Chapter IV. 



The iiiountaiiis seen and drawn l)y Stuhhnaini at the liead 

 of the Biitaiin Yallev to tlie west of the chain would not, in 

 this case, have heen tlie same as those seen from the east, 

 which the Italian expedition had observed from Kaibo and 

 Butiti. It seemed, therefore, a better plan to attempt the 

 ascent from tin* western slope. 



These accounts perplexed the Dnke greatly. If, on the one 

 hand, he followed tlie ronte of liis predecessors np the Mobuku 

 Valley there was the risk, on reachino- the peaks at the head 

 of the valley, of seeing his way to the higher smmnits cut oft' by 

 some deejD valley or insu])eral)le lidge. If, on tlie other hand, 

 he should resolve to try the western slopes, it wonld become 

 necessary to make a lono- detom- across the low reoions, throno-h 

 malarial districts, in order to tmii the southern (^nd of the 



xatim: ]u t. 



chain and reach the Seniliki Valley. Here, there would be 

 uncertainty as to the suthciency of local lesoni-ces to feed so 

 numerous an expedition, and still greater nncertaintv as to 



lOi' 



