Gorilla Hunting 



The " saddle " that connects the two volcanoes of Mikeno 

 and Karisimbi approximates an elevation of ten thousand 

 five hundred feet, and, as water is obtainable in some small 

 bogs that exist there, I decided to reach this and make it my 

 camping place for the further exploration of this part of the 

 range. 



As the " safari " mounted to this ridge, evidences of 

 elephant and buffalo became more frequent, and the bamboo 

 and other tropical foliage more dense. However on approach- 

 ing the top, the hardy traveller will reach a definitely marked 

 zone beyond which the bamboo apparently will not grow, 

 and he will be deUghted to find himself amidst open forest 

 scenery that can only be described as elysian. This unique 

 forest, which is little more than two miles square, is composed 

 almost entirely of old and knotted hagenia trees (resembling 

 the European sumach) on the gnarled stems and branches of 

 which are to be seen massive pads of dark green moss. Ha- 

 genia trees growing elsewhere never attain a thickness of trunk 

 much greater than two feet, but here their growth for some 

 unexplained reason has become abnormal, many of their 

 red arched and buttressed trunks assuming giant proportions 

 three times this measurement. Judging by the rubbed and 

 marked appearance of many of them, they are greatly favoured 

 by the buffaloes for rubbing their horns and hides against, 

 also on occasions the shelters afforded by their overhanging 

 trunks are used by gorillas. 



These trees do not grow thickly together but form an 

 open forest, interspersed with small glades of tree veronicas 

 emd lobelias, the black loam beneath being covered with 

 succulent fennels, docks and sorrels and other species of 

 aquatic-looking plants that snap to the tread ; the sorrels, 



8i G 



