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travelling　over　swelling　grassy　plains　towards　a　cup…
shaped　hill。　Whether　or　not　it　was　the　same　hill　that　
we　had　seen　from　the　canal　I　do　not　know；　and　have　
never　since　been　able　to　discover；　for；　as　we　
afterwards　found　out；　these　people　will　give　little　
information　upon　such　points。　Next　I　glanced　at　the　
men　who　were　bearing　me。　They　were　of　a　magnificent　
build；　few　of　them　being　under　six　feet　in　height；　and　
yellowish　in　color。　Generally　their　appearance　had　a　
good　deal　in　common　with　that　of　the　East　African　
Somali；　only　their　hair　was　not　frizzed　up；　and　hung　
in　thick　black　locks　upon　their　shoulders。　Their　
features　were　aquiline；　and　in　many　cases　exceedingly　
handsome；　the　teeth　being　especially　regular　and　
beautiful。　But　notwithstanding　their　beauty；　it　struck　
me　that；　on　the　whole；　I　had　never　seen　a　more　evil　
looking　set　of　faces。　There　was　an　aspect　of　cold　and　
sullen　cruelty　stamped　upon　them　that　revolted　me；　and　
which　in　some　cases　was　almost　uncanny　in　its　
intensity。

Another　thing　which　struck　me　about　them　was　that　they　
never　seemed　to　smile。　Sometimes　they　sang　the　
monotonous　song　of　which　I　have　spoken；　but　when　they　
were　not　singing　they　remained　almost　perfectly　
silent；　and　the　light　of　a　laugh　never　came　to　
brighten　their　sombre　and　evil　countenances。　Of　what　
race　could　these　people　be？　Their　language　was　a　
bastard　Arabic；　and　yet　they　were　not　Arabs；　I　was　
quite　sure　of　that。　For　one　thing　they　were　too　dark；　
or；　rather；　yellow。　I　could　not　say　why；　but　I　know　
that　their　appearance　filled　me　with　a　sick　fear　of　
which　I　felt　ashamed。　While　I　was　still　wondering　
another　litter　came　up　alongside　of　mine。　In　itfor　
the　curtains　were　drawnsat　an　old　man；　clothed　in　a　
whitish　robe；　made　apparently　from　coarse　linen；　that　
hung　loosely　about　him；　who；　I　at　once　jumped　to　the　
conclusion；　was　the　shadowy　figure　who　had　stood　on　
the　bank　and　been　addressed　as　〃Father。〃

He　was　a　wonderful…looking　old　man；　with　a　snowy　
beard；　so　long　that　the　ends　of　it　hung　over　the　sides　
of　the　litter；　and　he　had　a　hooked　nose；　above　which　
flashed　out　a　pair　of　eyes　as　keen　as　a　snake's；　while　
his　whole　countenance　was　instinct　with　a　look　of　wise　
and　sardonic　humor　impossible　to　describe　on　paper。

〃Art　thou　awake；　stranger？〃　he　said；　in　a　deep　and　low　
voice。

〃Surely；　my　father；〃　I　answered；　courteously；　feeling　
certain　that　I　should　do　well　to　conciliate　this　
ancient　Mammon　of　Unrighteousness。

He　stroked　his　beautiful　white　beard；　and　smiled　
faintly。

〃From　whatever　country　thou　camest；〃　he　said；　〃and；　by　
the　way；　it　must　be　from　one　where　somewhat　of　our　
language　is　known；　they　teach　their　children　courtesy　
there；　my　stranger　son。　And　now；　wherefore　comest　thou　
unto　this　land；　which　scarce　an　alien　foot　has　pressed　
from　the　time　that　man　knoweth？　Art　thou　and　those　
with　thee　weary　of　life？〃

〃'We　came　to　find　new　things；〃　I　answered　boldly。　〃We　
are　tired　of　the　old　things；　we　have　come　up　out　of　
the　sea　to　know　that　which　is　unknown。　We　are　of　a　
brave　race　who　fear　not　death；　my　very　much　respected　
fatherthat　is；　if　we　can　get　a　little　fresh　
information　before　we　die。〃

〃Humph！〃　said　the　old　gentleman；　〃that　may　be　true；　it　
is　rash　to　contradict；　otherwise　I　should　say　that　
thou　wast　lying；　my　son。　However；　I　dare　say　that　_i_　
She…who…must…be…obeyed　_i_　will　meet　thy　wishes　in　the　
matter。〃

