Maqandi we could already see the great mountain range
in whose heart lay the locality of this terror, and shortly, ere the
last rays of the sun faded from the world, we stood before a dark and
narrow defile. We had left behind the dwellings of men, though
plentiful traces of their occupation would meet our eyes, being left by
the iron-working parties. Through this defile a thin trickle of water
ran, though in times of rain and storm the place showed signs of pouring
down a mighty and formidable flood. High overhead the slopes were
covered with thick bush and forest trees, and above this, again, walls
of red-faced rock seemed to cleave the sky. As we entered this gloomy
place the terror on the faces of the slaves deepened, and even I,
_Nkose_, felt not so easy in my mind as I would have it appear.

Soon we came out into more open ground; open immediately around us, for
on raising my eyes I saw that we were in a large valley, or hollow. A
ring of immense cliffs shut in the place as with a wall, nor, save the
way by which we had come in, could my glance, keen and searching as it
was, descry any means by which a man might find a way out.

The bottom of this strange valley was nearly level, and well grown with
tall forest trees and undergrowth; not so thick, however, but that there
were grassy open spaces, bestrewn with large rocks and boulders. But
from the level floor of the hollow robe little or no slope. The great
iron faces of the cliffs rose immediately, either in terraces or soaring
up to a great height. Such was the aspect of the Valley of the Red
Death.

That it was indeed the dreaded valley, the looks on the faces of the two
iron-workers were sufficient to show. But I, gazing earnestly around
and noting that there was but one way in or out, reckoned that the first
part of my errand would not be hard--to find the accursed thing. Then a
further examination of the cliffs, and I felt not so sure, for
irregularly along their faces were black spots of all shapes and sizes.
These were the mouths of caves.

Now, as we stood there, the light of day had all but faded from the
world, and already one or two stars were peeping over the rim of the
vast cliff-wall rearing up misty and dim to the height of the heavens.
Little sound of life was there, from bird, or beast, or insect; and this
of itself added to the grey and ghostly chill which seemed to brood over
the place; for in that country night was wont to utter w