Chapter IV. 
The mountains seen and drawn by Stuhlmann at the head 
of the Butagu Valley to the west of the chain would not, in 
this case, have been the same as those seen from the east, 
which the Italian expedition had observed from Kaibo and 
Butiti. It seemed, therefore, a better plan to attempt the 
ascent from the western slope. 
These accounts perplexed the Duke greatly. If, on the one 
hand, he followed the route of his predecessors up the Mobuku 
Valley there was the risk, on reaching the peaks at the head 
of the valley, of seeing his way to the higher summits cut off by 
some deep valley or insuperable ridge. If, on the other hand, 
he should resolve to try the western slopes, it would become 
necessary to make a long detour across the low regions, through 
malarial districts, in order to turn the southern end of the 
NATIVE HUT. 
chain and reach the Semliki Valley. Here, there would be 
uncertainty as to the sufficiency of local resources to feed so 
numerous an expedition, and still greater uncertainty as to 
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