The Eastern Congo 



including the purchase of blankets for those natives who 

 were to accompany me to the snow line. My porters 

 too and headmen, having been selected with some care, 

 I had every chance of bringing off a successful excursion 

 if the weather would only remain fine. 



The Ruwenzori peaks, which rise to a height of 16,790 

 feet, have been partially climbed by Sir Harry Johnston, 

 Douglas Freshfield, the Duke of the Abruzzi and others 

 from the north-east, and from the south by Stairs, Scott- 

 Elliot, Dr. Stuhlmann and J. E. S. Moore, but from the west 

 few attempts have been made. The great explorers selected 

 the eastern side, as here the rise to the watershed itself is 

 more gradual, the ascent from the west being very steep. 

 However my entomological work left me no alternative 

 but to accept the formidable climb from the Congo side, 

 and for this purpose it became evident that the Butahu 

 (or Butagu) Ravine, where the river of that name debouches 

 from the foot of the range, would be the most suitable. This 

 deep ravine, which runs into the heart of the Ruwenzori 

 Mountains, can be easily discerned from many points on 

 the upper Semliki as a dark cleft in the mountain mass. 



My sturdy Wanandi porters having turned up for the 

 last muster, their loads were soon adjusted, and four days 

 after my arrival at Mbeni, I found myself bound for the 

 Mountains of the Moon, and with my long butterfly net 

 waving a farewell to my wife. 



The Butahu River, which has its source in the summit 

 glaciers of Ruwenzori, falls into the Semliki near Mbeni, 

 and the track to the mountains after crossing the latter 

 river follows the Butahu pretty closely all the way. As the 

 days turned out sunny after the morning forest mists had 



134 



