METEOROLOGY AND CLIMATE. 197 



I have watched from my camp on Kivata a 

 thunderstorm apparently doing its best to reach 

 the mountain, but passing northwards and coasting 

 it 8 or 9 miles away. The plains were deluged 

 with rain, but scarcely a drop fell in my camp. 

 On another occasion a horizontal bank of clouds 

 tried during the whole of an afternoon to reach 

 my camp, and only succeeded at about 7 p.m. In 

 both these cases there must have been some 

 vertical motion in the atmosphere which prevented 

 their approach. 



The climate of the Central African Watershed, 

 by which I mean the highlands from 4,500 or 5,000 

 feet upwards, which form the backbone of the con- 

 tinent dividing those streams which eventually fall 

 into the Kagera river from those which enter 

 Tanganyika and the Albert Edward, is probably 

 a very fair one for Europeans. It is true that 

 there are numerous swamp-rivers, and my own 

 experience was anything but favourable ; still, the 

 altitude is very considerable in most places, and, 

 what is of more importance, much the largest part 

 of the country consists of dry grassy hills and 

 plateaux, having all the appearance of a rather 

 low rainfall. My own condition was probably due 

 to constant fevers and two or three slight touches 

 of sunstroke. It is, therefore, with some hesi- 

 tation that I place this district within the Colony 

 zone. 



Unfortunately, as usually happens, this climatic 



