The Eastern Congo 



The situation was saved later by the expedient of sending 

 back half my porters to buy food at the Kisenji market at the 

 cost of considerable delay. 



Unless money is no object, and the man can afford to pay 

 unlimitedly, the three essentials that go to make the successful 

 African explorer are patience, perseverance, and a strong- 

 mindedness ; without them the would-be traveller had better 

 not leave the beaten track. This present " safari " of mine 

 nearly " failed to meet the test," for, to begin with, a steady 

 downpour of rain commenced which continued to beat upon 

 us for the best part of ten days, making the carriers dis- 

 gruntled and the ground soggy and slippery. After scarcity 

 of food, useless guides were my next trouble. From the 

 first day I had my doubts about them, which were soon 

 confirmed by their glaring (or wilful) lack of knowledge of 

 any part of the district. Mere bluffers they were, so I cleared 

 them out and engaged two others, who assured me they knew 

 the volcanoes well and that they in fact lived in the bamboo 

 zone on the sides of Karisimbi. 



In spite of the sun being continually obscured by the 

 lowering clouds and for the time being all sense of direction 

 gone, I had every faith in my new guides and their ability 

 to lead me to the point I wished to make. I therefore kept 

 to their course which, after floundering through many miles of 

 wet forest and along muddy cattle-tracks that intersected 

 it in all directions, eventually brought us to a wonderful little 

 crater-lake, tucked away into the riven foot of Mikeno on its 

 western flank. This appeared to me to be a serviceable 

 place from which to begin the ascent of the two giant vol- 

 canoes that now towered into the clouds above us, and more- 

 over my boots being wet through, with rain still falling and 



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