THROUGH THE FORESTS OF KIM A WEN ZI $c 28Z 
CHAPTER XIV. 
THROUGH THE FORESTS OF K1MAWENZI AND THE COUNTRY 
OF ROMBO. 
To have retraced my steps to Maranu,now that my resi¬ 
dence near the snow was at an end, would have been 
simply madness. I had made use of the Sultan as far 
as he could aid my mission, and now to re-enter his domi¬ 
nions and place myself voluntarily in his power would 
be nothing less than walking into a trap from which 
an exit could only be obtained by an enormous ransom. 
According to Caga fashion I should simply be kept as a 
hostage till I had made good my promises and induced 
Sir John Kirk to satisfy the utmost demand of my 
greedy captor. Consequently I cared little for the 
unknown risks of a new road, provided I fell not again 
into the cul-de-sac from which I had issued safely to 
ascend the mountain. Moreover, I wished to see 
something of the eastern flank of Kilima-njaro ; so 
after much consultation of my map and discussion 
with my head-men I fixed on a track running round 
the base of Kimawenzi and descending to the plain 
through Rombo, past the crater-lake, Cala, and along 
the banks of the Lumi river, which flows through 
Taveita. 
During the whole time of our stay on the upper 
slopes of Kilima-njaro our native guides from Marahu 
