176 THE MFUMBIRO VOLCANOES 



be compelled to pass through that most interesting 

 country without seeing anything of it. The waters 

 of the Rutchuru River, where we crossed it a few 

 miles above the lake, were most distinctly warm 

 from receiving some hot springs a little higher up 

 its course. No doubt there were beautiful views of 

 the volcanoes which we were approaching, but a 

 temperature of 103° is enough to make one dis- 

 regard utterly even the most wonderful scenery ; 

 and my only recollection of the country is of a 

 monotonous jogging up and down for seven or 

 eight hours a day, my feet often higher than my 

 head, when, as they preferred to do, the tallest 

 porters took the front end of the pole, and often a 

 sudden bump on to the ground when they stopped 

 to eat or rest. 



Ascending steadily all the time, we arrived in 

 three days at the Belgian post of Rutchuru (altitude 

 about 5,000 feet). The officers at the post had 

 heard that there were two Englishmen in the 

 district, and when they saw the slow approach of 

 our caravan they thought that their hospitality to us 

 was going to begin and end with giving us a funeral. 

 They told us afterwards that they hardly altered 

 their opinion when they saw us emerge from our 

 hammocks ; but they welcomed us most kindly, in- 

 stalled us under a weather-tight roof, and did every- 

 thing that was possible to restore us to health. 



Rutchuru was only recently established as a 

 Congo post, and it now ranks as one of the most 



