Change in the weather—Kennedy attacked by fever—The doctor's medicine—Travel by land—The Imenge basin—The Rubeho Mountains—Six thousand feet up—A halt by day

THE NIGHT WAS CALM, but when he woke up on Saturday morning Kennedy complained of lassitude and the shivering of fever. The weather was changing. The sky, covered with thick clouds, seemed to be gathering for rain. Zungomero is a dreary country, where it rains continually except, perhaps, for a fortnight in January. It was not long before heavy rain began to pour down upon the travellers. Below them the roads cut out by nullahs , a sort of intermittent torrent, became impassable, especially as they were also overgrown with thorny shrubs and gigantic creepers. The emanations of sulphuretted hydrogen mentioned by Captain Burton could be distinctly detected.

'According to Burton,' the doctor said, 'and he's right, it smells as though a corpse were concealed in every thicket.'

'Beastly country,' answered Joe, 'and I don't think it's done Mr Kennedy any good spending the night here.'

'As a matter of fact, I have a pretty bad touch of fever,' said the Scot.

'There's nothing surprising about that, old man. We're in one of the unhealthiest districts in Africa. But we're not going to stop long. Let's make a start.'

Joe skilfully freed the anchor and climbed back up the ladder into the car. The doctor quickly expanded the gas and the Victoria set off again before a stiffish breeze. Nothing was to be seen in the pestilent mist except a very occasional hut, but soon the appearance of the country changed. It often happens in Africa that an unhealthy area is of quite small dimensions and borders on districts which are perfectly salubrious. Kennedy was obviously very unwell, the fever sapping his natural energy.

'This is no place to be ill in,' he said, wrapping himself up in his blanket and lying down under the awning.

'Have a little patience, Dick, and you'll soon be well again,' Dr Fergusson replied.

'Look here, Samuel, if you've got anything in your medicine-chest that might put me right, give me some at once. I'll swallow it with my eyes shut.'

'I've something better than that, old man. I'm going to give you a cooling draught that will cost you nothing.'

'What is it?'

'It's quite simple. I'm just going to rise above those clouds which are swamping us and get away from this pestilent atmosphere. Give me ten minutes to expand the hydrogen.'

Before the ten minutes were up the travellers were above the rain zone.

'Wait a bit, Dick, and you'll feel the effects of the pure air and sunshine.'

'Well, that is a cure!' said Joe. 'It's wonderful!'

'No. It's quite natural.'

'Oh, yes, I suppose it's natural enough, sir.'

'I take Dick where the air is better, as they always do in Europe. Just as, if we were at Martinique, I should send him to the Piton Mountains to escape yellow fever.'

'Why, this balloon's a perfect paradise,' said Kennedy, already feeling more comfortable.

'At any rate, it takes us there, sir,' Joe answered solemnly.

It was strange to see masses of cloud now piled up under the car. They rolled over one another and formed a confused mass of light as they reflected the rays of the sun. The Victoria reached a height of four thousand feet. The thermometer registered an appreciable drop in the temperature. The earth was no longer visible. Some fifty miles to westward the Rubeho Mountains raised their glistening crests These mountains bound the country of Ugogo in long. 30°20′. The wind was blowing at twenty miles an hour, but the travellers had no sensation of their speed. They felt no swaying and were not even conscious that they were moving.

Three hours later the doctor's prediction was realised. Kennedy's fever had left him and he lunched with a good appetite.

'That beats sulphate of quinine hollow,' he said with relief.

'This is certainly the place I shall retire to in my old age,' said Joe.

About 10 a.m. the atmosphere cleared. A great hole appeared in the clouds and the earth once more came into view. The Victoria was dropping imperceptibly towards it as Dr Fergusson sought a current which might carry them more to the north-eastward. He found one six hundred feet above the ground. The country became broken, even mountainous. Zungomero faded away to the east together with the last coco-nut palms of that latitude. Soon the crests of mountains stood out more sharply. Peaks rose here and there. It was necessary to keep a constant look-out for the sharp cones which seemed to start up without warning.

'We're among the breakers,' said Kennedy.

'Don't worry, Dick, we shan't run aground.'

'It's a fine way of travelling, all the same!' Joe broke in.

The doctor was indeed handling his balloon with wonderful skill.

'If we had had to march over that waterlogged country,' he said, 'we should have had to plough through the foul mud. Since leaving Zanzibar half our pack animals would have died of fatigue. We should be looking like ghosts and feeling desperate. We should have had constant struggles with our guides and porters, and no protection against their savagery. Damp, unbearable, crushing heat by day, and by night often intolerable cold; bitten by flies with mandibles that would go through the thickest canvas and drive men mad; not to mention the wild animals and savage tribes.'

