Through the Semliki Valley 211 



away with choppers. Broad leaves with sharp edges cut into 

 hands and face, and incessant endeavours to protect one's eyes 

 finally produce a feeling of intense nervousness. In addition 

 to this, there was the heavy, moist air under the tall, soaking 

 trees. At times this grassy wilderness was broken by immense 

 fronds of isolated wine-palms, resting on short stems, or by 

 banana fields and small cultivated plots. Later on the elephant- 

 grass was relieved by plots of brake-fern, as tall as a man, 

 which certainly reminded one of home, but were not pleasant to 

 negotiate. Strips of woodland, however, which interspersed the 

 scenery here and there, and in which splendid tree-ferns spread 

 their mighty yet graceful fronds across the murmuring waters 

 afforded a welcome change. The steep, slippery path through 

 these deeply-indented side valleys was torture at times for the 

 carriers, and we were often very much concerned for our still 

 more sensitive collections. 



" At last, at a bend of the way, we espied a small settle- 

 ment in the distance, Kakalonge, set on the ridge of a hill which 

 slopes gently from the higher mountains down to the Butagu, 

 which, with its few round huts and cultivated plots, wore a 

 friendly and inviting aspect. 



" Here, after a really exhausting day for the carriers, we 

 pitched our camp at an altitude of about 2,200 metres. The 

 landscape already exhibited the sublimity of Alpine regions, 

 although, thus far, the loftiest splendours were still concealed 

 from our view. Right before us, across the rushing Butagu in 

 the depths below, we gazed on the Wawunga mountains rising 

 aloft like a gigantic wall, which accompany the main valley to 

 the south. Lower down, the steep slopes were still dotted with 

 single huts and small cultivated spots, as well as numerous wild 

 banana trees, whose light green colour formed a bright spot ; 

 farther up woods covered the mountain sides. 



"The vegetation in the vicinity of our camp was in the 

 main of a secondary character, a mixture of brake-fern and all 

 kinds of shrubs, bushes and plants, amongst which the beautiful 

 big vernonia, with large white or pale lilac corymbus, and the 



