Chap. XXIV. KIRK'S RANGE. 491 



This is a great, bare, rounded block of granite shooting up 

 from the rest of the chain. It and several other masses of 

 rock are of a light grey colour, with white patches, as if of 

 lichens ; the sides and summits are generally thinly covered 

 with rather scraggy trees. There are several other pro- 

 minent peaks — one, for instance, still further north, called 

 Chirobve. Each has a name, but we could never ascertain 

 that there was an appellation which applied to the whole. 

 This fact, and our wish to commemorate the name of Dr. 

 Kirk, induced us afterwards, when we could not discover a 

 particular peak mentioned to us formerly as Molomo-ao- 

 koku, or Cock's-bill, to call the whole chain from the west of 

 the Cataracts up to the north end of the Lake, " Kirk's Range." 

 The part we slept at opposite Mvai was named Paudio, and 

 was evidently a continuation of the district of one of our 

 stations on the Shire, at which observations for latitude were 

 formerly taken. 



Leaving Paudio, we had Kirk's Range close on our left 

 and at least 3000 feet above us, and probably not less than 

 5000 feet above the sea. Far to our right extended a 

 long green wooded country rising gradually up to a ridge, 

 ornamented with several detached mountains, which bounded 

 the Shire Valley. In front, northwards, lay a valley as rich 

 and lovely as we ever saw anywhere, terminating at the 

 mountains, which, stretched away some thirty miles beyond 

 our range of vision and ended at Cape Maclear. The 

 groups of trees had never been subjected to the landscape 

 gardener's art ; but had been cut down mercilessly, just as 

 suited the convenience of the cultivator ; yet the various 

 combinations of open forest, sloping woodland, grassy lawns, 

 and massive clumps of dark green foliage along the running- 

 streams, formed as beautiful a landscape as could be seen 

 on the Thames. This valley is named Goa or Gova, and as 



