each eager to set foot in the land of
mystery, they took no heed of their guide's instructions.

"You fools!" he cried angrily. "Climb slowly and with care. Don't jump
so. We're not on a spring-board."

Useless. We still went up and down like a ball at the end of a piece of
elastic.

"Do you hear?" he shrieked in the Dagomba tongue, halting and looking
down at the string of grinning blacks. "Halt!"

This sudden stoppage attracted their attention, and in mid-air he soundly
rated them for their folly, instructing them how to ascend, and declaring
that if they continued their hilarious progress a fearful disaster must
ensue. These words immediately had the desired effect, for which I
confess I was very thankful, as I had feared every moment that we should
be dashed into the valley, and now as we went forward again the ladder
was much steadier.

From far below we could hear the distant shouts of Kona and our excited
companions encouraging us and urging us on, for they were all impatience
to follow us. Now and then the great grey vultures, having gorged
themselves to their full upon the corpses in the valley, circled around
us as if ready to tear us from our perilous position, and more than once
I saw Omar raise his arm to beat them off. We were, I suppose, passing
near their nests and thus aroused their ire.

Looking up, I saw that we were slowly approaching the beetling portion of
the enormous rock, but had yet a long distance to climb. Steadily,
however, we all ascended, each grasping the wet slippery cords tightly to
prevent being blown off by the high gusty wind, and even when we gained
the jutting rock believing we had attained the summit, we found ourselves
still fully two hundred feet from where Babila could be seen peering
over awaiting us.

The ladder laying upon the face of the cliff at this point was much
easier of ascent, for the weight of the portion below me prevented it
from swaying, and by scrambling up with increased haste I soon found
myself immediately behind Omar.

Then continuing steadily, now and then being compelled to bend backwards
in a most perilous position in order to negotiate a projecting piece of
rock, we together climbed up to the edge of the fearful precipice, each
being lent a willing hand by Babila as we swarmed upon our knees to where
he stood.

"Welcome, O Prince," the old man exclaimed, salaaming when Omar stood
before him. "Welcome to thy white friend from beyond the great b