THE SOUTH-EAST FACE OF MOUNT KENYA 489 
ably from the extreme cold. By nine o’clock at night, the 
water standing in the bucket in our little camp was frozen 
solid, and it was almost impossible to sleep, owing to the fact 
that we had to replenish the fire continually, since the 
only fuel available was from the roots of the giant heather, 
which burn up very quickly, though they produce a good 
fire while they last. Large quantities of hot cocoa served 
to warm us during the night, and, with sunrise, the temperature 
grew very much more pleasant. I set out soon after daybreak, 
and continued the ascent towards the peak. I found move- 
ment very exhausting, since the change from the height of 
4000 to 5000 feet, at which I had been living for two years, 
was decidedly trying ; while the unaccustomed cold also seemed 
to put a strain on one’s lungs. In consequence, I found it 
necessary to rest fairly often, and suffered to some extent 
from headache and nausea as I reached the higher points ; 
the policemen who accompanied me also found the same 
difficulty. Travelling in this way, I reached a point about 
14,500 feet, and was at that time just approaching the snow 
limit : small quantities lay in crevices in the shadow, though 
they disappeared during the heat of the day. The ascent 
was quite gradual, and walking was by no means difficult. 
Up to about 12,000 feet one was travelling on coarse grass, 
growing in tufts about twelve to fifteen inches high, interspersed 
with clumps of giant heather, and in the damper spots with 
various reedy plants ; a flame-red gladiolus-like flower was also 
conspicuous, while a small blue gentian grew freely in moist 
spots — these being the only two flowers which were noticeable. 
At about 11,000 feet the heather and grass grew scantier and 
more stunted, until at 18,000 feet there was very little vegetation 
except in the more sheltered corners. A kind of aloe was to 
be found growing in clumps up to about 12,000 feet, and a 
few of the plants characteristic of the lower slopes were to be 
seen in the sheltered nooks. The vegetation belts on the 
mountain are clearly defined. The forest proper may be said 
to begin at about 6000 feet, and continues to about 8000 feet, 
at which altitude clumps of bamboo begin. This mixture of 
bamboo and forest continues to about 9000 feet, after which 
the bamboos alone remain and grow fairly thickly up to 
