‘Look!’ said Yacka, pointing to a range of hills in the distance. ‘There you will find the cave of the White Spirit, and your journey will be ended.’  
Gazing in the direction the black indicated, they saw hill upon hill towering one above the other like a number of huge pyramids. It was a strange sight in this wild country, where it was doubtful if ever a white man had set foot before.
 
They were all eagerness to continue the journey, but Yacka said this could not be. Certain forms and ceremonies were to be gone through before he could venture with them into the hills and caves where Enooma, the White Spirit, lay at rest. Only the head of the tribe was permitted to enter the cave, and so superstitious¹ were the blacks upon this point, that they believed it meant certain death to anyone of their number who disobeyed. Consequently Yacka would have no difficulty in showing Edgar and Will what the cave contained, as he alone could enter.
 
Yacka had stated to the tribe that the white men were come to see Enooma, who was of the same race, and therefore they must be permitted to enter the cave.
 
At the foot of the nearest hill—it could almost be called a mountain—they halted, and the blacks commenced a wild, weird² chant which sounded like the wail³ of lost spirits. They prostrated⁴ themselves upon the ground, and made signs with their spears.
 
Yacka stepped on ahead, and beckoned⁵ to Edgar and Will to follow, which they did without hesitation⁶. The other blacks came on at a respectful distance, and seemed afraid that something was about to happen. In the side of the hill they were approaching, Edgar saw a large cleft⁷ in the rock wide enough to admit half a dozen people to pass in abreast⁸. These hills were all solid rock, not merely mounds¹⁰ of earth, and were bare in many places, while in fissures¹¹ grew trees, and wild creepers hung down in great profusion¹². Orchids¹³ were growing of exceptional beauty, and Edgar, as he looked at them, thought of the price they would bring in the old country. As they entered the cleft in the rock the blacks remained behind, and squatted¹⁴ down on the ground.
 
‘They guard the entrance,’ said Yacka. ‘When no one is here this opening in the rock closes up, and no one can find the cave of Enooma.’
 
Edgar wondered how Yacka knew the cleft closed up if no one was there to see such a strange thing happen.
 
‘How can you tell that,’ he said, ‘if you have never seen it?’
 
‘Rest and listen,’ said Yacka: ‘You never believe I speak truth because I am black. Once the Enooma were defeated by the Curracoo, and fled before them to these hills. They were so hard-pressed that they had to rush through the cleft in the rock, and when the last of the tribe passed in the cleft closed and shut the Curracoo out. This is true, for men of the tribe have told me, and they do not lie to the chief.’
 
Edgar believed this to be another superstition¹⁵ of the blacks, but he could not resist looking behind him towards the cleft they had entered by. With a loud cry he sprang to his feet, for behind them there was a solid rock, and he could see nothing of the blacks they had left. Will looked, and turned pale as he saw they were shut in.
 
‘How is this?’ said Edgar. ‘What has happened?’
 
‘Enooma has closed her gate,’ said Yacka. ‘She knows of the approach of her son and the white men, and she wishes to be undisturbed.’
 
Edgar walked back to where he imagined the cleft in the rock by which they entered had been, but he could see nothing but a solid mass in front of him. He felt the rock and it was hard and firm, and must have been there for ages. How had this strange thing happened? Yacka must have suddenly turned as they walked along, and the opening become hidden, but as they entered the black appeared to have gone straight on.
 
‘I give it up,’ said Edgar. ‘We seem to be blocked in here, and shall have to trust to Yacka to get us out. It makes a fellow feel queer when such strange things happen, but I have no doubt there is an explanation of it if we can find it out.’
 
The place they were now standing¹⁶ in was a narrow defile¹⁷ between rocks towering up perpendicularly¹⁸ to a considerable height. These rocks were bare and smooth, and not a plant or fern could be seen growing on the sides. Before them was the mouth of a cave, and inside seemed dark as pitch. Yacka walked to the mouth of the cave, and they followed him. When they became accustomed to the gloom, they saw a faint glimmer¹⁹ of light, about the size of a bull’s-eye lantern glass, in the far distance. So far as Edgar could make out, the sides of the cave were rocks, but smoothed in a similar way to those on either side of the defile they had left. The floor of the cave was hard and even, in some places so smooth that it became slippery and dangerous. Yacka did not speak, but kept moving slowly forward, and they could see the dim outline of his figure.
 
‘It must have been the action of water for ages that has made the floor so smooth,’ said Edgar. ‘How cold it is after the heat we have had! Reminds me of a petrifying²⁰ cave. I believe if we remained here long enough we should be turned into stone.’
 
‘I have no desire to be turned into a petrified²¹ mummy at present,’ said Will laughing; ‘but you’re right about the cold—I am chilled to the bone.’
 
‘How much more of this is there, Yacka?’ said Edgar, speaking loud enough for the black, who was some way in front, to hear him.
 
The sound of his voice echoed through the passage, and gradually died away in the distance.
 
‘Wait,’ said Yacka. ‘Be careful here.’
 
They had need of the warning, for they were now treading upon something soft and slimy, and the sensation was not pleasant. They slipped about and made but little progress, and were glad when the ground felt hard and dry again.
 
The round ball of light at the end was gradually widening, and they could now see more plainly the nature of the passage they were traversing. Looking up to the roof Edgar saw thousands of glittering stars, which flashed and twinkled even with the faint light from the opening.
 
‘Look, Will,’ he said; ‘how lovely this roof would be if there was more light! They might be diamonds, they sparkle so.’
 
‘Wish they were,’ replied Will. ‘A few diamonds would help a fellow along—you know in what direction I mean.’
 
‘Yacka has promised to make us rich. I wonder if he will let us take what we like if there is anything to take?’
 
It was a mass of various-coloured st............