R. B. WOOSNAM — ITINERAET. 11 



to the length of the range, and an area about 10 miles long by 8 miles broad 

 contains all the permanent snow. 



The slope of the west side of the ridge is very much steeper than that of the east, 

 and the distance from the foot of the mountains to the watershed is considerably less. 

 Mr. G. F. Scott Elliot estimated the western slope at an angle of 22° and the eastern 

 slope at 4°. 



At the south end two long narrow spurs project from the main mass into the Lake 

 Edward plain, reaching almost to the shore of the lake. At the north end the lower 

 slopes gradually subside into the high country of over 5000 feet which surrounds 

 Fort Portal, and continues along the east side of Lake xllbert ; but the main ridge, 

 which is quite narrow at this point, extends into the Semliki Valley, nearly to Lake 

 Albert. 



The permanent snow-line on the east side is 14,500 feet ; on the west side it is 

 probably lower, owing to the fact that the latter is more protected from the sun's 

 rays than the east. Unfortunately the snow-line on the west side was not actually 

 attained, although two members of the party climbed to an altitude of 11,000 feet, 

 and would undoubtedly have reached the snow had they not been suddenly compelled 

 to return on account of a native disturbance below. 



Above 6000 feet the temperature on Ruwenzori never rises very high nor does it 

 fall very low at the summit. At an elevation of 6500 feet in the Mubuku Valley the 

 maximum and minimum Fahrenheit observed during four months averaged max. 74°*04, 

 min. 58°-16 ; at 12,500 feet the maximum and minimum observed were max. 51°'5, 

 min. 36° ; once in the early morning at 10,000 feet the vegetation was white with 

 frost. Above the snow-line the temperatures observed by H.R.H. the Duke of the 

 -Abruzzi were max. 43°, min. 26°. 



The rainfall and moisture on the mountain above 5000 feet are excessive, and 

 during 118 days spent in the Mubuku Valley rain fell on 78 days. The dry and wet 

 seasons on the mountains and in the Toro district are as follows : — 



The dry season continues from the last week of December to the middle of 

 February ; this does not mean that there is no rain then, but that there is less than 

 at other times. From the middle of February till May and sometimes till June there 

 is rain, but it is not excessive. June, July, and August are generally fine and fairly 

 dry with only a little rain, but they are seldom so dry as January, and sometimes during 

 June there is a very heavy rainfall. From September to the middle of December the 

 rainfall is very great, November and December being the wettest months of all. 



There is a very marked contrast between the climate of the south and the central 

 portion of the range. At the south end the rainfall is much less, and the vegetation, 

 as already stated, consists of short grass and acacia trees, the whole district having an 

 arid appearance, much like parts of South Africa. The same conditions occur at the 

 north end, but not to such a marked degree as at the south. 



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