At length the cleft widened somewhat and the light grew stronger, making the torches unnecessary.
Then of a sudden we came to its end and found ourselves upon a little plateau in the mountainside.

Behind us for a thousand feet or so rose the sheer rock wall as it did upon the outer face, while in front and beneath, far beneath, was a beautiful plain circular in shape and of great extent, which plain was everywhere surrounded, so far as I could see, by the same wall of rock.

In short, notwithstanding its enormous size, without doubt it was neither more nor less than the crater of a vast extinct volcano.

Lastly, not far from the centre of this plain was what appeared to be a city, since through my glasses I could see great walls built of stone, and what I thought were houses, all of them of a character more substantial than any that I had discovered in the wilds of Africa.
I went to Billali's litter and asked him who lived in the city.
"No one," he answered, "it has been dead for thousands of years, but She-who-commands is camped there at present with an army, and thither we go at once.

Forward, bearers." So, Robertson and I having re-entered our litters, we started on down hill at a rapid pace, for the road, though steep, was safe and kept in good order.