In the Volcanic Region 163 
the face of peril on the part of most of the Askari who formed 
our escort for the better part of a year. 
In spite of the severe catastrophe on Karissimbi, Kirschstein 
successfully completed the geological survey of the volcanic 
region, and amongst other achievements he was the first European 
to climb Wissoke, which belongs to the middle group. It would, 
however, lead me too far were I to enter into the details of his 
special investigations. I will content myself in this place with 
quoting a few of his observations concerning Muhawura, the 
easternmost of the Virunga volcanoes: — 
“ My researches on Muhawura, which is 4,165 metres in height, 
led to the establishment of the fact, which is as noteworthy as it 
is surprising, that this mountain, generally believed to be ex¬ 
tinct, has had lava floodings at a comparatively recent date, 
which have streamed away over itsv eastern and north-eastern 
slopes. Thus the theory that the furnace of the volcanic forces 
in the interior of the Virunga mountains has travelled from east 
to west, and that therefore the older volcanic creations are to be 
found in the east and the younger in the west is confuted. 
For Muhawura, which is the most easterly, would in that case 
be the most venerable and longest extinct of the Virunga 
volcanoes; this, however, is not the case. 
“The conviction at which I have arrived, based on the geo¬ 
logical traces, of the relative youth of Muhawura finds support 
in the vegetation of the mountain, whose east to north-eastern 
slope is remarkable inasmuch as the flora bears the distinct stamp 
of the incompleted, one might say of debris: a mazy chaos of 
herbaceous growths, but no tree, only indications of bamboo, 
no ericacecB. Mildbraed is also of the opinion that lava streams 
have flowed down this side of Muhawura at no very distant 
date. On the other hand, the senecio region at the summit is 
developed quite typically in places which have been spared by 
the recent lava floods. Here again, as in Karissimbi, one finds 
the conjunction of Senecio Johnstonii, Lobelia Wollasitonii sp. 
Moore and Alchemilla cinerea Engl. The senecio, indeed, forms 
a belt-like zone, a real primeval forest of such density and 
