i6o 
In the Heart of Africa 
Unfortunately this colossal volcanic giant was not fated to 
be conquered without loss of human life. Kirschstein and his 
caravan were overtaken by a terrible catastrophe on Karissimbi. 
When I received the following letter from Kirschstein I was 
filled with deep pity for the poor fellows who, whilst faithfully 
fulfilling their duty, had fallen victims to their superstitions:— 
“ My labours at Karissimbi were for the most part concluded 
by the 26th of February. My frozen followers had held on for 
a full seven days with me in the airy heights without grumbling. 
Added to the unwonted cold we were suffering from shortness of 
provisions. I therefore resolved to begin the descent. It was a 
bright sunny morning when we struck camp on the eastern edge 
of the Branca Crater, where for the time being we had pitched 
our tents. It never entered our heads then that in a few short 
hours we should be brought face to face with grim death. . . . 
“As we had to return by the southern side of the mountain 
on account of its being an easier descent, I selected the shorter 
cut right across the Branca Crater instead of making a circuit of 
it, which would have meant a journey of two or three hours 
longer. The imposing, broad, flat surface of the crater forms 
a great moor, from the centre of which a small, irregular volcanic 
cone rises up. On the cone there is a beautiful clear lake 
encircled by very steep walls. A few other lakes, shut in partly 
by low hills, lie to the south-east and north-west of the otherwise 
perfectly level and spongy floor of the crater. 
“We had safely traversed the first half of the moor when 
we were suddenly assailed by an extraordinarily violent shower 
of hail which came down from an almost bright sky, whilst a 
dense fog gathered at the same time. The temperature sank to 
zero, and then a snowstorm of such fury set in that, if I had 
not myself been a witness of it, I should have deemed it im¬ 
possible in equatorial Africa. My carriers had scarcely perceived 
the snow when they threw away their loads, lay down on the 
ground, and with wails declared that they must die. > It was in 
vain that I urged them to pursue the march. I made it quite 
plain to them that lying down on the icy cold, swampy ground, 
