Through the Semliki Valley 211 
away with choppers. Broad leaves with sharp edges cut into 
hands and face, and incessant endeavours to protect one’s eyes 
finally produce a feeling of intense nervousness. In addition 
to this, there was the heavy, moist air under the tall, soaking 
trees. At times this grassy wilderness was broken by immense 
fronds of isolated wine-palms, resting on short stems, or by 
banana fields and small cultivated plots. Later on the elephant- 
grass was relieved by plots of brake-fern, as tall as a man, 
which certainly reminded one of home, but were not pleasant to 
negotiate. Strips of woodland, however, which interspersed the 
scenery here and there, and in which splendid tree-ferns spread 
their mighty yet graceful fronds across the murmuring waters 
afforded a welcome change. The steep, slippery path through 
these deeply-indented side valleys was torture at times for the 
carriers, and we were often very much concerned for our still 
more sensitive collections. 
“At last, at a bend of the way, we espied a small settle¬ 
ment in the distance, Kakalonge, set on the ridge of a hill which 
slopes gently from the higher mountains down to the Butagu, 
which, with its few round huts and cultivated plots, wore a 
friendly and inviting aspect. 
“ Here, after a really exhausting day for the carriers, we 
pitched our camp at an altitude of about 2,200 metres. The 
landscape already exhibited the sublimity of Alpine regions, 
although, thus far, the loftiest splendours were still concealed 
from our view. Right before us, across the rushing Butagu in 
the depths below, we gazed on the Wawunga mountains rising 
aloft like a gigantic wall, which accompany the main valley to 
the south. Lower down, the steep slopes were still dotted with 
single huts and small cultivated spots, as well as numerous wild 
banana trees, whose light green colour formed a bright spot; 
farther up woods covered the mountain sides. 
“The vegetation in the vicinity of our camp was in the 
main of a secondary character, a mixture of brake-fern and all 
kinds of shrubs, bushes and plants, amongst which the beautiful 
big vernonia, with large white or pale lilac corymbus, and the 
