The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-09
EXPLORING MOUNT KFNIA.
A Party Leaves England to Make n
Thorough Study of the Grcnt Snow Mount a n

Party Leaves England to Make n
Thorough Study of the Great Snow Mountain
Late last month Mr.. II. ]. Mackinder. reader
in geography at the University OF Oxford. left
England with party and n fine equipment.
intending to make ia thorough study as
can be made in month Of Mount Kenia. In
Fast Africa. the second largest OF African
submits and the only great mountain in the
continent lying directly on the equator. Six
men make up the party The utility OF having
the best of Alpine guides for mountain ex-
ploration was demonstrated long ago. and the
partys Journey up the mountain will certainly
be facilitated by the two competent Swiss
guides who are with 1t. Mr. Mack nder is also
accompanied by two taxidermists and collec-
tors and by Mr.. Hausburg. who has paid O
considerable part Of the expenses. which are
also shared by the Royal Geographical Society.
The expedition is fully supplied with instru-
ments cameras and other means Of carrying
on scientific work. The party propose to camp
at height of about 10000 feet and from this
as u base they will endeavor to make a good
map Of the whole mountain. escend TO its sum-
init. which has not yet been reached. journey
all around the mountain investigate its glacial
ton and its geology and mako ample coec
tons Of animals and plants. Mr. Mackinder
hopes to spend at least a full month on tho
mountain. but expects 70 be back in England
about the beginning OF October
These plans illustrate the progress OF events
in Africa. Not long ago twelve to eighteen
months would have been required to carry out
this. scheme OF exploration. but now tho rail-
road that is building from the Indian Ocean
to Victoria Nyanza will take the explorers
the time hitherto required to get to and from
heni9 is now saved; hpd tho party may there
9f @ sGa OF s% anS t 6e
the limits OF summer vacation.
The work win be full Of interest and oppor-
tunitics; The most important Investigations
who succeeded in reaching height Of about
observations would certainly yield interesting
scientific results One remarkable fact he dis
feet below the present limit OF the glaciers
showing that. long ago. it was q great deal
at m ha IL is hoT 9 the
donces q their former extent WI be among
tion Of high mountain Gora will have special in
trrest, because these plants are far less known
marked Hlnite. With EgTorenn and NE Medi Hsrr
Iancnn plants on one side and with those Of
topographic features Of the slopes will be
studied. On. the west slopo Of the mountain
DR.. Gregory found quite number OF lakes In
fed by springs in their beds and act as reser-
Thai drain tn" sones % THe hshes Tt lake ns
found was at an altitude OF 1880 feet and
| was 800 feet long and loo wide. On the
east slope of tho mighty mountain mass Mr.
George koIb. late in 1898. discovered Lake
Ntorobbo. about two m he's long and a mi lie and
quarter wide. over whose surface n skim
ming Of ice forms nearly every night.
1t will be no light task to travel clear around
do. for The tropica Jungle. the forest zone
above 1t and the loftier region Of Ice and snow
are not easy to penetrate, and the main axis o.
the mountain is thirty miles in length II will
not be surprising to hear that the party
reaches the Aummit. Very likely Mr. kolb
had not given out after he reached the summit
| plateau; $1,000 feet above these The Ice
hundred feet ahov" this plateau. and Kolb he
liextd i might be climbed. though with some
stn as on rises lrnm zoe! na w nse End
| kinder he will study the mountain problems
| fora longer time and with better appliances
than any OF his predecessors. and the pros
poets are good that no will bring back much
interesting Information.