'I'm in no hurry to try it,' Joe answered simply.

'I'm not exaggerating in the least,' Dr Fergusson continued, 'for travellers who have been daring enough to venture into these countries tell stories that would make your blood curdle.'

About eleven o'clock they crossed the Imenge basin. The tribes scattered over the hills vainly threatened the Victoria with their weapons. At length they reached the last undulations before the Rubehos which form the third and highest chain of the Usagara Mountains. The travellers took careful note of the geographical conformation of the country. The three ranges, of which the Duthumis form the first stage, are separated by immense longitudinal plains. These lofty ridges take the form of rounded cones between which the earth is strewn with stray boulders and rocks. The steepest declivity of these mountains faces the coast of Zanzibar, while the eastern slopes are merely tilted plateaus. The low-lying areas are covered with black rich soil, where vegetation is very vigorous. Various watercourses make their way eastward to join the Kingani, amid huge clumps of sycamores, tamarinds, calabash-trees and palmyras.

'Look,' said Dr Fergusson. 'We're getting near the Rubehos. In the native language the name means “passage of the wind.” It will be wise to cross the sharp ridges at a good height. If my map is right we ought to go up to over five thousand feet.'

'Shall we often have to go as high as that?'

'No, only very seldom. The African mountains are not very high compared with the peaks of Europe and Asia. But in any case, the Victoria would have no difficulty in clearing them.'

The gas quickly expanded under the action of the heat, and the balloon lifted very considerably. The expansion of the hydrogen, moreover, presented no danger, as the enormous capacity of the balloon was only threequarters filled. The barometer, by a drop of nearly eight inches, indicated a rise of six thousand feet.

'Is this going to last long, sir?' asked Joe.

'The atmosphere surrounding the earth extends to a height of six thousand fathoms,' replied the doctor. 'With a big balloon one might go far. MM. Brioschi and Gay-Lussac did, but after a time they began to bleed at the mouth and ears. The air was not breathable. Some years ago two other bold Frenchmen MM. Barral and Bixio, also ventured very high, but their balloon tore—'

'And they fell?' Kennedy asked sharply.

'Certainly. But as wise men fell, without hurting themselves.'

'Well, gentlemen,' said Joe, 'you may be able to fall like that, but I'm only an ignorant man and I'd rather stop at a reasonable height. It doesn't do to be ambitious.'

At six thousand feet the density of the air had already appreciably diminished. Sound carried badly, and it was more difficult for them to make themselves heard. Sight became blurred, and the eye could only distinguish large masses and that vaguely; men and animals became quite invisible; roads looked like strips of tape and lakes like ponds. The doctor and his companions felt that they were in abnormal conditions. An atmospheric current of tremendous velocity was sweeping them over arid mountains on whose summits great patches of snow startled the eye, and their convulsed appearance indicated some Neptunian labour of the world's first days. The sun shone in the zenith, pouring its rays vertically upon these barren crests. The doctor made a careful sketch of the mountains, which consist of four distinct ridges running almost in a straight line, the most northerly being the longest.

Soon the Victoria descended the opposite slope of the Rubehos, skirting a ridge covered with trees of very dark-coloured foliage. Then came the crests and ravines of the sort of wilderness which precedes the Ugogo district. Lower still stretched yellow plains burnt and cracked, and strewn here and there with saline plants and thorny shrubs. A few thickets which later gave place to forests adorned the horizon. The doctor came close to the ground and the anchors were dropped, one of them soon catching the branches of an enormous sycamore. Joe slid quickly down the tree and carefully made fast the anchor. The doctor kept his furnace going to give the balloon sufficient lift to hold her in the air. The wind had dropped almost instantly.

'Now,' said Fergusson, 'take a couple of guns, Dick, one for yourself and one for Joe, and see if between you you can't get us a few good slices of antelope for dinner.'

'Rather,' cried Kennedy. 'Come on, Joe.'

He climbed over the side of the car and went down. Joe had slid down from branch to branch and was stretching himself while he waited. The doctor, relieved of the weight of his companions, was now able to put out his furnace.

'Don't go and fly away, sir!' Joe cried.

'Don't worry, Joe; I'm firmly fixed. I'll get my notes up to date. Good hunting, and be careful. From up here I shall be able to overlook the country round about, and if I see anything the slightest bit suspicious, I'll fire a carbine. That will be the signal for return.'

'Right ho!' Kennedy replied. dhoFDC85xZYLyMZ05Uiwy/hO9jdtOQIjvigzP31tLQO4+JxHNj90D7x7gIrk0n6J