trances to be able
to sleep safely on both ears. Stas came to the conclusion that there he
could repulse even a small division of dervishes, as the road leading
to the mountain was so narrow that the King could barely pass on it and
a man armed with a good weapon need not permit a living soul to reach
the top. In the middle of the "island" gushed a spring, cool and pure
as crystal, which changed into a stream and, running sinuously amid the
banana groves, finally fell over the steep hanging rocks to the river,
forming a narrow waterfall resembling a white tape. On the southern
side of the "island" lay a field, covered abundantly with manioc, the
roots of which supply the negroes with their favorite food, and beyond
the fields towered immeasurably high cocoa palms with crowns in the
shape of magnificent plumes of feathers.

The "island" was surrounded by a sea of jungle and the view from it
extended over an immense expanse. From the east loomed lividly the
Karamojo Mountain chain. On the south could also be seen considerable
elevations, which, to judge from their dark hue, were covered with
forests. On the other hand, on the western side the view ran as far as
the horizon's boundary, at which the jungle met the sky. Stas descried,
however, with the help of the field-glass, numerous hollows and,
scattered sparsely, mighty trees rising above the grass like churches.
In places, where the grasses had not yet shot up too high, could be
perceived even with the naked eye whole herds of antelopes and zebras
or groups of elephants and buffaloes. Here and there giraffes cut
through the dark green surface of the sea of grass. Close by the river
a dozen or more water-bucks disported and others every little while
thrust their horny heads out of the depths. In one place where the
water was calm, fishes like those which Kali had caught leaped every
little while out of the water, and, twinkling in the air like silvery
stars, fell again into the river. Stas promised to himself to bring
Nell there when the weather had settled and show her this whole
menagerie.

On the "island," on the other hand, there were none of the larger
animals; instead there were a great number of butterflies and birds.
Big parrots, white as snow, with black beaks and yellow crests flew
above the bushes of the grove; tiny, wonderfully plumaged widow-birds
swung on the thin manioc stalks, changing color and glittering like
jewels, and from the high cocoa trees cam