190 A NATURALIST IN MID-AFRICA. 



and Butagu valleys are very wet indeed, while the 

 Mubuku, Yeria, and Nyamwamba, as well as the 

 low hills, e.g., about Butanuka and the Salt lake, 

 are in comparison dry. It is not, however, so 

 much the actual rain as the persistent mist and 

 cloud that makes the climate unpleasant. 



The cloud mentioned above (ground fog ?) seems 

 in the morning, about 10 a.m., to condense and 

 collect at from 6,000 to 7,000 feet, according to 

 whether the particular spot is a narrow sheltered 

 valley or exposed ridge. It completely fills such 

 valleys as the Wimi, but blows over exposed bluffs 

 like the Yeria. It then begins slowly to crawl up 

 the mountain, reaching the level of the bamboos 

 about midday ; and at about 5.30 p.m. it begins 

 to dissolve away (as 'a rule), allowing one to see 

 during perhaps a quarter to half an hour the 

 beautiful snow-clad peaks, the highest summits of 

 the range. Even on the best days it is not a 

 clear view that one obtains, but very tantalising 

 glimpses ; now one snow-peak, now another, ap- 

 pearing, and then being again enshrouded in a pall 

 of mist. 



This, in part, explains why Kuwenzori was not 

 seen until Mr. Stanley approached it from the 

 north. The history of the discovery of Buwenzori 

 is a most curious one. Emin Pasha, so far as his 

 letters enable one to judge, never saw the snow, 

 but was well aware of what lie called the moun- 

 tains of Qsongora. Mr. Stanley, when speaking 



