June 20. At six p.m. we reached Büdir, a village on the sea shore; and the guide there claiming his due, my uncle settled with him. It was Hans’ own family, that is, his uncles and cousins, who gave us hospitality; we were kindly received, and without taxing too much the goodness of these folks, I would willingly have tarried here to recruit after my fatigues. But my uncle, who wanted no recruiting, would not hear of it, and the next morning we had to bestride our beasts again.
El suelo hablaba de la proximidad de la montaña, cuyos cimientos de granito emergían de la tierra como las raíces nudosas de algún roble gigantesco. Estábamos bordeando la inmensa base del volcán. El profesor apenas le quitaba los ojos de encima. Levantaba los brazos y parecía desafiarlo, como para declararle: «Ahí está el gigante que voy a conquistar».
Tras unas cuatro horas de marcha, los caballos se detuvieron por propia voluntad ante la puerta de la casa del pastor en Stapi.