〃Who　is　'　_i_　She…who…must…be…obeyed　_i_　'？〃　I　asked；　
curiously。　

The　old　man　glanced　at　the　bearers；　and　then　answered；　
with　a　little　smile　that　somehow　sent　my　blood　to　my　
heart

〃Surely；　my　stranger　son；　thou　wilt　learn　soon　enough；　
if　it　be　her　pleasure　to　see　thee　at　all　in　the　
flesh。〃

〃In　the　flesh？〃　I　answered。　〃What　may　my　father　wish　
to　convey？〃

But　the　old　man　only　laughed　a　dreadful　laugh；　and　
made　no　reply。

〃What　is　the　name　of　my　father's　people？〃　I　asked。

〃The　name　of　my　people　is　Amahagger〃　（the　People　of　
the　Rocks）。

〃And；　if。　a　son　might　ask；　what　is　the　name　of　my　
father？〃

〃My　name　is　Billali。〃

〃And　whither　go　we；　my　father？〃　

〃That　shalt　thou　see；〃　and　at　a　sign　from　him　his　
bearers　stared　forward　at　a　run　till　they　reached　the　
litter　in　which　Job　was　reposing　（with　one　leg　hanging　
over　the　side）。　Apparently；　however；　he　could　not　make　
much　out　of　Job；　for　presently　I　saw　his　bearers　trot　
forward　to　Leo's　litter。

And　after　that；　as　nothing　fresh　occurred；　I　yielded　
to　the　pleasant　swaying　motion　of　the　litter；　and　went　
to　sleep　again。　I　was　dreadfully　tired。　When　I　woke　I　
found　that　we　were　passing　through　a　rocky　defile　of　a　
lava　formation　with　precipitous　sides；　in　which　grew　
many　beautiful　trees　and　flowering　shrubs。

Presently　this　defile　took　a　turn；　and　a　lovely　sight　
unfolded　itself　to　my　eyes。　Before　us　was　a　vast　cup　
of　green　from　four　to　six　miles　in　extent；　of　the　
shape　of　a　Roman　amphitheatre。　The　sides　of　this　great　
cup　were　rocky；　and　clothed　with　bush；　but　the　centre　
was　of　the　richest　meadow　land；　studded　with　single　
trees　of　magnificent　growth；　and　watered　by　meandering　
brooks。　On　this　rich　plain　grazed　herds　of　goats　and　
cattle；　but　I　saw　no　sheep。　At　first　I　could　not　
imagine　what　this　strange　spot　could　be；　but　presently　
it　flashed　upon　me　that　it　must　represent　the　crater　
of　some　long…extinct　volcano；　which　had　afterwards　
been　a　lake；　and　was　ultimately　drained　in　some　
unexplained　way。　And　here　I　may　state　that　from　my　
subsequent　experience　of　this　and　a　much　larger；　but　
otherwise　similar　spot；　which　I　shall　have　occasion　to　
describe　by　and　by；　I　have　every　reason　to　believe　
that　this　conclusion　was　correct。　What　puzzled　me；　
however；　was　that；　although　there　were　people　moving　
about　herding　the　goats　and　cattle；　I　saw　no　signs　of　
any　human　habitation。　Where　did　they　all　live？　I　
wondered。　My　curiosity　was　soon　destined　to　be　
gratified。　Turning　to　the　left；　the　string　of　litters　
followed　the　cliffy　sides　of　the　crater　for　a　distance　
of　about　half　a　mile；　or　perhaps　a　little　less；　and　
then　halted。　Seeing　the　old　gentleman；　my　adopted　
〃father；〃　Billali；　emerge　from　his　litter；　I　did　the　
same；　and　so　did　Leo　and　Job。　The　first　thing　I　saw　
was　our　wretched　Arab　companion；　Mahomed；　lying　
exhausted　on　the　ground。　It　appeared　that　he　had　not　
been　provided　with　a　litter；　but　had　been　forced　to　
run　the　entire　distance；　and；　as　he　was　already　quite　
worn　out　when　we　started；　his　condition　now　was　one　of　
great　prostration。

