Chapter II. 
arranged to leave Italy in the spring in order to reach the 
mountains by the beginning of June. 
The expedition was accordingly equipped in the early months 
of 1906. Care was taken to enable it to reap the utmost profit 
from the exceptional opportunities for scientific investigation 
offered by a journey among mountains still almost unknown, and 
THE UGANDA RAILWAY. 
situated in peculiar conditions in the centre of a continent where 
much still remains to be discovered. 
The main object of the expedition was of course geographical 
in the strict sense of the word ; that is, to clear up the 
topography of the chain and ascertain the heights of the 
mountains. This work was to be completed by observations 
on physical geography, meteorology and magnetism. 
In connection with these aims it was important to illustrate 
28 
