The Eastern Congo 



a fatal accident with a wounded lion overtook the eldest of the 

 two brothers whilst out shooting on the Ruindi Plains. 



After three days' climbing round the steep sides of Mikeno, 

 it became evident that the gorillas had shifted their quarters 

 to the eastern slopes of Karisimbi, and the weather being wet 

 and misty, I had to abandon any further ideas of cinemato- 

 graphy or gorilla hunting. Therefore we struck camp, and 

 moving northward, crossed the watershed on to the recently 

 formed lava flats, the drainage from which forms one of the 

 ultimate sources of the Nile. 



The roughness and iron-like nature of the volcanic region 

 through which we were passing, was well evidenced by the 

 mutilated and bent toes of not only all our porters, but of 

 the majority of the inhabitants of the villages as well. More- 

 ever, hunters who know the district complain that many 

 of the elephants who roam over this region are quite often 

 minus one tusk, due to having it smashed off when stumbling 

 or stampeding over the lava-strewn bush. My wife and my- 

 self, in spite of our boots, soon felt the discomfort of walking 

 on such a hard and unyielding surface, and the feet of our 

 carriers were usually bleeding at the end of the day's march. 

 Having passed the Roman Catholic Mission of Rugari we were 

 therefore glad to find ourselves well over the more recent 

 lava flow and to feel the soft earth again beneath our feet. 



Wishing to get our camp fixed up and to avoid one of the 

 afternoon storms we were experiencing at this time, I found 

 it necessary, contrary to my general rule, to pass this mission 

 without calling on the Fathers by which, much to my regret, 

 I lost the goodwill of these kind people. It appears they were 

 expecting and looking forward to meeting us, but this I did 

 not realise at the time or I should have stopped for a chat. 



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