Through the Semliki Valley 217 
replaced it the next day with another. It proved, as we already 
were aware, that in 1906 a Belgian officer named Bogaerts and 
a non-commissioned officer, Joissan, had been there, and, what 
we did not know, that on the 14th of December, 1907, Mr. J. S. 
Coates, of the Anglo-Belgian Boundary Commission, had ‘ drunk 
to the health of his predecessors.’ Now I understood why the 
so-called ‘ Belgian camp ’ had looked so fresh. In passing, just 
a hint for those desiring to record their visit in bottle form at 
other spots: Take a slip of paper, not too large, and roll it so 
that the writing is on the outside, and place it in the neck of 
the bottle with the writing against the glass, so that it can be 
easily read by all who may come after. 
“ It was time to return, but I had good reason to feel satisfied, 
for, favoured by a radiantly sunny day—a great rarity on 
Ruwenzori—I had seen everything that I could under such condi¬ 
tions. I had enjoyed a clear view of the mightiest peak of the 
group. Mount Stanley, and had at least obtained some conception 
of the snows and wildness of its glaciers. The huge sentinels 
crowning the highest ridges particularly attracted my attention, 
with their colossal icicles hanging down from jagged rocks and 
ice blocks, or leaning against them like columns. They are, 
doubtless, the result of powerful sun effects alternating wuth 
long, cold nights. Unfortunately I was not privileged to get 
as far as the glaciers, as the deep cleft in which the lake lay 
was unsurpassable from this direction. If I had decided to 
make a circuit, it would have necessitated my encamping on 
Ulimbi, and our equipment was not adequate for that. First 
and foremost we possessed no so-called ‘ patrol-tents ’ and 
sleeping bags, not to mention any Alpine tourist kit, ice-axes, 
ropes, etc. 
“It appears to me that the route through the Butagu valley 
is very well adapted for attaining the highest summit of Mount 
Stanley. In the first place, it is not necessary to traverse any 
of the swampy valleys of which the Duke d’Abruzzi complains so 
much. Up to our fixed camp, direct north-east of the junction 
of the three great streams, there is still cultivated country, and 
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