Chapter X. 
which the valley again narrows into a gorge formed by the north¬ 
ward prolongation of the spur on whose southern extremity rises 
the Cagni Peak. This spur runs so far across the valley as 
almost to meet the long and considerable buttress which 
stretches from Mt. Speke eastward and forms so far the northern 
or left wall of the valley. Upon the ridge of this spur of 
Mt. Speke stands the extraordinary monolith of rock, with 
regular and architectural lines, which had been one of the first 
features noticed by them in the ascents of Mt. Baker. 
The way leads down the right side of the gorge, which 
is clothed at the bottom with a dense forest of heaths, which 
would have caused them to waste a good deal of time had 
a track not been already cut. They came out of this gorge 
upon a third plain of more ample dimensions, into which open 
several tributary valleys from the north. One of these runs 
up to the north-west behind the east spur of Mt. Speke,, 
and at its head forms the narrow gorge between Mt. Emin 
and Mt. Gessi. This is the Migusi Valley. Two more 
valleys, divided by a minor ridge, are traversed by the 
torrent Kurungu, which springs from a little lake fed by 
the Iolanda Glacier of Mt. Gessi, and the Waigga which 
also flows from a lake at the foot of the North Portal. 
On reaching this plain, they encamped in a suitable 
place (11,503 feet), near a sheltering rock at the foot of a. 
spur on the right side of the valley in a clearing of the forest 
all full of blossoming helichrysum. The spot was lovely, the 
slopes of the valley clad with dense forest, while before them 
towered up the rocky peaks of the North Portal. 
This Camp, marked No. IX on the map, was their starting 
point for the ascent of Mt. Gessi, the last mountain still 
left unclimbed. 
266 
