This was a help to us as I knew that one of them, which I had carefully noted, shone at this season of the year directly over the cone of the mountain, and we were enabled to steer thereby.
It must have been not more than half an hour before the dawn that Hans, who was leading--we were pushing our way through thick bushes at the time--halted hurriedly, saying: "Stop, Baas, we are on the edge of a cliff.

When I thrust my stick forward it stands on nothing." Needless to say we pulled up dead and so remained without stirring an inch, for who could say what might be beyond us?
Ragnall wished to examine the ground with the lantern.

I was about to consent, though doubtfully, when suddenly I heard voices murmuring and through the screen of bushes saw lights moving at a little distance, forty feet or more below us.

Then we gave up all idea of making further use of the lantern and crouched still as mice in our bushes, waiting for the dawn.
It came at last.

In the east appeared a faint pearly flush that by degrees spread itself over the whole arch of the sky and was welcomed by the barking of monkeys and the call of birds in the depths of the dew-steeped forest.