Chapter I. 



Stuhlmaim, Scott Elliot, Moore, Johnston and, in fact, all 

 the otliers who have visited and explored the range of 

 Rmvenzori after Stanley, have accepted his interpretation of 

 Ptolemy's text. Indeed, unless we admit that the ancient 

 geographers must have had in one way or another some 

 concealed source of information as to the facts, we find our- 

 selv-es under tlie necessity of regarding them as gifted with 

 prophetic powers. Be tliat as it may, the legend of the 

 "Mountains <»f tlie Moon" is a tale of the past, and 

 Ruwenzori, established at last in its own exact jjlace on the 

 map, known in all the details of its structure, measured in 

 every dimension, no longer runs the risk of being lost from 

 the memory of man. 



We will now return to the story of its exploration. 



On the 1st of June, 1888, after his first sight of the snow-clad 

 summits of Ruwenzori, Henry Stanley was forced to return on 

 his track, and, re-crossing the vast forest of the Congo, to join 

 his rear-guard camp, where one of the ghastliest tragedies 

 recorded in the hi.storv of African exploration had taken place 

 ill his absence. 



He did not retmn to. Ruwenzori until the next year, 1889, 

 when he skirted the whole western slope of the range. He 

 then traversed the ])lain between Lake Albert Edward and the 

 mountains, and, turning northuards, followed their eastern slopes 

 as far as the head of Lake Ruisamba. He thus spent more than 

 three months, from Ajtril t*» Julv. in the immediate neighbourhood 

 of the range, and saw the snowv peaks again and again. 

 Wishing to gather more accurate knowledge of tlie shape and 

 structure of these moimtains. lie dispatched Lieutenant 

 W. ( r. Stairs Oil a journey of exploration among them. 



Lieutenant Stairs left the camj) of Bakokoro. 8.8GO feet above 



8 



