Mountain Journeys 161 



9. Africa. 



Atlas. — Several summits of the Atlas in Morocco, which were 

 11,000 to 12,000 feet high, were visited by Dr. Hookes, 244 in 1871; 

 he does not mention any symptoms. 



Kamerun Mountains. — The first ascent was made December 22, 

 1861, by Burton. In the account 24r> of it which he published 

 immediately he mentions some strange discomforts which should 

 very probably be explained by the influence of the altitude: 



While I was ascending the volcano, I was so tired that I could not 

 keep my eyes open; I felt a distress which seemed to me to be due 

 to fever. I was obliged to rest, I slept an hour, and at four o'clock 

 I was able to make this ascent. (P. 79.) 



The general account 24G which he published later of his journeys 

 to the Kamerun Mountains and Fernando Po is no more definite: 



M. Saker then complained of complete deafness. The burning 

 heat removed all sensation. Perhaps it was aided by the rarefaction 

 of the air. However we were not surprised at suffering so little in 

 the course of our ascent from the discomforts of which so many 

 travellers to Mont Blanc and in the Rocky Mountains complain. (Vol. 

 II, p. 121.) 



We must note that they were then only at 7000 feet; but the 

 next day they finished the ascent of the great Peak: 



As we approached the summit, the difficulties of the ascent in- 

 creased. Kharah dropped on the ground, almost fainting under the 

 rays of a burning sun, and was forced to remain there. At half-past 

 one, I reached the summit of the peak. (P. 155.) 



January 13, 1862, another ascent by MM. Calvo, Saker, and 

 Mann (P. 162-181). No symptom noted. 



But in the account of it published by Mann,' 47 he declares that 

 "he was sick on the Albert Peak and compelled to descend" (P. 23) . 



Finally, January 29, 1862, ascent of Burton. He camped at 

 10,187 feet, and reached the cinder cone of Mount Albert: 



I noted again the complete absence of any suffering due to the 

 thinness of the air. The altitude is considerable, but not sufficient, 

 it appears, to cause the hemorrhages from the ears and lips expe- 

 rienced by von Humboldt in the Andes, or the sufferings of M. Gay- 

 Lussac in his balloon. (Abeokuta, Vol. II, p. 198.) 



Kilimandjaro. — May 11, 1844, Rebmann - 48 saw Kilimandjaro 

 covered with snow. The mountain is "inaccessible, the natives 

 say, because of the evil spirits which had killed a great many of 

 those who had attempted to ascend it." (P. 276.) 



