The Virunga Volcanoes 



has the remains of a small crater under and to the east of the 

 peak, which has formed itself into a bog, and, contrary to 

 preconceived ideas, bears every evidence of having erupted 

 in the nineteenth century, so disproving the theory of the 

 relative activity of the range as passing from east to west. 

 The name Muhavura is translated as meaning the " Land- 

 mark," on account of its outstanding position at the end of 

 the range and its consequent use as a guide to travellers. 

 It is also the sacred mountain of Ruanda, where the good 

 fairies are supposed to dwell, the antithesis of Ninagonga 

 to the west. 



To close this chapter let me add that one is rather aston- 

 ished to find that there is so little mention of the Virunga 

 volcanic region either in the letterpress or illustrations of 

 English works on vulcanology. Yet this region, as well as 

 the whole of the Great Rift valley, extending as it does right 

 into and beyond the Red Sea, " a line of weakness " in the 

 earth's crust — should be teeming with interest for the vul- 

 canologist. It is, moreover, broken into and dammed across 

 by one of the most recent (geologically speaking) volcanic 

 upheavals, and farther inland than any other volcanic region 

 of like magnitude. Little is known of this region at present, 

 not only of its vulcanology but also of its fauna and flora. 

 I have every hope therefore that these notes, though lacking 

 in scientific exactness as they must inevitably be, will prove, 

 with the illustrations, of interest to many, and may even, 

 with very little stretch of the imagination, one day prove of 

 use to the aeroplane-tourist of the not very distant future 

 as he passes on his way from the Cape to Cairo. 



71 



