Geographical Journal (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society): Volume VIII, No. 5 [‎37r] (76/154)

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SOME BOOKS OX EAST AND SOUTH AFRICA.
massive simplicity is more easily taken in; the various peaks and toothed
pinnacles of Kenya, separated by upland valleys, show a more compli
cated general structure. The route followed is not marked on the
sketch-map, but the names given to the chief features are an assistance
in tracing it. Dr. (rregory does not appear to have named the striking
rock-pinnacle, which rises above the moraines of the Lewis glacier, and
which might readily be mistaken for the highest summit, though a com-
j(arisen with, the map and the other views shows that it is not.
I hough lacking the precision of photographs, the views alluded to
give a vivid general idea of the features of the great mountain.
An interesting chapter deals with problems connected with the
distribution of the flora and fauna, on which new light has been
tin own by the discoveiy ot moraines on Kenya at a much lower level
than is leached by the present glaciers. In his division of the country
into botanic zones, Dr. Gregory has introduced a slight modification
since publishing his paper in the Journal. He defines a somewhat
greater number than Mr. Scott-Elliot, but does not discriminate so
minutely as Prof. Engler, whose eight floral zones, laid down for Usam-
bara, do not include the higher mountains. The high mountain forests
of Usambara correspond, according to Dr. Gregory, with the mountain
forest which clothes the lower slopes of the main peaks." Wb cannot
do more than refer to the section dealing with the native tribes, which
gives, perhaps, the best summary of our present knowledge which exists
in English. Special attention is paid to the history of tribal migra
tions, and the main war-paths of the Masai are shown on one of the
accompanying sketch-maps.
Mr Chanler s volume f takes the form of a detailed narrative of the
events connected with his expedition to the north-east of Mount Kenya,
in conjunction with Lieut, von Hohnel. Although the difficulties
encountered caused a partial failure of the original plan, enough new
ground was broken to give a considerable value to the results attained,
a previously unknown area of over 100 miles in each direction being
carefully mapped. The excellence of the former surveys of von Hohnel,
on whom this work devolved, is a voucher for the trustworthiness of tho
map, which is on the large scale of 1: 750,000. The colouring, accord
ing to contours of altitude—though the data available can hardly admit
of great exactitude—no doubt gives a good general idea of the relief of
the country. The chief geographical discovery was the tracing of the
river Guaso Nyiro through the greater part of its course to the Lorian
swamp, the position of which was thus for the first time defined. Much *
* In the case of Kenya the forest zone is almost at the base, owing to the height of
the plateau on which the mountain is placed; but on Kilimanjaro it begins only at a
considerable height.
t ‘ Through Jungle and Desert.’ By William Astor Chanler. London and New
York: Macmillan. 1896.
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