THE DUKE OF THE ABRUZZI 123 



would readily have walked as far or farther to meet 

 even a less interesting personage than the dis- 

 tinguished Italian explorer. The Duke arrived 

 at Toro on May 29, and was greeted by the whole 

 population, including King Kasagama and his 

 private band of musicians, who produced some of 

 the most blood-curdling discords I have ever had 

 the misfortune to hear. The other members of the 

 expedition and the caravan of 400 porters, 'boys,' 

 and escort, strolled in at intervals throughout the 

 day. On the following day all the Europeans in 

 the place, seventeen in all, counting the Italians, 

 assembled to meet the Duke. Ladies on bicycles 

 from the English mission, and men in clerical 

 collars, looked strangely out of place in those 

 surroundings ; the French Fathers certainly had the 

 advantage of them in their long white robes. The 

 two Italian guides, Pettigax and Oilier, were a good 

 deal astonished to find in so remote a place an 

 European, who could talk to them about their own 

 mountains and valleys. I met them again at 

 Courmayeur last summer, and spent a delightful 

 week climbing with Oilier, who never tired of talk- 

 ing about Africa and Ruwenzori. The expedi- 

 tion had seen a perfectly clear view of the whole 

 range from Butiti* the day before they arrived at 

 Toro, and had distinctly identified Dr. Stuhlmann's 

 two-topped peak as the highest in the range ; but, 

 not being able to judge from that distance how far 

 * About eighteen miles east of Toro. 



