Peaks of the Central Group. 



towards the valley was precipitous. They were therefore 

 oblia:ed to o-o down to the lakes. 



Soon after midday the little party, leaving a portion of its 

 loads on the col so as to move more rapidly, started afresh, and 

 first skirted the western slope at the same level, very little 

 under the pass but above the forest of senecios, in order to 

 reach the ridge of the south-west spur of Kiyanja. 



From here they descended towards the Ljwer of the two little 

 lakes. The descent was steep, the mud was slippery, and their 

 way led through a forest of senecios and chunps of helichrysum, 

 which the guides cut and liroke with ])li>ws of their ice-axes to 

 clear a path. There were great smooth .slabs to be avoided, 

 which here and there stuck out of the o-roimd and were 

 too steep to walk upon. The porters kept striking their loads 

 against the low and dense ramifications of the senecios. .slipped 

 on the bio- .stones, .stumbled amoni;- the dead trunks and 

 branches which lav half-buried in the mud, and had to 

 be incessantly encouraged and urged to proceed. They were 

 overhung l)v the precipitous .sides of Kivanja. Avliieh threatened 

 them witli stone falls. As they neared tbe bottom of the 

 valley, they were surprised to find a vast tmct of senecio 

 forest, where the trunks and branches were bare, blackened, 

 and partially carl)onized by recent fire. There was no sign 

 to indicate the passage of man, nor was it probaV)le that the 

 inhabitants of the valleys would have pu.shed .so far up 

 witliout cau.se ; hence it must be supposed tliat the fire was 

 either spontaneous or caused by lightning. The dense mantle 

 of dead leaves which hangs downwards aiound e^•erv branch of 

 the senecio imder the terminal Inmcli of green leaves, and which 

 is one of the chief features in the strange aspect of this 

 curious jilaiit, ofi'ers abundant fuel for fire and is as easy to 



171 



