Through the Semliki Valley i99 
and breaking a large number of banana trees. These phenomenal 
displays of the African elements usually endure but for a short 
time, and in this instance within a quarter of an hour the sun 
was laughing at the ravages of the storm. 
Next day the entire expedition, accompanied by Veriter, 
started off on a fourteen days’ excursion towards the eastern 
margin of the great forest. After a short march on the first day, 
we pitched a camp deep in the forest, close' to the dwelling of 
the chief, Muera, who was, however, away. Breathless with 
expectation, we penetrated the mysterious, shadowy depths of 
this endless labyrinth of virgin forest. Our imagination was 
strongly stirred by the accounts of notable men, such as Stanley, 
Wissmann, and others, who had thrillingly described the delights 
—and terrors—of their journeyings through the leafy jungle. 
Since their time, however, the journey through the forest has 
doubtless been lessened of its terrors, but for the first few days 
of our stay there the full charm of its fascination was exercised 
upon us. All poetic fancies, however, were soon dispelled by 
the constantly increasing appeals to our scientific interest. 
The farther we penetrated its depths the greater grew the 
rapture of our botanist, for he discovered flora which differed 
essentially from any that we had hitherto encountered in the 
forests. We also constantly came across zoological novelties, 
more particularly smaller kinds of birds and lower forms of 
animal life. Nevertheless, Schubotz, strange to say, found 
species, particularly among the birds and the lepidoptera, which, 
in spite of their pronounced western character, he had already 
observed in the eastern forests and on the island of Kwidschwi, 
on Lake Kiwu. Great keenness in collecting was soon shown, 
which was evinced by the valuable spoils brought in from all 
directions. 
On the third day of our halt, Muera himself appeared. It 
was a matter of importance to us to get into contact with the 
Wambutti—the true pygmies—whose distributional area starts 
in this region. As the tribe which dwelt in the vicinity was 
under Muera’s authority, we were dependent upon him for help. 
