Through the Semliki Valley 225 
was known amongst the natives, is still maintained to the present 
day throughout the Congo territory. Europeans who by their 
prominence specially impress the inhabitants are designated 
“Bulamatari.’’ The governor and the heads of districts are 
frequently given this name; I myself was honoured with it at 
times. 
As little could be done in the way of enriching our collections 
at this lake, we left again very shortly, taking a westerly direc¬ 
tion. After a march of two and a half hours we arrived at the 
foot of the mountains, having passed through a park-like, exten¬ 
sive steppe, thickly grown with euphorbia. The sun poured 
down unmercifully on the caravan, and thus made the ascent a 
torture. The stony parts were so hot that, if the carriers halted, 
the soles of their naked feet were burnt. At length we reached 
a mountain brook, clear and cool, and the entire caravan plunged 
into it without hesitation. Even the dogs jumped in with great 
eagerness. The camp was pitched without delay. As the sun 
sank, a beautifully refreshing breeze swept across the slopes, and 
our thermometer sank to 21 degrees Celsius. We breathed new 
life again. The heat had exercised a most enervating influence 
upon us, and our sleep had been of a broken nature, as we were 
continually waking bathed in perspiration. 
The next morning, which was cool and overcast, saw us on 
our way to the ridge. Before us lay a wide, extensive plain, 
whilst behind us the sun pierced its way gradually through the 
mist. Lake Albert disappeared by degrees behind the mountain 
tops, and we lost sight of the Central African rift-valley for 
ever. 
The strips of country we hurriedly traversed during the days 
following were reminiscent of Ruanda, and were populated by 
Bawira and Bawisha. The undulating land is poor in timber and 
sparsely sprinkled with mtama fields; game is entirely lacking. 
The nearer we approached the mountain dividing us from Kilo 
the more thickly inhabited became the country, and, naturally, 
the settlements increased too. The villages of the Bawira were 
striking in appearance and were erected in a circular form 
2 D 
