—Great-billed Ravens. 
wind breaking the silence of the mountain made them 
look round with ashy countenances, convinced that 
the Bogy of Kilima-njaro was upon them, coming in 
propria persona to chastise our presumption. I often 
dreaded that their panic would overcome them, and 
that they would turn and flee, carrying with them my 
collecting things, instruments, a,nd provisions. More¬ 
over, about this time we occasionally heard distant 
rumblings of thunder echoing among unseen cliffs and 
valleys; and although these weird sounds might be 
only referable to that cause, still I confess they did 
resemble somewhat the rising murmurs of an angry 
