Chapter \\. 



i^ive proof of marvelloiis agility. They jump froni trunk to 

 trunk ; they crouch or crawl to slip their loads nmlcr tlip lower 

 branches ; they perform nnracles of etpiilibrium upon sloping 

 trunks, walking all the time so fast that it is difficult to 

 keep up with them. 



The path now returns to the Mobuku, whicli here is a mere 

 Alpine stream buried in tiie fantastic vegetation on its banks, 

 and roofed over witli the strange branches minglina; and crossin": 

 above it. The yellow-brown waters are witlinut fish m- any 

 other form of animal life. The expedition crossed tliis stream 

 to its right bank, and reached the foot of another ledge, about 

 600 feet high, formed by an ancient moraine, and likewise 

 covered with heath forest and underwood of tall ferns, creeping 

 plants, orchids and thorny brambles laden with blo.ssoms 

 and with nniipe l)lackberries. In their shade grow violets, 

 rannnculus, geraniums, epilobium, umbelliferous species and 

 thistles. The ledge leads to tlie third terrace, where there 

 is another rock shelter called Buamlxi, 11,542 feet above 

 the sea. 



Once upon the brow of this ledge and out of tlie oppressive 

 lifelessness of the heath forest, the expedition found itself 

 suddenly and without transition in the presence of a picture 

 totally ditferent, though no less strange. The long level valley 

 bottom, walled in by towering cliffs on either side, stretched up 

 to the foot of another step, beyond wliicli the valley narrowed 

 into a gorge where stands the shelter of Bujongolo. The peak 

 of Kiyanja * with its glaciers rose far off and high aliove the 

 head of the valley. 



The whole valley on every side as far as you could see was 

 one mass of luxuriant vegetation of indescribable strangeness. 



♦ Edward Peak of Mt. Baker. 



132 



