1 64 In the Heart of Africa 



amidst such a jumble of timber covered with dripping wet moss 

 cushions, that one can only work through it with considerable 

 difficulty, often sinking up to the breast in the overgrown clefts 

 and hollows. 



" Finally, many of the native designations indicate that 

 eruptions of Muhawura have occurred within their memory ; 

 whilst, on the other hand, they have no knowledge that Sabinjo 

 or the volcanoes of the middle group have ever been ' fire-moun- 

 tains.' Thus, for instance, an eruptive flue on Muhawura bears 

 in the native tongue the name ' Kabiranjuma,' that is to say, 'the 

 last bubbler' or 'last boiler,' whilst the land lying to the north- 

 east of Muhawura is distinguished by the title ' Ufumbiro,' which 

 means the smoker. 



" The natural forces here have not had the complaisance to 

 proceed exactly in the routine manner desired by man. The 

 volcanic energy has certainly not worried itself much as regards 

 the nice divisions into eastern and western groups, but has 

 asserted itself quite independently. Muhawura is by no means 

 the oldest extinct volcano of the mountain world around Lake 

 Kiwu. So far as the degree of disintegration and other geo- 

 logical indications are concerned, Sabinjo in the eastern and 

 Mikeno in the central group must be regarded as the most 

 ancient of the Virunga volcanoes, or at least those which have 

 been quiet longest." 



By the end of March Kirschstein had finished his labours 

 in the volcanic region. As a result of his activity it was possible, 

 through the kind offices of the White Fathers at Ruasa, to send 

 off to the coast no fewer than seventeen loads, with lavas, scoria, 

 bombs, sublimation products, etc., from the Virunga volcanoes, 

 as well as two double loads of photographic plates. He himself 

 wended his way over Ufumbiro and the lava fields lying to the 

 north of the volcanoes, towards Rutschuru. 



