The Eastern Congo 



in colour. The only noise I heard during the six hours spent 

 on the summit was a seething sound from the shaft as of 

 boiling lava. The vapour and smoke from the volcano are 

 in no way mephitic, as swifts were to be observed circling 

 around within the crater itself, even as though there were 

 insects to be caught there. I myself took one butterfly, an 

 Acfceid, and also observed a large species of Hesperid flying 

 past, right on the lip of the crater. The acid sulphur fumes 

 were just noticeable, but were rather pleasant than otherwise. 

 Having taken my fill, not only of the enthralling sight 

 of the great crater beside me, but also of the extensive pano- 

 rama below me of forest, lake and crater, I proceeded to 

 photograph and film all that I considered worth while. 

 Ninagongo itself first occupied my attention and after 

 Karisimbi and Mikeno, its subsidiary southern crater, as a 

 good bird's-eye view of its forest-clad mouth was obtainable 

 from where I stood. 



The fact that a column of vapour appeared to be issuing 

 from the eastern end of this supposed extinct volcano and 

 the otherwise interesting look of its grass-covered crater- 

 floor, aroused the curiosity of both Commandant HoUants and 

 myself so much that we determined to put our camp there 

 that night. Therefore, after a prolonged study of the north 

 end of Lake Kivu, we descended and striking camp, soon 

 found ourselves clambering down the steep cliffs that form 

 the crater-ring and which we had seen from above. 



The vegetation we passed through before reaching the 

 open crater-iloor was the weirdest and most fantastic I have 

 ever seen, composed as it was, almost entirely, of bright 

 green yellow-flowered senecios, overhung by festoons of grey- 

 green beard-moss which grew on every small tree and bush. 



76 



