AND THE CONGO FOREST 



195 



view across the Seinliki to tlie snows and glaciers of Hinvt'iizori. At tlie 

 time of my visit, however, this great range remained obstinately concealed 

 behind its cloud-veil. ]5ut I was even more struck witb the splendid land- 

 scapes to be seen to the south, where the eye roved over the beautiful 

 mountains to the west of Lake Albert Edward. These a])peared to me to 

 tower into the sky to altitudes not far short of 10, 000 feet, but I was 

 .assured by the Belgians that the atmospheric effects at times were most 

 deceptive, and that the greatest altitude attained by the highest of these 

 peaks was perhaps not more than (5,000 feet above sea level, or, in other 



159. THE MIDDLE SEMLIKI NEAK THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF THE GREAT 

 SEMLIKI (COXGO) FOREST 



words, not more than 3,000 feet above the plain they dominated. There 

 was such variety in the way in which they had been sculptured by the 

 hand of Nature. Crags and blue ])recipices would tower above emerald- 

 o^reen lawns. Forests nestled against red cliffs which the atmosphere 

 turned to mauve-pink in colour. Tlie glint of cascades could be seen 

 marking the precipitous descent of rivers. Var up in the southern sky 

 lowering clouds turned distant sierras to an inky pvu-ple. These regions 

 from all accounts will prove a most valuable sanatorium for the north- 

 eastern part of the Congo Free State. 



