noon
Objects at a greater distance than a hundred yards took on strange distortions . The thorn trees shot up to great heights ; animals stood on stilts ; the tops of the hills were flattened , and from their summits often reached out into space long streamers . Sometimes these latter joined across wide intervals , creating an illusion of natural bridges or lofty flat-topped cliffs with holes clear through them to the open sky beyond . All these things shimmered and flickered and wavered in the mirage of noon . Only the sun itself stared clear and unchanging . At about two o'clock Kingozi awoke and raised his voice . Mali-ya-bwana , next in command after Cazi Moto and Simba , answered .