Biijuku Valley. — Return of the Expedition. 



It took the expedition two days to reach Fort Portal 

 from Ibanda. Ruwenzori was again enveloped in its usual 

 impenetrable veil of clouds and mists and they saw it no 

 more. They were now again in the suffocating heat of the 

 plain, among the noisy crowd of porters and the familiar 

 scenes of native villages with their plantain groves, and 

 ao;ain received at each staa;e bv the chieftains with all the 

 ceremonial of African etiquette. 



At Fort Portal the English officials. King Kasagama 

 with his court, and the missionaries rivalled one another in 

 hospitality and courtesy toward H.R.H. and his companions. 



While they were here, Roccati went with Sella upon a 

 geological and photographic excursion to the craters and the 

 crater lakes of the volcanic region of Toro. The shores of 

 these lakes are covered with a dense vegetation of palms, 

 dracenas, and euphorbia, which are mirrored in the water, 

 while the water itself, the air and the wood swarm with an 

 incredibly rich animal life, protected, perhaps, by the super- 

 stition which causes the natives to shun these craters as haunts 

 of wizards and of evil spirits. 



In the meantime, the Duke with Cagni and Cavalli, joined 

 later by Sella, made some shooting excursions. 



It was now the dry and less favourable season. It was 

 impossible to penetrate the dense grasses which formed walls 

 on either side of the paths and hid the surrounding country. 

 Every night round Fort Portal the district was lit up with 

 the red glare of the fires, which burned miles and miles of 

 dry grass. 



In the beo-inninp- of Auo-ust the time came for their 

 departure. Messrs. Knowles and Haldane accompanied them 

 from Fort Portal. Notwithstanding the frequent storms, 



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