8 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 89 



our trip to Fogo. Owing to a revolution in progress in Madeira, the 

 port of Funchal was blockaded, so we found it necessary to proceed 

 to England in order to catch our steamer for Cape Town. Landing 

 at Tilbury one afternoon, we had our boxes transferred, made our 

 reservations, and sailed from Southampton the following afternoon. 

 We arrived in Cape Town 17 days later, and after a few days spent 

 there, journeyed by train to Keetmanshoop, which was to be our 

 headquarters in Southwest Africa. We then went to Mount Brukkaros, 

 where the Smithsonian solar-radiation station was located, and with 

 Mr. Sordahl, in charge of the station, made many comparisons of 

 our instruments with the instruments which were regularly in use at 

 that station. An auto truck was ordered from Cape Town, and on its 

 arrival in Keetmanshoop we returned to that place and made prepara- 

 tions for observing on Lord Hill, in the Great Karras Mountains, 

 60 miles southeast of Keetmanshoop. This peak has an elevation of 

 about 7,200 feet, and is located at approximately latitude 27° S. and 

 longitude 19° E., being on the Kraikluft farm, owned by Mrs. E. R. 

 West and her son Austin, both of whom w^re of great assistance to us 

 during our two visits to Lord Hill. This peak was occupied by us from 

 June 17 to 30, and from September 16 to 30, inclusive. 



After the first visit to Lord Hill, the long journey was made to the 

 Erongo Mountains, about 20 miles north of Usakos, and at latitude 

 21° 44' S. and longitude 15° 34' E. The only passable road, although 

 much out of a direct line, was via Windhoek, the capital of Southwest 

 Africa. There we obtained passes, permits, and much valuable infor- 

 mation from the Government officials, particularly Mr. Smit, the Sec- 

 retary for Southwest Africa. The Ebrecht farm at the foot of the 

 Erongos was reached July 13, and Erongo Mountain was occupied 

 from the 15th to the 28th of that month, inclusive. This mountain is 

 of granite formation and is extremely steep and rugged, and much 

 difficulty was encountered by the Klip Kafir porters in making the 

 ascent. So rough was the region that no donkeys could be used in 

 packing, since the boxes had to be carried underneath and among enor- 

 mous boulders in many places in making the ascent. Mr. Ebrecht 

 kindly arranged the details of our packing for us. 



While on Erongo Mountain a record was kept also of the apparent 

 sky conditions over the Brandberg Range, about 60 miles to the west. 

 There appeared to be more cloudiness, particularly of the cirrus vari- 

 ety, in the region north of Windhoek than farther south. Although 

 there were some excellent skies seen from Erongo Mountain, the rec- 

 ord was not at all encouraging, and Brandberg, which is the highest 

 mountain in Southwest Africa, and in a region of less than 2 inches 



