Deacon,T. L.

Biodiversity Heritage Library OAI Repository

292 DESCRIPTION OF CAVES
from cavesin very similarrock, and which they considerto
beof greatfatteningvaluefor theirlive-stock,thepresumption
at presentis undoubtedlyto the effectthat the Elgon caves
wereexcavatedby manfor a similarobject.
AnyonewhorealisesthesizeofEastAfricaandthedifficulty
andcostof explorationworkwill readily understandthat the
full solutionof 'thisand many otherkindredquestionsmay
haveto wait until thecountryis in a positionto bearthecost
of a properlyequippedgeologicalsurvey.
A greatdealcan,however,be doneby the accumulation
of data by officersresidentin the districts,and by planters
andfarmerswhoresideforyearsin onearea,andattaina more
detailedknowledgeof a particularlocalitythan it is generally
possiblefor a district officerto obtain. I desireto exptess
a gratefulacknowledgmentof the data suppliedby Messrs.
Dobbs,Deacon,andKnight-Bruce.
DESCRIPTION OF CAVES ON NANDI ESCARPMEN:T
By P. L. DEACON
The largestof the caves·calledKiptile is situateda short
distancefrom the top of the escarpmentbeneaththehill on
which is a beacon. This hill is the next oneto the westof .
the Gordi J uok,whichis thenameof a largeandprominent
rock, easily visible from Kisumu or the Uganda Railway.
This caveis situatedon a ledgesometwo or threehundred
feet from the summitof the escarpment,and therearehuts
nearby. It mustbe Some2000feetor moreabovethe level
of the lake. The caveis about20yardslongand 10broad,
and has a curvedroof over7 feethigh in the middle. It is
hollowedout frombeneatha giganticboulderor possiblyin
the middleof the boulder. The bouldergivesthe impression
of havingbeeneatenawayto form the curve. The floor is
solld stone,and is probablypart of the sameboulder. It is
coveredwith earth to a depth of a foot. Flakes1 of rock
1Theseturn out to beof a.pinkgranite.
ON NANDI ESOARPMENT 293
chippedoff the roofaresent. Theyarecoatedwith soot,for
herdsmenwiththeircattlestillmakeuseof the caveand build
firesthere. Thecaveis perfectlystraight,anddoesnot bend
round. Nothingof interestwasfoundby diggingin the floor
of thecave. The formationof the caveis somewhatdifferent
from any of the othersabout to be described. The other
cavernsareapparentlyoriginallyformedby thefallingtogether
of twoor morelargeboulderswhichhavecometo rest,leaving
a spacebeneath. This spaceforms a cave, and has been
apparentlyhollowedout graduallyby fresh-waterspringswhich
still exist in somecaves. The large cave above described,
however,is formedby a singleboulder,and is not the result
GORll'''UOI< PENC
Outlineof Nandi EscarpmentshowingPositionof Caves.
of otherbouldersfalling together. From the ledgeon which
this caveis situateda magnificentview is obtainedof the
wholeof the countryborderingon the Kavirondogulf, as far
as Uyoma.
Ascendingto the top of the escarpmentand skirting the
beaconhill, oneis guideddownthe valleyof Nderum,on the
furthersideof which are two of the most interestingcaves
of all. Olimbinga short steeprise and cutting your way
throughbush,youapproachtwolargeboulderscloselyadjacent
to eachother. This placeis calledKakamaket,the placeof
hyrnnas: leopardsand jackalsare said to live here. It is
an eerieplace,and the entranceto eachcaveis exceedingly
unattractive. Nandi nativesdo not usethesecaverns. You
can only enteron handsand knees,but after enteringyou
find you canstandup. The first cavity is formedby a large
X
294 DESCRIPTION OF CAVES
boulderwhich is held up and supportedby severalsmalle»
boulders,somethingafterthis position:
You go round the boulderby a curved passageand find a.
centreroomunderthe boulderwith a streamrunningthrough
it. This is wherea herdof cattlewasextractedby thetroops
during the Nandi expedition,but the herdsmenescaped.
There are three or four shaftsby whichan exit is possible.
Emergingfrom this cave,you approachthe other. The en-
tranceto this is evenmore uninviting,beinga very small
holethroughwhich it is just possibleto squeeze.As it is
also the reputedhomeof leopardsandjackals,hesitationis
natural. However,a Nandi morancrawls in first, and you
handhimthelampandfollow. You meetnothingworsethan
a few bats,whichbrushpastyourface,startledby the lamp.
After crawling a few yards, you find a small chamberon
your right in whichyou canstandup. Thereareotheropen
spacesinside,andthewholethingresemblesan underground
dungeonor oubliette. Passingalong,you seelight ahead,
andemergefrom the othersideof theboulder.
At the top of the valley in the hilI calledMogon,behind
Arap Kossabey'scamp,is anothersmall cave. This, as in
the case of all the cavernsexceptthe largeone,is difficult
of approach. It is a long,narrowpassageundera big over-
hangingrock, and can only be enteredon handsand knees.
It is about15 yards long,and is formedapparentlyby two
largebouldershavingfallentogether.
Thereis anothertypical cavernat thebackof Chebanon
hill. This doesnot facethe escarpment,but is situatedin a
valleyseparatedfromit by a hill. It is exceedinglydifficultof
approach,andis, like theothers,formedby two largeboulders
having cometogether,and leavinga cavity beneath. The
caverninsideis curved. You canproceedfor about20yards,
and in the inmostrecessesthereis a runningstream. The
ON NANDI ESCARPMENT 295
floor is solidrock coveredwith soil a foot deepthickly mixed
with cattlemanure. This is a cavein whichsomeNanditook
refugeduringthe expeditionandlivedfor a.monthwith their
·cattle. They placeda barricadeof small bouldersat the
entrance,and thesecan still be seenlying wherethey were
when pulled aside. It is said that the Masai levies,who
accompaniedthe forces,advancedbehinda wall of shields.
The roof andsideof the cave,as in all thesecaves,is smooth
and hard, and it wasimpossibleto obtaina specimenof the
stone,and diggingin the soil producedno results. In the
neighbouringhills many small cavitieswereobservedundell
overhangingrocks,in manycaseswith smallstreamsrunning
throughthem.
In general,to the lay mind,thesecavernsappearto have
beencausedby 8severeearthquakepowerfulenoughto shake
togetherthehugegraniteboulders,leavingopenspacesbeneath
them. Manyof themhavebeenincreasedby thewateraction
dueto streams. Thewholecountry-sideis fulloftheseboulders,
andpresentsa ruggedappearanceasif on themorrowof some
hugeupheaval.
NOTES ON SALT CAVES IN LUMBWA DISTRICT
By A. KNIGHT-BRUCE
Thereare, it is believed,somenine cavesof considerable
sizein theabovedistrict,andtheirnamesareasfollows:
1. Gitoi. 4. Kibarabara. 7. Sausit.
2. Kibrisin. 5. Kiptoi. 8. Riptoit.
3. Kibipiten. 6. Choma. 9. Bagau.
The approximatealtitude of the principal cavesabovesea-
levelis as follows:
Gitoi, 6000ft. Riptoit, 6900ft.
Kibipiten, 6500ft. Sausit,6100ft.
They areusedat thepresentdayby theLumbwanatives,
whodiga salineearthin themwhichtheyremovein baskets
andfeedto their cattleandsheepoutsidethecaves.


Description of caves on Nandi escarpment

http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/content/part/EANHS/No. 13_292_1918_Deacon.pdf

Description of caves on Nandi escarpment

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Biodiversity Heritage Library OAI Repository