Chapter V. 



glaciers and peaks around them were the most important of 

 the wliole cliain. WoUaston alone had had a glimpse of the 

 groups to northward, hut the fogs had not permitted him to 

 appreciate their numher nor their exact situation. Even in the 

 former attempts to explore the range from tlie west, single 

 mountains onlv had l^een visible. Possibly David liad liad a 

 wider view, but his description is vague and confused. 



It was barely 6.30 in the morning when the little party once 

 more set out towards the west in the direction of the higliest 

 peaks of the groujj, proceeding over hard snow broken by a 

 few crevasses on the left flank of the cre.st feeing the Mobuku 

 Valley. 



The ridge rises first to a peak* of broken and rotten rock 

 (15,843 feet), of which H.R.H. reached the summit at 8 a.m. A 

 light wind was blowing from the western valley, and drifts of 

 mist began now and again to shroud the prospect from their 

 sight. 



To the west of this peak a jagged and slightly marked arete 

 leads precipitously down to the pass which connects Kiyanja 

 with the central and highest groujj. The main ridge, on the 

 other hand, bends southward, and from thence onward forms part 

 of the watershed of the range between the Mobuku to the east 

 and another smaller valley which falls away westward toward 

 the Semliki. The west face of Kiyanja is precipitous like the 

 north face, which overhangs the Bujuku Valley. 



Without stopjjiug on this first peak, the caravan proceeded 

 southward along the ridge towards tlie highest point, now less 

 than 400 yards distant. At 9.15 a.m. the Prince was the first to 

 set foot upon the highest summit of Kiyanja,t 15,988 feet. The 

 rocks of the summit are covered with fulgurites in the form of 

 * Semper Peak. f Edward Peak. 



152 