On　looking　round　we　discovered　that　the　place　where　we　
had　halted　was　a　platform　in　front　of　the　mouth　of　a　
great　cave；　and　piled　upon　this　platform　were　the　
entire　contents　of　the　whaleboat；　even　down　to　the　
oars　and　sail。　Round　the　cave　stood　groups　of　the　men　
who　had　escorted　us；　and　other　men　of　a　similar　stamp。　
They　were　all　tall　and　all　handsome；　though　they　
varied　in　their　degree　of　darkness　of　skin；　some　being　
as　dark　as　Mahomed；　and　some　as　yellow　as　a　Chinese。　
They　were　naked；　except　for　the　leopard…skin　round　the　
waist；　and　each　of　them　carried　a　huge　spear。

There　were　also　some　women　among　them；　who；　instead　of　
the　leopard…skin；　wore　a　tanned　hide　of　a　small　red　
buck；　something　like　that　of　the　oribe'；　only　rather　
darker　in　color。　These　women　were；　as　a　class；　
exceedingly　good…looking；　with　large；　dark　eyes；　well…
cut　features；　and　a　thick　bush　of　curling　hairnot　
crisped　like　a　negro'sranging　from　black　to　chestnut　
in　hue；　with　all　shades　of　intermediate　color。　Some；　
but　very　few　of　them；　wore　a　yellowish　linen　garment；　
such　as　I　have　described　as　worn　by　Billali；　but　this；　
as　we　afterwards　discovered；　was　a　mark　of　rank；　
rather　than　an　attempt　at　clothing。　For　the　rest；　
their　appearance　was　not　quite　so　terrifying　as　that　
of　the　men；　and　they　sometimes；　though　rarely；　smiled。　
As　soon　as　we　had　alighted　they　gathered　round　us　and　
examined　us　with　curiosity；　but　without　excitement。　
Leo's　tall；　athletic　form　and　clear…cut　Grecian　face；　
however；　evidently　excited　their　attention；　and　when　
he　politely　lifted　his　hat　to　them；　and　showed　his　
curling　yellow　hair；　there　was　a　slight　murmur　of　
admiration。　Nor　did　it　stop　there；　for；　after　
regarding　him　critically　from　head　to　foot；　the　
handsomest　of　the　young　womenone　wearing　a　robe；　and　
with　hair　of　a　shade　between　brown　and　chestnut
deliberately　advanced　to　him；　and　in　a　way　that　would　
have　been　winning　had　it　not　been　so　determined；　
quietly　put　her　arm　round　his　neck；　bent　forward；　and　
kissed　him　on　the　lips。

I　gave　a　gasp；　expecting　to　see　Leo　instantly　speared；　
and　Job　ejaculated；　〃The　hussywell；　I　never！〃　As　for　
Leo；　he　looked　slightly　astonished；　and　then；　
remarking　that　we　had　got　into　a　country　where　they　
clearly　followed　the　customs　of　the　early　Christians；　
deliberately　returned　the　embrace。

Again　I　gasped；　thinking　that　something　would　happen；　
but。　to　my　surprise；　though　some　of　the　young　women　
showed　traces　of　vexation；　the　older　ones　and　the　men　
only　smiled　slightly。　When　we　came　to　understand　the　
customs　of　this　extraordinary　people　the　mystery　was　
explained。　It　then　appeared　that；　in　direct　opposition　
to　the　habits　of　almost　every　other　savage　race　in　the　
world；　women　among　the　Amahagger　are　not　only　upon　
terms　of　perfect　equality　with　the　men；　but　are　not　
held　to　them　by　any　binding　ties。　Descent　is　traced　
only　through　the　line　of　the　mother；　and　while　
individuals　are　as　proud　of　a　long　and　superior　female　
ancestry　as　we　are　of　our　families　in　Europe；　they　
never　pay　attention　to；　or　even　acknowledge；　any　man　
as　their　father；　even　when　their　male　parentage　is　
perfectly　well　known。　There　is　but　one　titular　male　
parent　of　each　tribe；　or；　as　they　call　it；　
〃household；〃　and　he　is　its　elected　and　immediate　
ruler；　with　the　title　of　〃Father。〃　For　instance；　the　
man　Billali　was　the　father　of　this　〃household；〃　which　
consisted　of　about　seven　thousand　individuals　all　
told；　and　no　other　man　was　ever　called　by　that　name。　
When　a　woman　took　a　fancy　to　a　man　she　signified　her　
preference　by　advancing　and　embracing　him　publicly；　in　
the　same　way　that　this　h