these forests were large open spaces, upon which I
counted fifty fires. To the northward there stretched
what appeared to be an endless plain, broken in one or
two places by cone-shaped hills. This plain gleamed
white and barren as the Sahara, and shimmered in the
light of the setting sun. We were puzzled to conclude
what natives inhabited these mountains. Dr. Peters,
writing of his journey up the Tana, had spoken of a
range of mountains lying to the north; but he had not
reached them. With our minds filled with thoughts
of the Rendile, we hoped, as we could distinguish no
plantations, though using our glasses, that the natives
might prove to be the tribe of which we were in search.
That night we made our first zeriba, which we constructed
in circular form. As a rule, a zeriba is built of
thorns, and forms a very good means of defence, either
against wild beasts or savage men; but as at this place
there were no thorns, we were forced to satisfy ourselves
with a hedge, which, though formidable in appearance,
would prove of little service in case of an attack.
The following morning, December 17, Lieutenant
von Hohnel and I, with forty-eight men, set out to
ascend the mountain, for the purpose of reconnoitring.
For three hours we marched through grass tall as a
man and thick as one’s little finger. The sharp edges
of the lava blocks under foot made walking painful,
and we were not displeased when at length we reached
a thick forest, which crossed our path. I halted the
party, sent four men ahead to reconnoitre, and awaited
their ’ return near the edge of the forest. ^ We were
all bathed in perspiration from the exertions of the
climb, for the rise from the plain had been quite steep.
A cool breeze was blowing, and soon to my intense
disgust I felt a chill creeping over me.
In Africa a chill invariably foretells fever, and I knew
that ere the sun set I should be prostrated; but it would
not have done to turn back. My men, unaccustomed to
A c a c i a a n d T h o r n S c r u b
travel in unknown countries with so small a command
as we had (forty-eight men), appeared to be anything but
comfortable at the prospect of meeting natives; and had
I at this juncture turned back, their superstitious minds
would have interpreted it as an ill omen.
In half an hour my scouts returned and reported that
they had found plantations near by in the forest; and