88 CLIMBING IN RUWENZORI 



was the nocturnal chorus of the Ruwenzori ghosts. 

 It was always said by the natives that there were 

 devils high up in the mountains, and anyone of a 

 superstitious turn of mind who has slept or has 

 tried to sleep at Kichuchu could well believe it. 

 So soon as it became dark, first one and then 

 another shrill cry broke the silence ; then the burden 

 was taken up by one high up on the cliff overhead, 

 then by others on either side, until the whole valley 

 was ringing with screams. Various theories were 

 advanced to account for it : frogs, owls, and devils 

 were amongst the suggestions, but the natives 

 declared that the noises were made by hyraxes, and 

 we discovered afterwards that they were right. It 

 is possible that each actual cry was not very loud, 

 but the steep hill-sides and the bare wall of the 

 cliff acted as sounding-boards, which intensified the 

 noise to an incredible extent. It was one of the 

 most mournful and blood-curdling sounds I have 

 ever heard, and it caused an uncomfortable thrill, 

 even after we had been assured that it had not a 

 supernatural origin. 



The upper Mubuku Valley — that is to say, from 

 Kichuchu (9,833 feet) to the foot of the Mubuku 

 glacier (13,682 feet) — is built in a series of gigantic 

 steps of from 500 to 1,000 feet in height, between 

 which lie tolerably level terraces of from one 

 to two miles in length. The first of these steps 

 is made by the cliff at the foot of which lies the 

 rock-shelter of Kichuchu. The path leads up a 



