The Eastern Congo 



The downward track through the burnt heather was now 

 easily discernible after the passing of the porters up and 

 down, but nevertheless, and in spite of my putting my best 

 foot foremost, I was only able to make slow progress down 

 the steep moss-covered crags : with the result that the storm 

 reached me some time before I sighted the camp, and broke 

 in a fury of heavy hail, that rattled on the heather round 

 about in an icy tornado. In less than no time the innumerable 

 cavities and depressions in the moss round about were filled 

 with hailstones as big as pea-nuts. 



In the middle of this tempest I gained at sundown the 

 welcome shelter of the tents, and was soon getting outside 

 a jorum of hot coffee and cognac. My four men, handicapped 

 by the heavy cameras and tripod were not so fortunate, 

 and only three turned up an hour later ; the remaining man 

 with the heavy kine-camera being unable to reach us until 

 eleven o'clock that night. When darkness set in I began 

 to have grave doubts concerning the safety of the fellow and 

 the storm abating somewhat I turned out two men, clad 

 in blankets and carrying a lantern, to go and search for him. 

 After much calling, some hours later, he was found under 

 a large boulder and eventually brought down ; the camera 

 case was soaked through with wet but otherwise had come 

 to no great harm. Thus ended Christmas day on Ruwenzori ! 



The night that followed was bitterly cold and only by 

 piling over m^^self every available material that I possessed 

 could I keep warm ; occasionally I hugged myself with 

 satisfaction at the thought that all my aims had been success- 

 fully accomplished and that it only remained for me now to 

 rejoin my wife at Mbeni. 



In the morning, hailstones still covered the ground and 



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