Flushed with his bloodless victory, John ordered his men to make up the fire, and set two to watch at the gate; then, carrying a roughly-formed torch, he proceeded to an examination of the stronghold which was so imposing to the native imagination. It was a poor enough place estimated from a European point of view. It consisted simply of a circular space on a low mound about thirty yards in diameter, enclosed by a rude stone wall rather less than the height of a man. The island itself was an irregular oval. At the eastern end the wall came to within a foot or two of its shore; north and south the interval was little greater, the ground sloping steeply down to the edge of the pool. Westward it fell away less rapidly, though even here the angle was considerable. The island was no more than sixty yards at its greatest length, and from forty to fifty in breadth. The bridge sloped up from the end of the causeway to the gate, which was itself some feet lower than the ground within the fort. Just within it, on each side, a canoe was laid against the wall. Within the enclosure were a number of grass huts, set at intervals of a few yards apart. [Illustration: The Pool] Having surveyed the place as well as he could by the uncertain light of his torch, John searched the huts. He found in the largest of them, which he guessed to be Juma’s, two of his rifles, a number of old muskets, a miscellaneous collection of cartridges, most of which would not fit the rifles, shot of all shapes and sizes, one or two old swords, and a curious assortment of articles, mostly useless, which Juma and his men had no doubt purloined when on safari. Among them were broken boots, a fancy waistcoat in tatters, several condensed milk tins, some pewter spoons, a field-glass case, and an empty whisky bottle. These things, valueless to a European, would be treasure untold to the natives, and John was glad that his promise of loot would not be nullified. There was also a fair quantity of grain food, but no meat. "I think I’m a bit of a fool," said John to himself, when he had seen all there was to be seen. "What have I come for after all? I’ve got back our property, to be sure; but what then? I can’t demolish the fort before Juma arrives. I can’t go back at once, because the men couldn’t stand it. It looks as if I shall have to hold the place, for a day at least; and if those beggars come up in any numbers and manage to cross the pool I shall be pretty hard put to it to defend a hundred yards of wall. Ah well! I’m in for it now. The best thing I can do is to get out as soon as possible."