10 ZOOLOGICAL EESULTS OF THE EUWENZOEI EXPEDITION. 



the authorities of the Independent State of the Congo have been obtained. From Fort 

 Portal we returned to Irumu, by the same road previously traversed, and thence a march 

 of eleven days along a well-kept path through the forest brought us to Mawambi, the 

 next Congolese post. Here it was necessary to engage fresh carriers for the march 

 of eight days to Avakubi on the Aruwimi River. On the Aruwimi dug-out native 

 canoes are used for all transport, and with these we continued our journey down 

 to Basoko, where the Aruwimi joins the Congo. There are many dangerous rapids 

 on the Aruwimi and at each it was necessary to unload the canoes, which were then 

 taken down the rapids by expert canoe-men, while the baggage was carried round to 

 the smooth water below by the women. The latter do all the work of carriers in the 

 Aruwimi district, the men working only in the canoes. 



At Basoko we said good-bye to the canoes and canoe-men, but not without regret, 

 and embarked in the steam-boats which now run regularly up and down the Congo. 

 From Basoko ten days brought us to Leopoldville at the head of the rapids, and the 

 remaining journey of two days to the coast was made by railway. 



During the whole of our journey through Congolese territory we received the greatest 

 kindness and hospitality from the officials of the Independent State, and every possible 

 assistance was gi^■en and consideration shown to the members of the Expedition. 



GENERAL FEATURES OF RUWENZORI. 



On the journey from Entebbe, as Toro was approached, a sharp look-out was kept 

 for the first glimpse of the " Mountains of the Moon," but it was not until we were 

 within two days' march of Fort Portal that we were rewarded with a sight of them. At 

 dawn on the morning of December the loth, from a camp called Butiti, about 30 miles 

 from the foot of the mountains, we obtained our first and only view of the entire 

 range absolutely clear of clouds. A great mass of dark blue mountains lay spread 

 out before us in the form of a long ridge culminating near the middle in a group of 

 high snow-clad peaks. Just to the south of the snow a few sharp jagged points of 

 black rock rose against the sky-line, while towards the north the ridge ran down more 

 gradually in a long slope nearly to Lake Albert. Dawn was tinging the snow-peaks 

 with pink, but the gloom of night still hung around the lower slopes and valleys. It 

 was a magnificent view, yet there was something foreboding and repellent in this rugged 

 mass of dark mountains which usually wrapped themselves so stubbornly in their 

 cloak of mist. 



Euwenzori is a mountain-range lying just north of the Equator, and forms a long 

 ridge between Lakes Albert and Edward. It lies between latitude 0° and 1° N. and 

 is cut by longitude 30° E. The whole range is about 70 miles long and 30 miles 

 across the widest part. It does not run due north and south, but rather N.N.East and 

 S.S.West. The loftiest part of the ridge is formed by a cluster of peaks, the highest 

 of which attains an altitude of 16,794 feet. The extent of snow is small in proportion 



