tself as
if desirous of guarding against the eye of a wicked divinity. But they
rode on in the ravine in which one of the walls cast a deep shadow,
enabling them to proceed without exposing themselves to the scorching
heat. Stas did not want to leave the ravine, firstly, because, above,
they might be espied from a distance by Smain's detachments, and then
it was easier to find, in rocky crevices, water, which in uncovered
places soaked into the ground or under the influence of the sun's rays
was transformed into steam.

The road continuously but imperceptibly led upwards. On the rocky walls
could be seen from time to time yellow traces of sulphur. The water in
the clefts was saturated with its odor, which reminded both children
unpleasantly of Omdurman and the Mahdists, who smeared their heads with
fat mixed with sulphur powder. In some places muskcats could be smelt;
but there, where from high, overhanging rocks magnificent cascades of
lianas fell to the bottom of the ravine, came an intoxicating scent of
vanilla. The little wanderers willingly stopped in the shade of these
tapestries embroidered with purple flowers and lilies, which with the
leaves provided food for the horses.

Animals could not be seen; only from time to time on the crests of
rocks monkeys squatted, resembling on the blue background those
fantastic idols which in India adorn the borders of temples. Big males
with long manes displayed their teeth at Saba or stretched out their
jaws in sign of amazement and rage, and at the same time jumped about,
blinking with their eyes and scratching their sides. But Saba,
accustomed already to the sight of them, did not pay much heed to their
menaces.

They rode briskly. Joy at recovering liberty drove away from Stas'
breast that incubus which had throttled him during the night. His mind
was now occupied with the thought of what was to be done farther; how
to lead Nell and himself from a locality in which they were threatened
by new captivity with the dervishes; what measures to adopt during the
long journey through the wilderness in order not to die of hunger and
thirst, and finally, whither to go? He knew already from Hatim that the
Abyssinian boundary in a direct line from Fashoda was not more than
five days' journey, and he calculated that this would be about one
hundred English miles. Now from their departure from Fashoda almost two
weeks had elapsed; so it was clear that they had not gone by the
shortest