134 A NATURALIST IN MID-AFRICA. 



From here the descent passes by some steep 

 hills and ravines to the Semliki valley, and thence 

 over a monotonous grassy, almost uninhabited, 

 country, intersected by numerous small tributaries 

 of the Semliki. One of these, the Meronyi, 

 marks the commencement of a rich and fertile 

 area, full of running streams, but now rendered 

 very unsafe by the constant raids of Karakwanzi 

 and the Wanyuema from across the river. 



In consequence of this, much of the best land 

 is overgrown with interminable elephant grass, 

 through which one has to burrow for hours. 



I at last found that I was approaching Karewia, 

 a German camp, and when the supposed site was 

 shown me, decided on ascending the hills and 

 forming a camp. The people were peculiarly shy, 

 and I had great difficulty in finding any one to 

 act as guide, but after some trouble, I found a 

 fairly good spot on the left bank of the Butagu 

 river. This was a most curious valley ; the 

 shape of it can be best understood by the drawing 

 and the section (given on p. 175, chap. x.). 

 Opposite me was a curious needle-like detached 

 pinnacle of rock, and far up the valley I used to 

 see at sunset the clouds gradually vanish away 

 from the sharp snowy peaks which Dr. Franz 

 Stuhlmann has christened after such well-known 

 people as Weissmann, Moebius, &c. 



I made a trial walk up the valley, and, after 

 passing four or live precipitous ravines, I found 



