147 
In the Volcanic Region 
It was high time to return as hastily as possible from the 
snowfield to camp, as thick layers of fog were beginning to 
rise up from the valley. So on a jutting mass of rock we care¬ 
fully laid down a preserved meat tin containing our names as a 
record that, so far, this was the highest point on Mikeno which 
human foot had ever trod. On getting down we were again 
enveloped in fog, and it was with some difficulty that we suc¬ 
ceeded in groping our way back to camp. Our frugal evening 
meal consisted of a few boxes of herrings and a tin of fruit. 
The night corresponded to the preceding one. The wind 
heightened to a gale, and shook our tents, and the pegs kept 
loosening. When morning drew near the mountains were again 
covered with a white cloak, and the fog had grown denser. 
The loads were strapped up and we began the descent to 
Burunga. The faces of our sorely-tried carriers lightened up, 
and they even attempted to strike up a song with their weak 
throats. Soberly we set out for the camping place lying deeper 
below, hurrying ahead of the caravan. Arrived there we made a 
light meal and gave the carriers a rest, and in the afternoon 
we were back in Burunga once more. The carriers came in 
singly and at long intervals, completely exhausted. Some even 
remained to rest on their way and did not reach Burunga until 
night. By a judicious distribution of extra baksheesh they were, 
however, soon restored to good humour. 
On the first of November we set about making the ascent 
of Namlagira, whose eruptions have ceased of late, but from 
whose broad crater at that time we daily saw the vaporous clouds 
ascending. 
Namlagira is separated from Burunga, as also from Nina- 
gongo, by an extensive lava field which evidently emanates from 
the subsidiary craters on its southern slopes. The lava strata 
lie over one another about a foot in thickness, and pile them¬ 
selves like ice-floes at a river’s mouth. These had to be clam¬ 
bered over, and where broad fissures appeared long alpenstocks 
had to be used to leap the yawning clefts. These lava drifts 
are interspersed with jagged points of block lava. The latter 
