A VOLCANIC ERUPTION IN EAST AFRICA 889 
A VOLCANIC ERUPTION IN EAST AFRICA 
By C. W. Hob ley 
About forty miles south of the Anglo-German boundary, 
and twelve miles south of Lake Natron in the southern extension 
of the Rift Valley, there is a mountain, called by the Masai 
— Donyo L’Engai (‘ The mountain of God ’). This mountain 
is of volcanic origin, and in shape is a very perfect cone, and 
various travellers have recorded the fact that considerable 
quantities of steam issued from its crater. Its altitude is, 
according to German authorities, 9480 feet. It is now bare 
and devoid of vegetation. 
According to the Masai tradition, it is the fountain from 
which their original live-stock came forth ; and they will tell 
one that they can at times still hear the lowing of cattle inside 
the mountain ; and they occasionally send offerings in the 
shape of black sheep and goats, which are sacrificed on the 
mountain- slopes — especially in times of famine, or disease 
among themselves or their stock. Subterranean noises are, 
however, not uncommon in volcanoes which are only partially 
extinct. In January 1917, however, this mountain suddenly 
burst into active eruption, and continued in eruption until 
about June. It is said that flames and smoke could be seen 
as far away as the slopes of Meru Mountain, which is a great 
extinct volcano about fifty miles east of Donyo L’Engai. 
A vast amount of material was ejected from the mountain, 
and the country for many miles round is covered with a pall 
of grey volcanic ash and soda. 
The Masai state that the layer of volcanic ash was deposited 
over a large area to the west and as far south as Ngaruka. 
When the eruption commenced, the Masai were extremely 
exercised, and sent women to sacrifice animals and pour out 
calabashes of milk on the slopes of the volcano ; the women 
