VII

USTANE SINGS

When the kissing operation was finished--by the way, none of the young
ladies offered to pet me in this fashion, though I saw one hovering
round Job, to that respectable individual's evident alarm--the old man
Billali advanced, and graciously waved us into the cave, whither we
went, followed by Ustane, who did not seem inclined to take the hints I
gave her that we liked privacy.

Before we had gone five paces it struck me that the cave that we were
entering was none of Nature's handiwork, but, on the contrary, had been
hollowed by the hand of man. So far as we could judge it appeared to
be about one hundred feet in length by fifty wide, and very lofty,
resembling a cathedral aisle more than anything else. From this main
aisle opened passages at a distance of every twelve or fifteen feet,
leading, I supposed, to smaller chambers. About fifty feet from the
entrance of the cave, just where the light began to get dim, a fire was
burning, which threw huge shadows upon the gloomy walls around. Here
Billali halted, and asked us to be seated, saying that the people would
bring us food, and accordingly we squatted ourselves down upon the
rugs of skins which were spread for us, and waited. Presently the food,
consisting of goat's flesh boiled, fresh milk in an earthenware pot, and
boiled cobs of Indian corn, was brought by young girls. We were almost
starving, and I do not think that I ever in my life before ate with
such satisfaction. Indeed, before we had finished we literally ate up