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MEMOIRS OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN [Vol, 8, No. 3 



Termite mounds on the dry woodlands, usually about 6-10 feet high and 

 20 feet or more across the base in this area, carried a distinctive but limited 

 flora of shrubs and trees, and frequently a species of Sansevieria and the vine 

 Cocculus hirsutus (L.) Diels. The trees were all sterile and most of them leaf- 

 less. Among the commoner large shrubs were Cadaba kirkii Oliv., Combretum 

 mossambicense (Klotz.) Engl., and Phyllantbus 17563. 



In seven days, 106 numbers of plants in flower or fruit were collected in the 

 Chia and on the lakeshores at Benga. For dry season collecting this was con- 

 sidered fairly satisfactory. 



Cholo Mountain. Situated on the eastern brink of the Rift, 35 miles west of 

 Mlanje Mountain, Cholo Mountain had the form of an elongated ridge some- 

 what over 4,600 feet in maximum elevation. On its upper parts, in a belt 4 or 5 

 miles long and perhaps a mile wide, the mountain carried one of the largest of 

 the scattered tracts of rain forest in the Protectorate. The western side of the 

 mountain dropped very steeply into the Rift Valley. Below the rain forests on 

 the more moderate eastern slopes, and on the southern extension of the Shire 

 Highlands at the foot of the mountain, were numerous native villages and some 

 large tea plantations. Protruding above the forest on an eastern spur of the 

 main ridge was a "rainmaker's rock," a monolith of syenite or some other 

 granitic rock which the natives called Cholo, the name now applied to the whole 

 mountain and the adjacent district. 



We were able to drive our truck to the edge of the rain forest on the southern 

 end of the mountain, where we camped at about 4,000 feet, near native gardens 

 and several small villages. More or less cloudy though fine weather prevailed 

 through most of our stay from September 18 to 30. Sharp showers, and mist down 

 to the ground, were experienced for a few hours on the morning of the 19th. The 

 first thunderstorm rain of the season occurred during the afternoon of the 24th. 

 During the night before and the night after this event, our tents were invaded by 

 myriads of black ants on migration. The ants overran beds, boxes and tables, but 

 the ridges of the tents were found to be a safe retreat by the many spiders and 

 crickets which shared our quarters with us. 



Although developed under presumably wetter and more uniform climatic 

 conditions, and somewhat more luxuriant, and richer in species, the rain forests 

 of Cholo Mountain had much in common with those of Nchisi. Here, however, there 

 had been recent encroachment by natives clearing land for cultivation, and ex- 

 tensive developments of second growths bordered the primary forest on the 

 slopes. Here and there in the depths of the forest one found spring snares and 

 deadfaHs set by the natives to catch mammals for meat, but there were no well- 

 defined paths. Such paths as there were began and ended nowhere in particular. 

 The village natives showed reluctance to go into the forest with us. They pro- 

 fessed to be afraid. Someone had spread the word that we were there for no good 

 purpose. In fact, we were witch doctors. We ate human flesh. Those who had 

 dealings with us would die of our sorcery, and be devoured. So went a story 

 we heard on the mountain, and in an effort to break the hoodoo, one afternoon 

 we had our headboy conduct a group of locals through the camp on a sight- 

 seeing tour. The visitors went away apparently satisfied that we were harmless 

 enough, if a bit unusual. There was a second story, which we heard later. Hid- 

 den away in the forest, according to this, were stills in which a virulent liquor 

 was made from mealies and potatoes. Our reception on the mountain was per- 

 haps to be explained as just another case of moonshiners not liking strangers. 



In some parts the forest was much broken by openings in the canopy, filled 

 with regrowths— a condition hard to account for unless by the fall of strangling 



