In the Volcanic Region 163 



the face of peril on the part of most of the Askari who formed 

 our escort for the better part of a year. 



In spite of the severe catastrophe on Karissimbi, Kirschstein 

 successfully completed the geological survey of the volcanic 

 region, and amongst other achievements he was the first European 

 to climb Wissoke, which belongs to the middle group. It would, 

 however, lead me too far were I to enter into the details of his 

 special investigations. I will content myself in this place with 

 quoting a few of his observations concerning Muhawura, the 

 easternmost of the Virunga volcanoes: — 



" My researches on Muhawura, which is 4,165 metres in height, 

 led to the establishment of the fact, which is as noteworthy as it 

 is surprising, that this mountain, generally believed to be ex- 

 tinct, has had lava floodings at a comparatively recent date, 

 which have streamed away over its eastern and north-eastern 

 slopes. Thus the theory that the furnace of the volcanic forces 

 in the interior of the Virunga mountains has travelled from east 

 to west, and that therefore the older volcanic creations are to be 

 found in the east and the younger in the west is confuted. 

 For Muhawura, which is the most easterly, would in that case 

 be the most venerable and longest extinct of the Virunga 

 volcanoes ; this, however, is not the case. 



" The conviction at which I have arrived, based on the geo- 

 logical traces, of the relative youth of Muhawura finds support 

 in the vegetation of the mountain, whose east to north-eastern 

 slope is remarkable inasmuch as the flora bears the distinct stamp 

 of the incompleted, one might say of debris: a mazy chaos of 

 herbaceous growths, but no tree, only indications of bamboo, 

 no ericacecB. Mildbraed is also of the opinion that lava streams 

 have flowed down this side of Muhawura at no very distant 

 date. On the other hand, the senecio region at the summit is 

 developed quite typically in places which have been spared by 

 the recent lava floods. Here again, as in Karissimbi, one finds 

 the conjunction of Senecio J ohnston'ii. Lobelia W ollasitonii sp. 

 Moore and Alchemilla cinerea Engl. The senecio, indeed, forms 

 a belt-like zone, a real primeval forest of such density and 



