"I have, sir," said Job, tapping his Colt, "but Mr. Leo has only got his
hunting knife, though that is big enough, surely."

Feeling that it would not do to wait while the missing weapon was
fetched, we advanced boldly, and seated ourselves in a line, with our
backs against the side of the cave.

As soon as we were seated, an earthenware jar was passed round
containing a fermented fluid, of by no means unpleasant taste, though
apt to turn upon the stomach, made from crushed grain--not Indian corn,
but a small brown grain that grows upon its stem in clusters, not unlike
that which in the southern part of Africa is known by the name of Kafir
corn. The vase which contained this liquor was very curious, and as
it more or less resembled many hundreds of others in use among the
Amahagger I may as well describe it. These vases are of a very ancient
manufacture, and of all sizes. None such can have been made in the
country for hundreds, or rather thousands, of years. They are found
in the rock tombs, of which I shall give a description in their proper
place, and my own belief is that, after the fashion of the Egyptians,
with whom the former inhabitants of this country may have had some
connection, they were used to receive the viscera of the dead. Leo,
however, is of opinion that, as in the case of Etruscan amphoræ, they
were placed there for the spiritual use of the deceased. They are mostly
two-handled, and of all sizes, some being nearly three feet in height,
and running from that down to as many inches. In shape they vary, but
all are exceedingly beautiful and graceful, being made of a very fine
black ware, not lustrous, but slightly rough. On this groundwork are
inlaid figures much more graceful and lifelike than any others that
I have seen on antique vases. Some of these inlaid pictures represent