164 



RUAVEXZORI AND ITS SNOWS 



I call them ;nvfnl l)ecause they are so, rising up precipitously thousands 

 of feet above the narrow river valley into cloud-land — I venture to call 

 them the Portal Peaks, and this name will also serve to commemorate 

 the services of Captain Kaymond Portal, the brother of Sir Gerald Portal, 

 whose political work in the Toro District, short though it was, has proved 

 of inestimable benefit to the countrv. 



V 



134. sj-:.\.cc/o yo//\sro.\'j hung with r.v. . i.n iiix 



The following may be a useful summary of the general character of 

 the vegetation on the slopes of Kuwenzori between 6,000 and 15,000 feet. 

 At 6,000 feet draca-nas and tree-ferns mingle with -the tropical forest, 

 A large daisy growing in the grass-land has a strangely northern look. 

 Buttercups and foiget-me-nots also make their appearance at this altitude, 

 though they are not alumdant until 7,000 feet is reached; ti'ee-ferns do 

 not ascend above 7,000 feet. At this altitude the forest begins to lose 

 its tropical character, and a conifer (Podocarpus) makes its appearance, 



