her, for it was not larger than the basin of the Trafalgar
Square fountain--of some black, pitch-like stuff, the surface of which
rose and fell in great blisters of bursting gas. The air above it was
shimmering with heat, and the ground round was so hot that I could
hardly bear to lay my hand on it. It was clear that the great volcanic
outburst which had raised this strange plateau so many years ago had
not yet entirely spent its forces. Blackened rocks and mounds of lava
I had already seen everywhere peeping out from amid the luxuriant
vegetation which draped them, but this asphalt pool in the jungle was
the first sign that we had of actual existing activity on the slopes of
the ancient crater. I had no time to examine it further for I had need
to hurry if I were to be back in camp in the morning.

It was a fearsome walk, and one which will be with me so long as memory
holds. In the great moonlight clearings I slunk along among the
shadows on the margin. In the jungle I crept forward, stopping with a
beating heart whenever I heard, as I often did, the crash of breaking
branches as some wild beast went past. Now and then great shadows
loomed up for an instant and were gone--great, silent shadows which
seemed to prowl upon padded feet. How often I stopped with the
intention of returning, and yet every time my pride conquered my fear,
and sent me on again until my object should be attained.

At last (my watch showed that it was one in the morning) I saw the
gleam of water amid the openings of the jungle, and ten minutes later I
was among the reeds upon the borders of the central lake. I was
exceedingly dry, so I lay down and took a long draught of its waters,
which were fresh and cold. There was a broad pathway with many tracks
upon it at the spot which I had found, so that it was clearly one of
the drinking-places of the animals. Close to the water's edge there
was a huge isolated block of lava. Up this I climbed, and, lying on
the top, I had an excellent view in every direction.

The first thing which I saw filled me with amazement. When I described
the view from the summit of the great tree, I said that on the farther
cliff I could see a number of dark spots, which appeared to be the
mouths of caves. Now, as I looked up at the same cliffs, I saw discs
of light in every direction, ruddy, clearly-defined patches, like the
port-holes of a liner in the darkness. For a moment I thought it was
the lava-glow