light to the place. Also more light flowed into it from its further
mouth that was not more than twenty paces from the fires. Beyond the
mouth was water which seemed to be about two hundred yards wide, and
beyond the water rose the slopes of the mountain that was covered with
huge trees. Moreover, a little bay penetrated into the cavern, the point
of which bay ended between the two fires. Here the water, which was not
more than six or eight feet wide, and shallow, formed the berthing place
of a good-sized canoe that lay there. The walls of the cavern, from
the turn to the point of the tongue of water, were pierced with four
doorways, two on either side, which led, I presume, to chambers hewn in
the rock. At each of these doorways stood a tall woman clothed in
white, who held in her hand a burning torch. I concluded that these were
attendants set there to guide and welcome us, for after we had passed,
they vanished into the chambers.

But this was not all. Set across the little bay of water just above the
canoe that floated there was a wooden platform, eight feet or so square,
on either side of which stood an enormous elephant's tusk, bigger indeed
than any I have seen in all my experience, which tusks seemed to be
black with age. Between the tusks, squatted upon rugs of some kind of
rich fur, was what from its shape and attitude I at first took to be a
huge toad. In truth, it had all the appearance of a very bloated toad.
There was the rough corrugated skin, there the prominent backbone (for
its back was towards us), and there were the thin, splayed-out legs.

We stared at this strange object for quite a long while, unable to make
it out in that uncertain light, for so long indeed, that I grew nervous
and was about to ask the Kalubi what it might be. As my lips opened,
however, it stirred, and with a slow, groping, circular movement turned
itself towards us very slowly. At length it was round, and as the head
came in view all the Pongo from the Kalubi down ceased their low, weird
chant and flung themselves upon their faces, those who had torches still
holding them up in their right hands.

Oh! what a thing appeared! It was not a toad, but a man that moved upon
all fours. The large, bald head was sunk deep between the shoulders,
either through deformity or from age, for this creature was undoubtedly
very old. Looking at it, I wondered how old, but could form no answer in
my mind. The great, broad face was sunken and wi